I beg to differ. I think your statement is incorrect...and Ill prove it...

When you go out to dinner with your friends or wife/girlfriend.....before you even get in the car, are you expecting to leave a tip? Why, how do you know the service will be good? Why dont you make the descision to tip AFTER your meal?

Why do you always reach or ask your (friend/wife/gf) for 3 bucks to tip the valet before you walk out of the restaurant?

Fact of the matter is, tipping is a social requirement. It is the norm. Just like flushing after you use the bathroom....its not a law, but a social requirement.

 

Interesting analogy but I think you are using the term "requirement" a little to strongly. IMHO.

Flushing the toilet is not a "requirement"...it's a sanitary "courtesy" or "etiquette" taught as having "Manners".

I agree that tipping is not a "requirement" and never will be until it's made a law to do so.

There have been a few times I have left the casino and had no money to tip the valet. Yeah it sucked.... yeah it was embarassing...but in no way was it required to get my car back. I explained to the valet that the casino "got me" that night and he seemed to understand and made no bones. I did however pay the valet "fee" for using the service but I did not tip.

As for the restaurant scenario that I mentioned.....I just thought it was totally classless for the waitress to stop me to tell me I forgot to tip her. Regardless of the circumstances that led to me not tipping ie. bad service, no money, wife forgot to put the tip on the table...or whatever the case may be....the waitress should have never confronted me for a tip....

Tim

 

Well thought out post.

However, I would like to comment one 2 things. First of all, your statement:
[QUOTE]There have been a few times I have left the casino and had no money to tip the valet.

 

[QUOTE=NFRs2000NYC,Mar 28 2006, 12:53 PM] I beg to differ.

 

Hey, listen....Im the first person to admit that if the service sucked you dont tip. Its not an excuse. Since they are making a living from tips, they have to earn them....I wont argue that, matter of fact, I enforce it.


However, back to your statement.....

You can honestly tell me that when you are going out to eat, you are not expecting to tip?

 

The embarassment comes from lack of service etiquette. I used a service that is socially acceptable to tip but did not do so. Although it is accepted....I did not do so. Regardless of my reason for not doing so.... I will always get my car back.

For example. Lets say I go to the casino every day and NEVER tip....the valet people even know me now and hate to retrieve my car because they know I NEVER tip.... doesn't matter.....even if I won the jackpot that night and I have money hanging out my pockets....I will still be able to drive home in my car that they bring me and I will not have to tip a single dollar.

What does the waitress have to lose?....... how about her job? If I decided to push the issue with her manager who we also know because we are regulars there....I think the manager would be apawled to know what the waitress did.

Your calculations only show the possible favors on her side for me to tip her. In fact there were no other people in the restaurant....the manager was not there...and it was just the waitress and me. I think if there had been other customers/manager present....she would not have even considered stopping me.

She stood to gain $5....but lost face in doing so. It not only was classless...but it made her look quite small in doing so. I believe she knows this and was willing to embarass herself in only my presence.....but had others been around....would have NEVER mentioned anything.

Another scenario.... you go to a strip club and "belly up" to the dancefloor... if the lady dances in front of you....are you "required" to tip her?

 

Here's a "tip" for anyone reading this.

I always tip the valet before they park my car, Usually a $5-$10 tip if in a garage. Then I say this is my baby do me a favor and take good care of her. Find her a place within sight from here. Usually they park it right there. They move someone else car from the immediate vicinity and park my car in that spot.

If I go to the ritz on Broad I Tip them a twenty and say keep it in front and they keep it parked illegally right in the valet section until I come out 3 -4 hours later.

I never tip when I pick up the car.

I one did this and told the valet don't let anyone but yourself drive this car. Made him smile and he put the keys in his pocket. He went home before I retrieved the car. I had to wait an hour before they finally got a hold of him and he returned with them. He went to give me the money back and I said keep it, you did what I asked you to do, he said next time I'll keep it front for you and don't tip me. I came back a week or so later he kept it in front, now I tip him $10 everytime and he does me the special favor of always making sure I'm taken care of.

That is something worth the money!

 

[QUOTE=SIIK2NR,Mar 28 2006, 01:48 PM]For example.

 

No. It's not something I think about when planning an evening out at a restaurant. Does that mean I don't tip, no, I'm actually a very generous tipper. It just isn't something I think about until I'm done dining and will then evaluate the hospitality by adjusting the % I tip.

Tipping is never a given, one has to earn it. You don't have to bend over backwards but perform the basic duties of a hospitality worker.

 

Good point...

This point also helps to show that tipping is not a "requirement" If it was a requirement....then customer service could go to $hit but you would still have to tip, which we all know is NOT the case.