Tipping

I think some of the above examples already ring true in certain members of those professions!!!

 

I don't tip because society says I have to. Alright, I tip when somebody really deserves a tip. If they put forth an effort, I'll give them something extra. But I mean, this tipping automatically, that's for the birds. As far as I'm concerned they're just doing their job.

 

I expect-and rarely fail to get-to be served promptly and in turn if the place is busy.A clean glass (actually a legal requirement but still............) a full measure (ditto) or a top up given with good grace and the chance to try a beer which is new to me.Any problem with the beer, a straightforward replacement.This is the basic minimum of service to which I am accustomed.Often the last three will be carried out without my even asking.There is such a thing as pride in the job or simply doing things right.
Staff who provide this level of service with a pleasant manner usually get the benefit of a good relationship with the customers; in less busy time they are able to enjoy contact with a variety of people all of whom help to make the job an enjoyable one.

 

Indeed, and when one is a "regular" in said establisment (where you don't have to ask for any of those expected things) it is common to buy the bar person a drink, once in a while!

 

Then I don't serve you anymore.

 

You do realize that you have stumbled into a discussion about tipping and its efficacy in a different culture, right? Have you read through this thread?

 

Fair enough, though some of the posts have been directed towards the differences between the two markets. The sentence "I don't tip because society says I have to" led me to believe that ReluctantScooper was from the US, but clearly I didn't take two seconds to click to find out . Do you guys have Hooters in GB?

 

They opened some Hooters over here in the late 90's, early 2000's. Never been to one as can't imagine they do decent beer (have had some OK craft beer in US hooters). Not sure whether they still exist?

 

These ladies aren't starvin' to death. They make minimum wage. When I worked for minimum wage, I wasn't lucky enough to have a job that society deemed tipworthy.

 

The joint I go to most often(US), Old Chicago, doesn't allow its servers to drink on the job. I go there because they have the widest selection by far and there are some good to very good servers there. One in particular grabs a frosted glass(all of the warm glasses have beer logos on them now) and runs it under hot water because she "knows". In lieu of buying her a drink, I do tip her well.

 

They're lucky they earn any kind of fixed rate at all if i'm honest. Tons of people are in minimum wage jobs with no tips, and tons are self employed and earning drastically less than minimum wage. I'm sorry if I (and "the British") sound cold but I have little sympathy for people who do make a decent living whereas we couldn't even afford heating his christmas.

 

What you do is give the tip as the price of the drink, so it's gesture that counts more than anything.

 

Spot on!

 

I think what the Americans fail to comprehend here is that the comparative wage for its hospitality workers is terribly low in comparison to other industries and developed countries including the US. The argument I hear is do your job right and indeed to a minimum standard subject to specific conditions and you earn your wage, no matter how low it may be, and you expect to be entitled to a tip no matter how simple job, the relationship you have established and the extent and longevity of that relationship. It seems from this that the US drinking culture is stuck and indeed reluctant to move out of those dark ages where that wage per hour is so low that you have to rely on charitable giving to make a decent wage and escape paying tax on part of it.

 

Now, the server in my avatar. I'd go over twelve percent for her. If only.

And, yes, we do have Hooters here in the UK. But the servers don't all wear false ginger beards. Not even if you tip them well.

 

Is that a Euphamism?

 

I see what you did there.

 

If anything, I think this threads hints at how the Western world seems to be collectively broke with recovery somewhere pretty far away. The standard of living in the UK ain't all that great (when has it ever been good ?) but I think alot of people here don't take into account how badly the States has been hit in the last few years. And I think alot of people outside of this thread are still in shock or denial about the state of our finances.
Still, nothing a good beer won't solve.