I used to work keeping beer in stock in a bottle shop till about 3AM. I got paid normal wages and we had a tip jar. Often I would walk out of that place with 60-80 bucks in tips a night because people thought we were doing a great job running the shop and keeping the beer they liked cold (steezo mentioned having to settle for warm beer from a store in the drinking thread, this would never happen at my shop). This is an example of people tipping because they were purely happy with their service. No other bottle shop in town had a tip jar. I like the jar system because it's there but nobody expects you to use it in a retail type place. You don't feel like an asshole if you don't tip when you buy your 40oz. of rotgut.

To me tipping because you are grateful makes sense, like dropping a coin in the tip jar when you get a well made coffee. I think it's lame that there is some kind of customary 15-20% that you have to add to your bill beyond what your bill is in order not to seem like a dick. Not saying I don't tip. Just saying I do not appreciate the situation the public is in in relation to servers "oh, they live off tips, they don't get paid like we do".

I'm all for paying a simple hourly rate, and not prohibiting employees from accepting gratuities.

Tipping should be based entirely on good service and never because it is expected. That servers are not paid a proper wage shames people into feeling like they NEED to leave extra money for food and drink that already has a huge markup.

Yes, of course don't eat out if you can't afford to do it. Makes sense. But I cannot see why an appropriate tip cannot be added into food prices to begin.

I've never heard a server complain of making LESS than minimum wage per hour (though I don't disagree that it could happen). But I also think minimum wage is bullshit (as in way too low in relations to work/hazards involved) for a lot of jobs that offer it.

I don't suppose I can change it but I would rather shit be more expensive to reflect paying waitstaff. And if places start to go under too bad, business need to adapt to thrive and by adapt I do not mean that the expect tip amount here being 20% instead of 10% is what I am talking about.

Say I buy a 3 dollar beer. I am EXPECTED to drop another dollar for that as a tip. 33% extra for shitty beer? Why not just charge 3.50 and not me feel like I am giving away money for someone to twist a cap and hand me a bottle and a napkin.

@Gia, I can foresee some comment about paying for atmosphere, for being in the place. That fits right in with my model. Classy joints can be as expensive as they can afford to be.

Every restaurant will either have willing employees, or not. That part is not something the customers should be worrying about.