Stompy

I know a lot of people have jobs where they need tips and I REALLY don't wanna come off sounding like an asshole, but what's up with this?

I was talking with my girlfriend about this today and was telling her how the whole concept of tipping is just fucked up. I'm just wondering why the employer isn't paying the employee enough.

Waitresses are a good example. Why are they only making $2-3 an hour? Where does the employer get off thinking "we'll have the customer foot the other half of their paycheck"? It's also odd how a tip is *expected* from the customer. I sit down, the waitress takes our order, 15 minutes later the food arrives, it gets eaten, halfway through the meal she checks to see "how things are", and finally, she brings the bill. I don't mean to sound like a dick, but there really isn't anything special going on there. Why should I give a tip for that? Isn't that her job?

Other instances that make no sense: coffee shops and the tip jar and car Washes and the tip box. First off, this coffee I'm ordering is overpriced as it is at $3.75, and you expect me to pay you to fill a cup and put a few flavors in it? Likewise w/ the car wash... there's a big machine that automates it and all you do is soap up my car. Why should I give extra $$ for that? It just doesn't make any sense. Why should the customer pay people to do their job? Isn't that the employer's responsibility for running a business?

Another example ... today I was at the casino w/ my girlfriend. We ate some food and there was a person there cleaning off the tables. The person didn't take our order, didn't even talk to us ONCE... yet I noticed that people were giving tips for absolutely no reason.

It's not that I don't appreciate people doing these things, but c'mon.. it's their JOB.

That would be like getting your car repaired, paying $75 an hour for labor, then on top of that saying "Here's a lil something for yourself!" Or calling the police when you get into a car accident: "I'm glad you're doing your job. Here ya go.. it's a lil something extra for you." What about going grocery shopping and paying the cashier for scanning all your food? What about tipping the doctor because he gave you a checkup or prescribed you some medication to fix your sore throat? So on, so forth. If we tipped every person in our life that helped us, we'd be fucking broke.

Strangely enough, I do relate to Mr. Pink's situation and concepts in Reservoir Dogs. I'm not as much of an asshole about them as he is, but still, it's as if I'm the only one that thinks it's a very odd custom. Whenever I bring it up, people tend to react as if what I'm saying is really that out of place, but seriously, if you think about it, it's NOT.

Don't get me wrong, I never stiff people on tips, but I DO avoid those situations like the plague. Instead of sitting down to eat, I'll just call in the order and pick it up.. or instead of getting a pizza delivered, I'll pick it up. Seriously, I go out of my way to avoid it. If co-workers of mine suggest a restuarant to eat at for lunch, I'll suggest an alternative just to avoid having to pay a tip simply because I don't agree with it.

It's not that I'm a cheap asshole, it's just that I don't understand why people are expected to pay others a little extra for simply doing their job. If they went out of their way to make my experience a happy one to the point where I'd comment to those around me, "Damn... this person is fucking AWESOME. I really wish more employees would be like this person," then I could see where tip would be due, but other than that... what's the big deal?

Anyone else think this way... or am I just the only one?

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