By Trevor Fik (Staff Writer) – Email
The tipping phenomenon is such a firmly entrenched behaviour in our society that it appears to be above questioning. Those who stake a claim against the practice, or, god forbid, question the gospel of tipping, are at risk of receiving the moniker of cheapskate or tightwad – a signature that can haunt a person for life. For fear of being the object of ridicule, and in a vain attempt to avoid a lifelong association with other frugal people, individuals usually cave in to the societal pressure of giving up that extra 15 to 20 percent during a night out, for what typically amounts to average service.
I am here to use this forum to free those who refuse to tip any longer just because the world says we should! For those individuals who are not cheap, but refuse to part with their own hard earned cash to reward mediocrity in the workplace.
In order to understand why we tip, we first have to know how the practice originated and where it came from. According to Cornell University professor Michael Lind, we can thank the Germans for forcing us to shell up an extra couple of bucks every time we go out to eat or drink. The first evidence of tipping stretches back to the 1500’s in Germany, where craftsmen were often given a trinkgeld, or drink money, for their services. This practice then spread to other parts of Europe and eventually made its way across the pond, where drink money (known as a tipple) was a common reward for good service.
At first glance, the practice does not seem to have advanced much from its German roots. However, the explanation goes on to stipulate that it was only with the most exceptional service that individuals were tipped. This is a far cry from our current system, where the expectation to tip no matter the level of service has become commonplace.
Often, an individual can rationalize a gratuity if the service is above average. Many argue that keeping the current system of tipping encourages servers to provide a higher level of service for customers. However, this is not always the case, as explained when New York Times columnist Steven Shaw referenced a study done by Cornell University.
The study found that people are more likely to tip a server if the individual bends down next to them while taking an order, or touches them on the arm during some point in the encounter. Not only does this disprove many individuals claim that they tip because of better service, but it raises the question of server exploitation. If physical contact is required in order to get a couple extra dollars out of a table, where will an individual be willing to draw the line? And what of an individual’s right to privacy and the establishment of boundaries?
Shaw also notes that tipping a percentage paves the way for many servers to “up sell” products in order to get a higher bill. This way they get a bigger chunk of the cheque, turning your night out in to one long sales pitch. Before you know it, a simple dinner has become one long ordeal of being pressured in to buying that third appetizer while the server massages your neck and shares their life story.
Many advocates of tipping condone the practice as a way to compensate workers for the notoriously low hourly wages they receive. Management argues that these low wages are paid so the customer doesn’t have to pay higher menu prices. Therefore, the cost of paying fair wages is not passed along to the customer. And while this reasoning appears to be sound, when you are expected to dole out fifteen to twenty percent extra for the average service of a person delivering your food, you might end up paying more than if that server was earning a decent wage.
I am by no means advocating for the removal of tipping altogether, but when it comes to be expected by people putting forth a lackluster effort, tipping loses all its reason for existing. Maybe we should all embrace our German roots when it comes to handing out gratuities and award them only in the most exceptional of circumstances.
