Oh, no, not the tip vs no tip discussion!

Actually, I have an answer that's not often brought up, or at least hasn't at other times I've seen this discussion:

If you could do it *all at once* maybe you could end the well-entrenched tradition of tipping that goes with certain service positions. But if you take it upon yourself to try to change it one person at a time, it's *you* that the staff would look at as in the wrong, not their management. The other fact of the matter is that tipping actually favors the employees in most cases. If tipping were universally ended and prices and wages raised accordingly, they might have a more stable income, but it in most cases it wouldn't be as much as the low wage with tips.

There are a large number of other fairly low-paid positions that aren't subject to the tipping tradition. And there are even some not-so-low ones that are (hairstylists, for instance). But pick your favorite low-wage job (fast food, say) and the hourly rate there is higher than the hourly rate given to restaurant staff in a tipping environment. It may not be convenient, but that's how it is, and without a wholesale change, that's probably how it will stay. It benefits the staff, and, after all, if they were paid straight wage, the incentive to be nice or prompt or whatever would truly go out the door. (Does a flight attendant or gate agent have an incentive to be nice? )

StacyCat, it is important to note that the wait staff share a portion of their tips with the bus staff. Generally it's not a high portion, but that may vary by restaurant. In that kind of environment, it is more than just the person who takes your order who gets paid from your tip.