Okay, I've got over 40 years of the "hospitality" industry under my belt. I have been reading this thread, and I agree with QuietLion, Boo Boo Too, and a few others.

But I will say the words...TIP W*H*O*R*E*S. Now someone is going to flame me, so go ahead. I will just ignore you. I've never worked in a 5-star restaurant, but believe me, I've got plenty of experience. Just last night I was washing dishes!

I am not anti-tipping, I just believe tipping is to show appreciation of a service well done. Most wait people do not work 8 hours a day, and some make the minimum wage in their state ( 6.50+). If they get a check under $100 for the week, ask them how many hours they worked. And what about the tips they recieved every day? Why isn't that counted towards your "paycheck" every week? If I pay my dishwasher 6.50 an hour, is that waitress doing sooooo much more than him to earn 6.50 an hour plus tips? Only if she is doing her job. And if she isn't making at least 8% of her total sales in tips, she is a really BAD waitress. Wait staff paychecks are deducted by the TAXES on that 8% of her total sales, NOT THE 8%. So if her total sales for the day was 500 dollars, her paycheck would be deducted the TAXES on $40.

So the next time you eat out, you watch the wait person. Are they keeping busy? Adding up their tickets, checking their customers for water and setting tables? Or are they trying to get the bus boy to do their work, and are gabbing with the other wait people about how someone stiffed them or how my boyfriend cheated on me? Or are they sweet-talking to the customers they think will tip better?

Another thing about waiters/waitresses...I've noticed there are different types. The first type works hard, saves their money, goes to school, and gets into a different line of work. Another type has no other skills (ie. lazy), waits on tables until she dies, because the money is easy and her husband pays most of the bills, or she has child support/welfare/foodstamps. Then there is the professional wait person, who sees it as a REAL job, makes good money, appreciates it, and continues to give excellent service because that is the JOB.

There is nothing wrong with being in the hospitality business. It is not a demeaning job. One doesn't have to be a kiss*a*s*s.

My 1 cents, I'm not finished.

Linda