Totally agree that tipping is becoming WAYYYY too "expected."

I have no problem at all providing tips for "excellent" service or for those who go above and beyond or who simply provide good "service with a smile" (the other day a waitress told us she forgot to put in our order so it'd be delayed by 15 mins.; she was really nice about it though and still got a tip of at least 20 percent). I do understand that people in the service industry often are underpaid and underappreciated so I do my best to thank people via tips and other means (giving Christmas presents to my letter carrier, writing nice notes and letters of commendation to corp HQ or the employee's boss when someone's been really nice, etc.).

But let this be MY CALL. Don't FORCE it on me. If a tip is no longer voluntary, what's the point? I really resent restaurants that add an "automatic tip." Really? How the hell is that a true "tip?" Why not just add the extra 15, 18, whatever percent to the menu price? I'd rather pay a couple bucks extra for a meal included in the COST of the meal when it's imposed on me than to charge me the amount anyway under the "illusion" of a tip. As for all those other bogus tip jars that are popping up as you all mention, I'd ignore them, too. What's next, me putting out a tip jar in my office here at a non-profit in a commercial building? Hey, *I* do a good job, too! Feel free to PM me if any of you feel like giving money away just because someone does what they're expected to do. I'm going to Hawaii in a couple of weeks... your money will be well spent.