Originally Posted by cmdinnyc

I think most people agree that tipping has gotten out of hand in general. However, from a larger perspective this highlights the real issue. Is the condition of employment providing excellence service, or merely competent service? I tend to take the latter view.

If someone is hired to drive the shuttle bus, and they drive the shuttle bas safely, without incident, and in a timely fashion, they have successfully met the conditions of their employment and should be paid accordingly. If the driver goes out of his/her way to assist the passengers, by carrying luggage, as a commonly cited example, then tipping to me is an appropriate reward.

Likewise, someone hired at a Starbucks to make me a cup of tea isn't going to get a tip. Making the tea is part of providing the service, so there's no need/reason to provide additional compensation.