Because that is how the staff is compensated. The employer expects the customers/members to tip and so they pay the employee proportionally less. I don't agree with this system but it's what we're stuck with in the US.

If I had my druthers I'd start with tip money on the table and add/remove as appropriate duing my time at the establishment leaving the pile of money on the table/bar at the end. That would avoid any miscommunication between the server and the customer and allow poor service to be improved upon.

back to my queries....
are these Continental employees or outside agents?, etc.

I love our system of tipping and think it generally works as designed.
Your idea could work in theory, but I suspect many diners would not wish to anger their waiter before they finished eating.

On a related topic, has anyone else noticed that pre-September 11 you had to offer a FA a tip three times before she would accept it, but now most accept it immediately?

I'm at the IAH Term E PC now (Man is it Beautiful!!) and figured I'd simply ask an agent. Talked to Jo-Anne (a very informative Red-Coat) who told me that the agents should refuse any tips, they are doing their job. She did emphasize that a comment card describing the exceptional service would be MUCH more appreciated than any monetary token of appreciation as it "goes way up to the top".

Tips to the barstaff are welcome (obviously), and she didn't see anything wrong with tipping the bussers (my word, not hers), she had not seen it done and she noted that they are probably paid a little better than the bartenders (in keeping with the tradition of US waitstaff policies).

On another note, I tended bar for many years through college in both public bars and private country clubs. In all cases the base salary was $2.13/hr, plus tips. Even though the club is private, the assumption is that in the private clubs, your clientelle is going to have a little more cash and tip better. What the patrons don't often see are the hours spent setting up, tearing down and cleaning that the staff is still doing for $2.13/hr, no tips.

Hope this helps with the original question, forgive my 2 cents about the ensuing discussion.

Thank you Sluggo and others; it was indeed helpful.

I tip for milk at the bar in the PC. It's only fair as it takes just as much time as mixing a drink. I also check to make sure they have enough for the kids before ordering. The bars don't have a lot of milk on hand.

I can only speak for the PC Clubs at IAH - not only are the bartenders not CO employees, but the entire bar portion of the club is run by the airport (aka the city of Houston). If you order a drink there, you'll notice they ring each one up on a cash register - I suppose the bill then goes to CO.

K

I know in NJ a few years ago, legislation was changed (and challenged in the courts) on collecting taxes from liquor "purchases" from private clubs and casinos. Atlantic City casinos were impacted the most: how do you capture tax when you're giving the product away for free? While I'm sure someone here knows better than me, I believe a mechanism had to be put in place (whether its in an airline club, a country club, a private club, or a casino) to track how many drinks are being "purchased" so tax could properly be assessed. So when you see a cash register in a PC club, its probably to track inventory and collect tax where such tax is collected.