Marty - AND your friend who never tips - could that be someone who also always complains about the service, size of servings, etc? LOL

Two weeks ago I had a late lunch at one of the restaurants that I used to frequent daily when I lived in town. The service was poor back then and has gotten progressively worse. When people ask me about the place I am frank and tell them the food is excellent and the service slow. SLOW? It was so bad this last time I took out a piece of paper and wrote on it "To (owners name) FOOD GOOD - SERVICE NON EXISTANT!" and did not leave a tip.

There are a couple of places that give me a 10% discount and I add that amount to my usual tip.

Travelqueen...I kinda agree...why should you not get tipped? You are serving people as well...

Interesting...I never thought of it because it is not scene as one of those "tipping" jobs, but it certainly is the same thing!

Next time on an airline and someone does a great job..I am tipping the steward/ess. Although with $2000 USD to get back to Canada for a visit, I feel a little short on cash on a plane. Make the drinks free and I'll tip my a** off!

Um... that wasn't the sorta service I was thinking of.

Flight attendants (you are forgiven for using that other very dated title) were able to receive tips prior to 9/11 but that is a thing of the past (on Continental). They are no longer allowed to accept a tip.

I disagree withthe tip pool concept. You have a"dumptruck" of an employee and he shares in the tips of those that work hard? If the food is above and beyond, I have requested to see the chef and personally thanked them for a great meal and tipped them. If service is bad? NO TIP. If food is bad, i let the waiter know why no tip is coming. They can take it up with the cooks.

House Keeper, Bar keeper and Flats Guide

Tipping is bribery, is it not?

Believe me..I've been to a few places in my life where if you did not tip the bar waitress sufficiently when she brought the first round you would sit there for a week before another waiter would come around.

OK - If I drink 4 beers an hour (who am I kidding, but for the example I'll keep it light) and tip a buck a beer that takes 3 minutes tops to retrieve and deliver, that's $20.00 an hour. Simple math. Add in all the other patrons. I stated before, I have been a waiter and bartender. It was good money and tax free. Not what I wanted to do forever. TQ was right, it is a matter of personal thinking, but if the guy down the bar is tipping $2.00 a beer, he's gonna get better service. Now it becomes bribery and I for one am all in favor of the system. Papa - I know what you mean, I have been to places you described, I will drink up and move on if the service is bad. And worse yet are the places where you have to walk up to the bar and they pull a beer out of a ice barrel and hand it to you. How much do you tip for that? Hell, I'll walk around and pull it out myself. Not cheap, just practical. I like to spend it, just want my money's worth. (This is humor before you start reading between the lines)

a couple of miles north of here, up in Canada eh!

I'll tip if the service/product merits it, and sometimes quite generously. But if I feel a tip is expected, and especially if it's requested, then I won't tip at all and I won't go there again. If a tip isn't totally voluntary then it just amounts to an additional charge and should be declared as such.