Tipping..

Real integrity is doing the right thing,

knowing that nobody is going to know whether you did it or not..

Here in the USA waiters and waitresses work very hard for a living.  They depend mostly 

on tips from customers.  I'm not sure how it works in most countries, but I do know

that some countries the waiters and waitresses are paid a good salary so tipping

is not a requirement.  This I know is the case in Norway. 

The hardest working, lowest paid, least appreciated worker has to be the server

 in your local restaurant. Waiters and waitresses are only paid $2.69 per hour in

 many places. The only workers in America that the government doesn't include

 in minimum wage laws, servers rely on tips from you to pay their bills and support

 their families. And many restaurants require servers to share their tips with bartenders,

 hostesses, and bus boys.

Tipping may not be a requirement, but when you see these men and women work
and when you think of what they are paid you might reconsider.  Of course
some are better than others, but that is the case with everything and everyone.

There was a time a few years ago Arvid and I were invited to dinner by some friends
from Norway.  Not their first time here, but still the tipping was not something
they are used to.  We had a very good dinner with excellent service.  When it
was time to pay our friends insisted on picking up the bill.  This is
not something neither Arvid and I are used to.  Anyway, my main concern
was the tip.  Were they going to tip the servers?  Turns out they did not.

As we left the restaurant, I ran up to the waitress and told her that we will
be back in a minute.  After our friends left Arvid and I went and we tipped
the waitress who was very happy.  I don't blame the friends.  It's not something
they do in their country.

For those of you planning on visiting the USA for the first time, please
be aware of the tipping guidelines.  These hard working men and
women depend on this for their survival...

Remember that your server doesn't prepare the food. It's not their fault if it's not cooked 

the way you want it or doesn't taste as good as you expected. And it's not their fault that 

you wanted an alcoholic drink but forgot your identification. Stiffing a waitress or waiter

 because they can't break the law and the rules of their employers is not only grossly unfair, 

it shows a complete lack of class.  

Look more kindly at the next waiter or waitress that serves you.

 Are they trying to make your dining experience pleasant? If so, you owe them at 

least 15% of what you paid for your food. Did they make your dining experience pleasant? 

Then you owe them more.  For now good morning and next time, tip
your waiter and waitress well...



In a restaurant choose a table near a waiter
Be nice to people on your way up
because you might meet 'em on your way down...

~Nadiya~