My brother works in a reastaurant and gets a $0.00 paycheck and no health insurance. What is the worst about it is that he is there two hours after the restaurant closes doing clean up work for the same $2.00 an hour. It should be illegal for restaurants to not pay at least minimum wage for waitpersons who are doing work before and after the restaurant is open. Think about how little these people are getting paid and have no benefis before you begrduge a tip.

Clearly Alex you've never worked a job that depends on tips, if you had you would have needed another topic to gripe about today. Let's assume you spend $200/week on 'tipable' situations, and you tip 20% rather than 15%, that comes to $10 a week. Ten bucks is nothing to a high-paid Globe scribe and renowned author such as yourself, but a lot to those who must survive on sub-minimum wage. Trickle-down a little dude! BTW - You don't tip hotel maids? Shame on you! Both a miser and short sighted. Hey Mr. Fussy, when they're pressed for time (always) who do you think gets the clean sheets and pillow cases?

@prue1004 - Sounds like there may be a wage violation at your brother's workplace. I'd recommend contacting the U.S. Department of Labor - Wage and Hour Division to learn more.

That extra couple of bucks means a lot more to the service person than to the diner, usually, and for good service I give it. What frosted me was when visiting the Clark Museum in Williamstown a ten percent service charge was added onto the check...but it didn't go to the server which was both deceptive and unfair. And while we're at it, don't forget the scandal at the Museum of Fine Arts some years ago when a waiter suggested to Malcolm Rogers that recycling could be improved at the Museum. For that, Justin Byron was fired by Restaurant Associates. Would this be a "negative tip." That was almost exactly six years ago. Thanks Steve Bailey for searing this into my memory. Alex...see if the MFA and RA have implemented the practices that the fired waiter suggested. It would be a great story.

Alex Alex Alex Alex Alex...these people aren't poor...they are just lazy! If they were working harder they'd be like people at Bain Capital - Rich, producing nothing, and screwing poor working people like waiters, hotel workers, taxi drivers etc. Hold all of your tips will you please! You'll get way richer that way and those poor working schmucks will learn a valuable lesson - it's a win win for all! Cheers!

Not only is tipping at least 20% the right and moral thing to do, it also often prompts grateful wait staff to give you extras, like a round of drinks, for free - especially at bars. You should try it some time, Mr. Beam.

IWe usually tip 20% of pre-tax bill. Servers are NOT covered by minimum wage rules. While most of you will also tip from 15% to 20% at that resturant you rarely visit or have visited once in your life, bet you never tip at that fast food/coffee place you frequent regularly. However, I would prefer that MA adopt a NO TIP LAW. Let servers and restaurant staff be paid a decent wage and have those wages reported for tax payment. I want a 10% NATIONAL SALES TAX to tap into the massive underground economy as well with an after tax calculation REDUCTION (vs Deduction) of a flat $3000 per individual tax filer, $6000 per family. That way the WORKING people who report taxes get a break while those that do not report income get NOTHING back but still have to pay a Sales Tax!

Where can you go and get a free round if you are a good tipper?

the best way to tip housekeepers in hotels and motels is to leave cash on a daily basis under your pillow--this way the person who does the work is sure to receive your tip and there is no confusion about whether cash in the room is or is not a tip--

The tipping culture in the US is just a reflection of the capitalist system here. Staff in other developed nations like in Europe or Japan get reasonable enough base-salaries from which they can make a living and tips are just a nice bonus or not even expected at all. Here the profit go to the owners of establishments, while the people actually doing the work rely on the tips. I know a case where a Venezuelan student worked as a waitress in a fancy hotel's bar in Boston for 0.00$ salary. The cocktails are still very expensive and not cheaper than in Europe. Pressure should be put on enforcement against ugly practices like these, but I would be surprized, if that is actually going to happen. Welcome to America, where the rich get richer and the poor are kept where they are...