Tipsy, anyone?

Okay.  You go to get your hair cut.  The bill is $35.  You're paying with a check.  To what amount do you make the check?

 

Having dinner?

 

Checking bags?

 

Getting a massage?

 

What about your postman at Christmas?

 

The UPS guy?

 

Your devout dry cleaner who has never once ruined your precious leather pants?

 

 

 

Tipping.  It's serious business.  I've had a large tipping conversation about tipping with my husband recently.  Up until the last few years, he didn't realize that you tip your stylist.  Now, of course, that's partly because he went 12 years without a haircut and prior to that, his mother was so desperate to make her hippie son look presentable that she paid the tab for his trims. But SWEET HOLY MOSES, you always *always* tip your stylist - unless you wanna look like Yule Brenner.

 

I once knew a gal who tipped $2, regardless of the bill.  Didn't matter if she was having coffee or creme brule, swordfish or Shasta.  Now, of course, times have changed and I'm sure she has changed her deal, but I was always intrigued by her tipping style.  Why $2?  Why not $1?  Or $3?  Or $1.78?

We've all heard that tipping $.01 (one penny) is the standard symbol for terrible service.  But what about 5%?  Is that significant of bad service or cheap patron?

 

I've always been a big tipper.  Always.  But, of course, I've worked in food service, in bars, in places where tips made my rent.  I've been stiffed on tabs, given phone numbers and drugs for tips (phone numbers are NOT tips, drugs, well, that depends ......)  I've also been tipped 200% of the tab.  And I promise, I've given the same service to everyone.

 

In this day and age of mortgaging our homes to pay for gasoline and selling our plasma to get good, wholesome, organic foods for our children, tipping is a hot topic.  There's been a multitude of magazine articles written about it, lots of morning news spots in reference to tipping, and gawd knows Emily Post gave herself carpal tunnel syndrome writing about tipping.  It's a big deal.  For some people, it's just extra money.  For others, it's a place to live.

 

I've been enamored with Waiter for the last couple of years.  He has some serious opinions about tipping.  In fact, he was recently on NPR's Voice of the Nation talking about tipping.  IF you missed it, you can hear the entire segment here.  Maybe it'll make you think.  Maybe it'll open your mind.  Hopefully, it will open your wallet.

 

Folks, the people who serve you make next to nothing.  Do you think they wake up every day just dying to wash your dishes or make you that 27th Shirley Temple?  Be generous.  I promise, they'll give right back.

 

Oh, and for the record, B now tips his stylist.  And he tips well.  Amazing what a threat of a sedative and an electric razor can do to a modern day Samson.