Don't forget to tip your bartender !

I was born and raised in America, more specifically Brooklyn, New York. I've traveled to the Caribbean, and other parts of North America. Throughout my travels around the country especially when I go to the Caribbean, I have learned tipping is very important. People do things and expect to be tipped for it. Whether it be the Bellboy who brings your bags to the room, or the Bartender pouring those strong drinks that make you smile, they do it for a reason. As the saying goes, "People aren't in business for their health." They not only would like to be tipped, they expect it, and some go as far as to demand it.

I recently ventured to Europe for the first time in my life, it was a leisure trip to Southern Spain. When I arrived in Spain I was definitely hit by a Culture shock. Tipping, for the purpose of this blog is one of the many things that I was shocked by. I went to a small coffee spot, sat down had a nice breakfast. The bill came out to 5 euros, so i left 6 euros on the check presenter. When the waiter picked it up he looked at me weird but thanked me. I didn't think to much of it then. Later on I went with friends to a restaurant and they finally put me on to the fact that tipping isn't the custom in Spain, and most of Europe. I couldn't believe it. I was once a waiter, and we practically only were paid off tips. We left the restaurant and i left the exact amount. I felt horrible, I turned around to go back to give the waiter something but my friends pulled me back.

After thinking about this custom and comparing it to America, I came to a mixed conclusion. What I realized is that there are many positives and negatives in the custom of tipping. Lets go with Good news first. Tipping is a from of gratitude for a job well done. So if a waiter goes above and beyond your expectations and you enjoy your time spend with him/her you want to reward them for a job well done. The waiter in return is thankful for your gratitude. Now lets look at the definition of a tip. A tip is a VOLUNTARY extra payment made to certain service sector worker(s) in addition to the advertised price of a transaction. So in essence when we give a tip to someone its because we personally feel that we should give them an extra payment, for whatever reason. I found this odd, because my previous experience in the restaurant industry, has given me the knowledge and the insight to know that waiters basically only get paid off of tips. Also according to New York State law (not sure about federal) waiters are required to declare 100% of their tips, and they will be taxed on them. Also New York State law allows employers to pay their employee waiters less then half of the standard minimum wage. I believe the current hourly rate is $4.35 per hour. From my experience i never saw much of that $4.35 because it was all taken from me by Uncle Sam. This is how they collected the required tax on my declared tips. So I only worked for tips, and on top of that I had to tip out to the hostess, and busboy who also only really worked off tips. So not only is Uncle Sam taxing my tips, hes giving business owners incentives for cheap labor, while people work off the gratitude of their peers.

The difference between the two customs is astronomical. In spain where it isn't custom to tip, they work on an hourly rate that is a livable according to spanish standards. Meaning that they live a relatively comfortable lifestyle. Although the service is generally slower, no one gets special treatment, and waiters don't feel pressured nor do they feel the stress of not knowing their income. In America where waiters practically only work off tips, although they do provide faster service, a lot more comes with it. They are constantly under stress, trying to please their guests to their best ability, with the expectation of a tip between 15-20%. When the expectation is satisfied, the job isn't so bad. When the expectation goes unsatisfied, the waiter can become stressed and angered. Working off tips almost ensures maximum productivity, and maximum productivity is all we care about here in the U.S.