Wednesday, April 13, 2005
Some valuable TIPS
Are you a generous tipper? Or are you the type that makes quick mental calculations before shoving those few extra notes with the restaurant bill? Maybe you are among those who wonder whether a tip reinforces the unequal relationship between the customer and the person serving you? Well, if you are one of the few people who ponder over whether 10 percent of the total bill is a fair amount to give to the waiter, here’s news for you. According to last week’s edition of the FT Weekend, tipping is a subject of serious academic scrutiny.
Etymology: According to the most widely accepted theory, “tipping became established as a social custom in 16th-century England. Brass urns with the inscription ‘To Insure Promptitude’ were placed in coffee houses and, later, in pubs. Customers tipped in advance by putting money in these urns. Another theory is that the word came from the Dutch “tippen”, which mean to tap, and refers to the sound of a coin being used to draw a waiter’s attention.”
The article throws up some interesting facts:
“Economists view tipping as anomalous behaviour that challenges fundamental assumptions about the rationality of economic man because tipping after a service has been provided cannot affect the quality of service.”
“There is only a weak relationship between the size of the tip and the quantity of service provided. It therefore makes little sense for a waiter to work harder to obtain a tip.”
“A study showed waitresses’ tips increased by 17 per cent if they wore flowers in their hair.”
“Academics who study tipping have identified 33 jobs for which remuneration includes tips.”
“In restaurants in the US, customers pay about $26 billion in tips every year.”
So, the next time you are at a restaurant, check out whether the waitress is wearing a flower before you tuck into the hors d’oeuvre.
Are you a generous tipper? Or are you the type that makes quick mental calculations before shoving those few extra notes with the restaurant bill? Maybe you are among those who wonder whether a tip reinforces the unequal relationship between the customer and the person serving you? Well, if you are one of the few people who ponder over whether 10 percent of the total bill is a fair amount to give to the waiter, here’s news for you. According to last week’s edition of the FT Weekend, tipping is a subject of serious academic scrutiny.
Etymology: According to the most widely accepted theory, “tipping became established as a social custom in 16th-century England. Brass urns with the inscription ‘To Insure Promptitude’ were placed in coffee houses and, later, in pubs. Customers tipped in advance by putting money in these urns. Another theory is that the word came from the Dutch “tippen”, which mean to tap, and refers to the sound of a coin being used to draw a waiter’s attention.”
The article throws up some interesting facts:
“Economists view tipping as anomalous behaviour that challenges fundamental assumptions about the rationality of economic man because tipping after a service has been provided cannot affect the quality of service.”
“There is only a weak relationship between the size of the tip and the quantity of service provided. It therefore makes little sense for a waiter to work harder to obtain a tip.”
“A study showed waitresses’ tips increased by 17 per cent if they wore flowers in their hair.”
“Academics who study tipping have identified 33 jobs for which remuneration includes tips.”
“In restaurants in the US, customers pay about $26 billion in tips every year.”
So, the next time you are at a restaurant, check out whether the waitress is wearing a flower before you tuck into the hors d’oeuvre.
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Have you seen that hilarious discussion on tipping in the opening scene of Reservoir Dogs? Mr Pink is superb. Try to get a screenplay transcript off the Net.
MR. WHITE Do you have any idea what these ladies make? They make shit.
MR. PINK Don't give me that. She don't make enough money, she can quit.
Everybody laughs.
NICE GUY EDDIE I don't even know a Jew who'd have the balls to say that. So let's get this straight. You never ever tip?
MR. PINK I don't tip because society says I gotta. I tip when somebody deserves a tip. When somebody really puts forth an effort, they deserve a little something extra. But this tipping automatically, that shit's for the birds. As far as I'm concerned, they're just doin their job.
MR. BLUE Our girl was nice.
MR. PINK Our girl was okay. She didn't do anything special.
MR. BLUE What's something special, take ya in the kitchen and suck your dick? They all laugh.
NICE GUY EDDIE I'd go over twelve percent for that.
MR. PINK Look, I ordered coffee. Now we've been here a long fuckin time, and she's only filled my cup three times. When I order coffee, I want it filled six times.
MR. WHITE What if she's too busy?
MR. PINK The words "too busy" shouldn't be in a waitress's vocabulary.
NICE GUY EDDIE Excuse me, Mr. White, but the last thing you need is another cup of coffee.
They all laugh.
MR. PINK These ladies aren't starvin to death. They make minimum wage. When I worked for minimum wage, I wasn't lucky enough to have a job that society deemed tipworthy.
NICE GUY EDDIE Ahh, now we're getting down to it. It's not just that he's a cheap bastard--
MR. ORANGE --It is that too--
NICE GUY EDDIE --It is that too. But it's also he couldn't get a waiter job. You talk like a pissed off dishwasher: "Fuck those cunts and their fucking tips."
MR. BLUE So you don't care that they're counting on your tip to live?
Mr. White rubs two of his fingers together.
MR. PINK Do you know what this is? It's the world's smallest violin, playing just for the waitresses.
MR. WHITE You don't have any idea what you're talking about. These people bust their ass. This is a hard job.
MR. PINK So's working at McDonald's, but you don't feel the need to tip them. They're servin ya food, you should tip em. But no, society says tip these guys over here, but not those guys over there. That's bullshit.
MR. ORANGE They work harder than the kids at McDonald's.
MR. PINK Oh yeah, I don't see them cleaning fryers.
MR. BROWN These people are taxed on the tips they make. When you stiff 'em, you cost them money.
MR. WHITE Waitressing is the number one occupation for female non-college graduates in this country. It's the one jab basically any woman can get, and make a living on. The reason is because of tips.
MR. PINK Fuck all that.
They all laugh.
MR. PINK Hey, I'm very sorry that the government taxes their tips. That's fucked up. But that ain't my fault. it would appear that waitresses are just one of the many groups the government fucks in the ass on a regular basis. You show me a paper says the government shouldn't do that, I'll sign it. Put it to a vote, I'll vote for it. But what I won't do is play ball. And this non- college bullshit you're telling me, I got two words for that: "Learn to fuckin type." Cause if you're expecting me to help out with the rent, you're in for a big fuckin surprise.
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MR. PINK Don't give me that. She don't make enough money, she can quit.
Everybody laughs.
NICE GUY EDDIE I don't even know a Jew who'd have the balls to say that. So let's get this straight. You never ever tip?
MR. PINK I don't tip because society says I gotta. I tip when somebody deserves a tip. When somebody really puts forth an effort, they deserve a little something extra. But this tipping automatically, that shit's for the birds. As far as I'm concerned, they're just doin their job.
MR. BLUE Our girl was nice.
MR. PINK Our girl was okay. She didn't do anything special.
MR. BLUE What's something special, take ya in the kitchen and suck your dick? They all laugh.
NICE GUY EDDIE I'd go over twelve percent for that.
MR. PINK Look, I ordered coffee. Now we've been here a long fuckin time, and she's only filled my cup three times. When I order coffee, I want it filled six times.
MR. WHITE What if she's too busy?
MR. PINK The words "too busy" shouldn't be in a waitress's vocabulary.
NICE GUY EDDIE Excuse me, Mr. White, but the last thing you need is another cup of coffee.
They all laugh.
MR. PINK These ladies aren't starvin to death. They make minimum wage. When I worked for minimum wage, I wasn't lucky enough to have a job that society deemed tipworthy.
NICE GUY EDDIE Ahh, now we're getting down to it. It's not just that he's a cheap bastard--
MR. ORANGE --It is that too--
NICE GUY EDDIE --It is that too. But it's also he couldn't get a waiter job. You talk like a pissed off dishwasher: "Fuck those cunts and their fucking tips."
MR. BLUE So you don't care that they're counting on your tip to live?
Mr. White rubs two of his fingers together.
MR. PINK Do you know what this is? It's the world's smallest violin, playing just for the waitresses.
MR. WHITE You don't have any idea what you're talking about. These people bust their ass. This is a hard job.
MR. PINK So's working at McDonald's, but you don't feel the need to tip them. They're servin ya food, you should tip em. But no, society says tip these guys over here, but not those guys over there. That's bullshit.
MR. ORANGE They work harder than the kids at McDonald's.
MR. PINK Oh yeah, I don't see them cleaning fryers.
MR. BROWN These people are taxed on the tips they make. When you stiff 'em, you cost them money.
MR. WHITE Waitressing is the number one occupation for female non-college graduates in this country. It's the one jab basically any woman can get, and make a living on. The reason is because of tips.
MR. PINK Fuck all that.
They all laugh.
MR. PINK Hey, I'm very sorry that the government taxes their tips. That's fucked up. But that ain't my fault. it would appear that waitresses are just one of the many groups the government fucks in the ass on a regular basis. You show me a paper says the government shouldn't do that, I'll sign it. Put it to a vote, I'll vote for it. But what I won't do is play ball. And this non- college bullshit you're telling me, I got two words for that: "Learn to fuckin type." Cause if you're expecting me to help out with the rent, you're in for a big fuckin surprise.
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