[SeeBass]

You can"t escape the costs either you pay it on the cost of goods or at least you have the option to tip if you are satisfied with the service.

I would rather have the freedom to choose how much extra I give to reward the good employee. It is just an good way to practise the free market by rewarding those that perform.

If you want to compare other nations that don't tip don't forget those are not min wage workers they are being compensated on their skill.
Imagine the person that you know that makes min wage in charge of your food safety and getting your order correct and 40 others at the same time and take care of all of your other specific needs. Not to mention all of the mistakes that would be made that have to be paid for in the current cost of your meal. How about those with strict allergies counting on them as well.The staff turnover would be even worse than it is now creating even more issues. All of those servers that have brains that are going to school would not be there as they would just do something else for a couple of more bucks an hour.
I guess if you are fine going to a slop and drop places all the time then perhaps but many times my evening out enjoyment is directly related to the competance of the people that serve me. But a 20% tip at a slop and drop is peanuts extra and so the quality is rewarded that way, rather than 20% to a proffesional serving me at a $100 plus night out.


I see some of these points being made by people who obviously have never worked in dining and are missing out on many factors that people that have worked on the inside know. Sure you may have gone out to eat and think you know how to run a place but I have watched many people play the piano it doesn't mean I can play.