I'm sure there are some of you who think that a tip should always be left for a waiter, and those (like myself) who think that they shouldn't always be left, and perhaps only should be left when the services has been above and beyond. I realise that this probably has been debated for years and actually there are many cultural differences etc etc, so I'm not here to start a debate, just to share a story. Tipping is probably more common and expected in the US, compared with parts of Europe. I for one think that the salary of a worker should be of a minimum amount, sufficient to provide for their needs, and for exceptional service, a tip should be like a "good job" bonus payment. Some people will argue that people in the service industry are not paid enough and it is a given that the tips make up their salary payments, but again others will argue that it shouldn't be the customer's responsibility to pay for the food AND feel guilty that the waiter doesn't get paid enough and thus should be given a tip to help them get by. I, myself, am somewhere in the middle. I lean more towards that if someone has just come along, taken my order and given me my food, that I wouldn't tip them, as I sort of expect in a restaurant for me to get given food, given the mark up in the meal price. However when I have a chatty, friendly and attentive waiter / waitress, then they most certainly get a tip. My point being, it irritates me when people EXPECT a tip, or demand a tip, or feel entitled to a tip.
So why am I letting off steam about this? Had a fleeting but thought provoking moment on Friday night whilst leaving Rockafellas with the Russian leggy blonde. After negotiations with her, we headed down to grab a taxi. I held her hand, walked down the stairs with her, opened all the doors myself, and by the time I was leaving the hotel a cab pulled up and the door man opened the cab door for me and the girl, without me even asking. She got in through the open door and shuffled over, and I joined her. The door man stuck his head into the cab and listened in, as I asked the cab driver to take me to my hotel. The door man had his head in the door (preventing it from shutting) and was looking around, mostly looking at me. It occurred to me that this wanker was stopped, more or less demanding / expecting a tip. I couldn't even close the door because he had his head in the way, and I didn't fancy making this a scene from the Godfather II or Scarface.
Eventually I had to say loudly "OK thank you goodbye" whilst nodding at the prick and closing the door myself. It made me really irate that he thought that just because he opened a door for me without my asking, that he should immediately and definitely be given cash as a thanks. Don't get me wrong, I don't want you to think I'm a cheap ass who doesn't pay people for good service, but I don't like the sense of entitlement that this guy had, that he should have the balls to wait, expectantly, until he was told to get lost, all because he opened one door without asking. Some of you probably disagree with me and have a more free attitude to this, but I honestly feel that tips should be earned and not assumed.
