3 ms·

"Stronger drinks, larger portions on your side items, extra samples." I'd be interested to hear where exactly you'd want to draw the line to bribery. Also, i'

by usrusr 12y ago

"Stronger drinks, larger portions on your side items, extra samples." I'd be interested to hear where exactly you'd want to draw the line to bribery. Also, i'm pretty sure that the mechanisms of being a regular are working just as well in countries without a tipping tradition. (I live in a sometimes-tip country and I have experienced the best service in a neighboring no-tip country)

treehau5 12y ago
First of all, to equate what I said to bribery would mean you have to make the assumption that I am tipping higher _in expectation_ of receiving these things. I don't. Tipping higher provides economic incentive to the server to perform at a higher level for me and whatever guests I bring. And actually it is not bribery, restaurants are alloted to give certain guests freebies to either keep them coming back, or to enhance their experience -- whether it be giving you a free dessert, or other low cost/high yield item off the menu such as side items, or offering you a "unreleased" beverage sample or maybe going out of their way to make a particular item they no longer carry. But besides all of that, I tip higher out of my own virtue, because I worked as a server/bartender for 8 years, so I understand what they go through.
KevinEldon 12y ago
Another take might by... In the United States' tipping economy employees who can attract and retain customers can achieve higher per hour wages and can bring more money to the business they work for by offering incentives to the customers they recognize as "good" (customer who spend alot, both on the business by showing up regularly and on them through tips). Everyone can win. Alternatives are the traditonal command and control or employer/employee relationship where one entity gains all of the benefit and then chooses to dole out limited incentives to the other persons.

by usrusr 12y ago

treehau5 12y ago

First of all, to equate what I said to bribery would mean you have to make the assumption that I am tipping higher _in expectation_ of receiving these things. I don't. Tipping higher provides economic incentive to the server to perform at a higher level for me and whatever guests I bring. And actually it is not bribery, restaurants are alloted to give certain guests freebies to either keep them coming back, or to enhance their experience -- whether it be giving you a free dessert, or other low cost/high yield item off the menu such as side items, or offering you a "unreleased" beverage sample or maybe going out of their way to make a particular item they no longer carry. But besides all of that, I tip higher out of my own virtue, because I worked as a server/bartender for 8 years, so I understand what they go through.

KevinEldon 12y ago

Another take might by... In the United States' tipping economy employees who can attract and retain customers can achieve higher per hour wages and can bring more money to the business they work for by offering incentives to the customers they recognize as "good" (customer who spend alot, both on the business by showing up regularly and on them through tips). Everyone can win. Alternatives are the traditonal command and control or employer/employee relationship where one entity gains all of the benefit and then chooses to dole out limited incentives to the other persons.