How else are food service workers supposed to earn a living if people don't tip? It's more equitable to make sure that everybody (not just large groups) tips, than to only impose tips on those infrequent larger groups.

Wherever you're drinking or dining out, if it's not self-serve, you should tip.

I VEHEMENTLY DISAGREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tipping is to insure good service and if I am sitting at a bar BY MYSELF, I am not gonna tip a bartender who is doing nothing more than reaching in a cooler and opening a bottle of beer!!!

Food Service Workers are supposed to earn their money by providing exemplary service, plain and simple and I refuse to tip someone who doesn't give a S**T!

I haven't seen or heard of any evidence that this practice has burgeoned since the last thread on the subject just a short while ago. Caveat emptor. If your bill notes that a gratuity has been added, then pay accordingly and don't tip extra. If in doubt, ask. If a tip has been added to the total and the establishment's policy contrary to the norm isn't clearly posted, I would think you would have the right to disregard the tip addition and pay only for what you ordered, if that's your druthers.

It's not common industry practice (at least in the US) to add a gratuity to a bill and those establishments which add a gratuity to a large party dinner tab do, at least from my experience, clearly indicate same.

Again, from personal knowledge and experience, it's not just "locals" who sometimes fail to tip...

I understand your angst but don't condone an outright call for a boycott unless the "offending" establishments' owners have been given an opportunity to explain their position.

I should add for the sake of good order that I own a bar/restaurant and have never added on a gratuity to any bill whether it be for a small or large party, for drinks or for dinner.

Hey I agree it's totally up to the person receiving service... You can't make it mandatory especially when it's something simple...You should always have the right to choose what kind of tip you want to give that person. Just last week I went to a bar and they were rude so I didn't tip. So why make me tip someone who has been rude it's my choice... God gave us free will and choices..

Bar and wait staff may depend on tips, but when they take a job they're well aware that of that. Tipping is not mandatory unless (at least in the states) it is stated for parties of maybe 6 or more.

Stopping by a bar and grabbing a bear should not have an 18% tip automatically included. I'd rather they charge me more for the beer.

Dylan, I'd just go to another bar:D

That may have been the original intent of tipping (to insure prompt service), but now it's the major compensation for foodservice workers.

In many tourist destinations that attract international visitors, tips are automatically added, because visitors from other cultures might not be aware that tips are expected.

If restaurants want to keep their staff, they need to make sure the staff is fairly compensated, so by making tips mandatory, their employees are probably more equitably compensated.

Besides, as cheap as beer is here compared to some other tourist destinations, what's a dollar or two added to your bill?

Does Dylan go to a bar, order a beer and NOT leave a buck for the bartender? If so, shame on him.

[b][i]SHAME ON YOU LINDA.........................for assuming. I'm probably one otf the BEST tippers on this island and havve plenty of food service people to verify that statement. If I have one beer, I leave 2 bucks, period.

NOW.................ms411, obviously you're in the food service industry. Well it's like this, if you wanna make good money, EARN IT by giving exemplary service. You ask what's a dollar or 2 added to your bill since the beer is so cheap? Half a gallon of gas if you ask me. And is establilshments want to keep the best servers, then they will train them in things like how to walk up to a table and proper greetings, consolidation of stations, you know the drill. Want better tips, EARN THEM.

"I am not gonna tip a bartender who is doing nothing more than reaching in a cooler and opening a bottle of beer!!!"

I'm sorry if I misunderstood your earlier post.

Linda J

if I am sitting at a bar BY MYSELF, I am not gonna tip a bartender who is doing nothing more than reaching in a cooler and opening a bottle of beer!!!

You did say that you would not tip the bartender.

With all due respect Dylan, you tend to go off on an idea and sometimes get so hyped up that you not only risk offending people but also contradict yourself at times. I can understand that you think that mandatory tipping is wrong. A simple post bringing it to people's attention is sufficient but arguing with people's opinions is not really what this board is all about.

As an island resident, you may want to take your case to a local publication or forum, but on a travel board, a simple FYI is probably enough. Shouting (online) at people never makes anyone seem credible.

Wouldn't it be better to buy a single at the Gourmet Gallery? No tip needed!

Wouldn't it be better to buy a single at the Gourmet Gallery? No tip needed!

lol, Ron..thanks for that laugh. Actually, if anybody gets p*** off, maybe that's the best way to go. High blood pressure is just not worth it.

Still don't like the idea of 18% mandatory on a beer. Here's the thing. If husband and I would sit down to have a beer, we would automatically throw a buck out, but when it's just you, one beer...why leave a tip for a bottle that's opened..just doesn't make sense to me.

Dylan...if I was you, save yourself the trouble...buy a six pack, no tip..just not worth it.

Stop Yelling -- and leave the barstools empty for those who do buy a single beer from the cooler and do tip.

I'm personally "on the fence" about this. I've been behind a bar for the better part of 15 years now, and the laugh I get is when waiters/waitresses with parties of 8 or more look over the bill, and say-"Who ordered the gratuity?" I think that it might be a mistake by bar/restaurant owners to choose to add it on smaller parties, and the servers I know always notify the guests about the added tip for parties of 8 or more. If they don't, they should, it's just nicer to be nice,no? I imagine it's a courtesy to the server because larger parties have slower turnover in their station, so that way they're not missing out on their livelyhood. An automatic gratuity, as you've all mentioned for small parties and even an individual, could very well turn away the all important "return business",which could be professional suicide for a bar/restaurant. One other thing that I failed to mention; the restaurants that I've worked for ,although it was in fine print , stated the added grat. on the menu, but offered the guest could raise/lower the tip at their discretion. Did I already mention that creating NEW regulars should be key in the biz? People aren't "window-shopping" when they go to a bar, it's a 99.9% "sale". -"On the fence " because I know what it's like to wait on folks from other places where tipping isn't customary, but if you ask me, I would have to disagree on the small parties' automatic gratuity. Hell, I've gone into the "pour your own" bars,and ended up tipping people just for letting me tip them. And all THAT guy did was give me the ingredients! For the most part, I think most people on vacation really aren't pinching pennies.,but if so, the bartenders should remember- tips are 'to insure prompt service'.- And let's not forget,we could go not only to another bar, but also another island. Am I out of line here?

I forgot to mention- have a good time...

Not on the fence here. Earn it! What a novel concept. I generally tip more at the mom and pop place where the food is great and the food is greater. They're probably the ones that should have a gratuity added because of the locals and others who sit and drink coffee for hours and have an egg and toast and pool their money together to leave a buck or two. I hate myself when I leave a tip at an upscale establishment and the service has been crap and the food mediocre...but they're upscale. So I'm leaving a tip to someone who thinks they deserve it because they're beautiful and working at a classy joint.

Some years ago I read where some bar/grills etc. teach their staff to touch their prospective bill payers. Example: Wife and I sit down. Server gal comes up, touches me and says "how are you guys tonight?" Later meal served and waitress comes up, touches me on the shoulder and asks: "How are your steaks"? Later, gal comes up, touches me on the shoulder and says: Can I get you anything else? I had told my wife about this method previously and she said: "She"s getting a big tip isn't she"? I said "yup".

Not brain surgery to earn a tip. All folks want is reasonable service. I get tips at a little municipal liquor store where I work part time as a cashier...not a job that's noted for tips. Eighteen percent gratuity added for a non-group? I would never be back. Too, many other ports to explore. Also, fifteen percent is still my norm....but twenty percent if service is great.

And for you poor hospitality workers (I've been there), a former co-worker's wife worked at a mid-scale bar and grill in a mall. She worked part time while going to school. She could barely afford to quit and go teach, even after she earned her masters. She was pleasant and efficient. That's all folks ask for. Might also say something about what we pay our teachers...but that's another story:-).

As far as I know, there are no bars/restaurants on STX who add a mandatory tip to a regular bill - I'm not talking about large parties or special days or events. But if one did, they would have my custom only once.

Just wanted to mention that Paradise Point automatically adds 15%. We were there on Wednesday evening (Feb 27), four diners and I almost added 20% to the bill when one of my companions asked if a tip was already added. It was 15%.

So this is not exclusive of 6 or more in a party. To be fair to Paradise Point I do not know if this is stated on their menu. I'm guilty of not always reading the "fine" print.

Lee

Thanks Lee...teaches everybody a lesson that you should really look at your bill and figure out the tip after that.