Tip O' The Day

[old honda rider]

Speaking of Tip O'The Day...

I tend to be a pretty good tipper in restaurants. Usually my tip to the server is in the area of 20%, because I know that the busboy, the chef and others usually get a portion of the server's tip take over the course of an evening.

Some have criticized me for that, saying, "You tip 20% even if the service is cruddy?" Well, it depends on HOW cruddy the service is and WHY it's cruddy. If it's because there are too few servers in the place (that happens a LOT) then I'll skimp on the tip but at the same time I'll speak to the manager or whomever happens to be running the joint and tell him/her that more staff is required. That's not the server's problem.

And if it's the server's first day and they're fumbling around but obviously trying to make a good impression, I'll tip generously and offer up a few encouraging words. (Reminds me of the story in Ghost Rider when some poor kid, first day on the job, filled Neil's motorcycle with diesel fuel.)

Regardless, if I'm not tipping well I'm talking with the manager and telling him/her why my tip is thinner than normal. After all, how can they do better if they're not told why?

Reason I tip well is purely enlightened self-interest. See, because I tip well I've actually had the good fortune of getting a table at a good restaurant when there are supposedly no tables available. And once in a while the chef may show up at my table and say, "We're trying out a new dish. Here's a sample. Tell me what you think."

So I'm doing my best to counter that old joke: What's the difference between a Canadian and a canoe?

A canoe tips.