Tipping: The harms of it and why one should not tip?

 Tip or gratuity is money given in gratitude and appreciation for certain services. This is over and above the price of the goods or services taken. 

Tipping and countries and service sectors

The custom of Tipping and the amount varies from country to country and region to region. At some places, it is not asked and wanted such as in Nepal but at other places such as Thailand, the tourism employees demand it and may get rude if not paid. It is a metter of social custom or etiquette. In certain places, it is considered insulting to get it and is discouraged. 

Restaurant and bar employees, taxi-drivers in certain countries and hair-stylists prefer to be tipped. It is illegal to tip government servants. In those cases, it is considered bribe and a punishable act. A certain percentage of the bill is given as tip: usually 5-15%. Some restaurants add this percentage in the bill as a separate entity called service charges. But it depends whether it is given to the waiters and if partly or wholly. In these cases, where service tax is put in the bill, tipping is not expected to be done there. 

Tipping is not a good practice (Source: The Conversation) 

Problems of tipping

The trend started around 1600 in the UK. The restaurant owners under whom waiters work may be happy with tipping because they feel that workers work better with tips. And they consider it okay to ill-pay these waiters. Also, those who put service charges in the bill amount may not necessarily pass on these bucks to the workers leading to discontent there. Also, tipping might lead to expectations in workers and if they do not get it or get less than expected, they may be dissatisfied. They may not serve customers equally and properly leading to situations of frictions and fights between server and client. Studies in the USA have revealed that tipping is arbitrary and discriminatory and best avoided. The study showed that tipping depends on age, sex, race, hair color, liking and is independent of service quality. 

Also read: Begging: The profession of many in India 

Besides, tipped money is unaccounted and variable. The money does not come under the tax bracket and is thus wrong. Sometimes, waiters get money through tipping that is more than their salary amount and they pay no taxes on this sum. This practice is against the self-respect of the worker. This form of appreciation is sometimes likened to begging. 

Additionally, tipping creates a confusion in the mind of the client. Should they tip? How much to tip? All these questions and doubts make dining experience a stressful time for many. 

Why do people tip?

1. Because it has become a social norm

2. Just to show off in front of others

3. To avoid disapproval of the server

4. To get better service from same waiter

5. To supplement the income of the worker and boost it

6. As a sense of social duty.

But all these motives are selfish ones and stand to no proper reason. Besides, helping and raising the pay of the waiters is the responsibility of the hotel owner first. Government laws of minimum wages and their proper implementation can help in this. Also, it is their duty to get this unaccounted money into the tax laws. Additionally, studies have shown that in countries such as Australia and Japan where tipping is not done, services are good and better than that in places where tipping is a norm. 

Thus tips are best avoided since they do not help society in a good way. A better option may be service charges added to bills or tronc.

Tronc

It is an arrangement in which the tips are pooled and distributed to the employees. The person who handles it is a troncmaster. The same person also deducts the tax at source. So everyone is helped and no one suffers.