Quote Originally Posted by John2 View Post
I have a strategy to avoid this risk: not tipping.

I think tipping is such a terrible system. The more an employee depends on tips for income, as in America, the more risk it puts them at. In America if you work at a restaurant that gets a bad news headline/review and custom suffers, you can't pay your mortgage and it's your problem. It removes a lot of the risk from the employer and places it with the employees.

We have a comparatively strong minimum and living wage in the UK.

It's odd that we decide some lower wage jobs deserve tips and some don't. Every time you tip you're really just subsidising the employer from having to pay the true market price.

High tippers are effectively subsidising those that don't (thank you).

It also creates this awkward dynamic. People argue they want good customer service generated by tipping, but I'd much rather have a person be authentically nice/good at their job, and the restaurants can get a reputation for the quality of their service by their hiring decisions.

Some people feel uncomfortable because the status quo is often to leave a tip, and they much rather wouldn't for all the reasons outlined above. To those people I say be brave, think of the bigger picture, end this bizarre system and let the price on the menu be the price you pay.

I'm open to counterarguments. And I do still tip in countries where people are dependent on it.
'strong minimum and living wage'? Try telling that to a kid at 17 and ask them what they're paid. It's all about individual choice at the end of the day and to show courtesy guarantees you a good service, well it does at Elupos. I do partly see your point though.