An acquaintenance of mine owns a pizza joint.
The place has (I think) really good dairy dishes - pizza, calzones, etc.
I used to go there every so often.
But no more.
The last time I was there I noticed that the bill included an 18 percent surcharge as a wait staff gratuity.
I have no objection to leaving a tip for reasonable service or a large tip for exceptional service, but I resent having a tip automatically appended to the bill.
I know this is a common practice in many so called "better" establishments, but it is counter-productive. It eliminates any incentive the wait staff may have to provide even a "decent" level of service.
In the land of capitalism, this is socialism or, perhaps, communism with a lower case "c."
Tips are, I thought, supposed to be for good service, above and beyond the minimum acceptable standard.
I know, because I have "been there and done that," that wait staff, along with "pearl divers" (dishwashers), cooks, and soda jerks (I know I'm showing my age with that job category) are on the low end of the pay scale, sometimes not even making minimum wage.
I know tips often can mean paying the rent and the phone bill or letting one of the bills slide.
If truth be told, I think everyone ought to work in a "tip intensive" job for a while. My daughter "slung hash" for awhile and at 25 has a healthy respect for waiters and waitresses and tips accordingly.
But when service is sub-par, she, like her Dear Ol' Dad, pays the bill and no more. No gratuity for a job poorly done.
I'll still patronize my acquaintance's establishment, but now only on a take-out basis.
If I want to dine in, I will go to one of several other nearby dairy places.
