Australian author, John Birmingham, recently visited New York and has written an op-ed piece on the tipping culture in America. He found it strange, given tipping does not exist in Australia but he wondered if Australia should perhaps adopt it, especially if it could provide an increased level of service. However given the oft-discussed troubles with tipping and the somewhat decent base wage in Australia, one might think adopting tipping is probably not a good idea. Even some US businesses are now banning employees from taking tips, so perhaps this form of payment-for-service, described by Birmingham as "an excuse for slavery" will see its end soon.
posted by Effigy2000 on Apr 13, 2011 - 293 comments

Pocketful of dough - an article on where the art of, er, tipping up front can get you. Originally printed in a year 2000 edition of Gourmet. Via Juicy Tidbits.
posted by nthdegx on Oct 10, 2008 - 59 comments

Wake Up, Freak Out - then Get a Grip, an 11-minute animated film about climate change by activist Leo Murray, complete with script with references
posted by criticalbill on Sep 12, 2008 - 9 comments

There has been a measurable "surge" of carbon in the atmosphere for the past 4 or 5 years, nearly doubling the annual rate of the 1970-2000 period, which has mystified scientists because it does not match human trends or known natural causes. A new paper (abstract) suggests we may have reached a tipping point with more greenhouse gases escaping from trees, plants and soils than in the past - hotter and dryer weather caused by high levels of CO2 is creating a feedback loop of unusually strong out-gassings of CO2 from vegetation more inside
posted by stbalbach on May 13, 2007 - 41 comments

The view (with humour) from two people who serve you drinks. One a cocktail waitress in Vegas, the other a bartender in Cincinnati.
posted by tellurian on May 23, 2006 - 62 comments

The Shitty Tipper Database. Ever undertip, for whatever reason? Did you use a credit card? You could be famous! Or infamous. (via)
posted by frykitty on Jul 25, 2005 - 200 comments

The professor of tipping with tips (pdf) on the age old art of tipping(pdf)
posted by peacay on Apr 10, 2005 - 72 comments

Restaurant Customer Arrested For Tipping Under 18%. Now, we've had discussions about tipping. But I'm not sure that any of us envisioned this.
posted by dejah420 on Sep 13, 2004 - 103 comments

A few tips for the well-heeled gourmand. But I suspect the technologically oriented MetaFilter member will prefer these tips.
posted by EatenByAGrue on Apr 8, 2004 - 10 comments

Why does everyone have a tip jar now? And where do you draw the line when it comes to baiting the jar? Starbucks? Take-out counters? Drive-thrus? How about the girl that takes your money and stamps your hand at a nightclub? While tipping is the economy of an underpaid service industry, it seems the jar itself has gotten out of hand and onto every counter with a dollar already conveniently inside.

If it is appropriate for everyone who performs any kind of public service to be entitled to a tip, why aren't we tossing our coin to police officers, teachers, or flight attendants?
posted by FearTormento on May 12, 2003 - 68 comments

Supreme Court OKs IRS to estimate tips. The IRS can now use estimates of employees' tips in its calculations of what businesses owe in payroll taxes (the dreaded FICA), the Supreme Court said yesterday. The estimates of cash tips -- which are nearly impossible to track directly -- can be based on recorded credit card tips. The IRS said they don't plan to audit servers themselves -- but the effect on restaurants could be chilling. "Seven out of 10 restaurants are small businesses, many of which operate with slim margins. Quite frankly, this decision could mean the difference between a restaurant staying in business or closing its doors," said Peter Kilgore, general counsel and senior vice president of operations for the National Restaurant Association in Washington.
posted by me3dia on Jun 18, 2002 - 27 comments

Incredibly detailed pizza delivery etiquette instructions. Did you know that you are supposed to tip the driver? If you didn't, would you know how to use a web browser?
posted by machaus on Aug 3, 2001 - 64 comments