Remembering the gratitude in gratuity

We’ve lost the meaning of gratuity in this country. Tipping for service, has become automatic to the point that it’s counted upon as part of a wage. Still, despite the best efforts and great service, some satisfied customers are begrudging under-tippers.

This is no small social tragedy, considering labor and wage laws do not represent the status quo. Most food servers make less than minimum wage, forcing them to depend on tips to make up the difference. One waitress I know makes $3 an hour.

Unfortunately, the mantra of the stingy tipper goes thusly: “I’m not giving away my hard-earned money to someone who does a job I could do in my sleep. Her boss should pay her better.”

It’s this mentality that gets U.S. jobs outsourced overseas. There’s always someone else who will work for less.

The situation stinks, but it is not the fault of the waiter or waitress. Why punish the individual for the shortcomings of the system? Tipping appropriately secures your server’s kindness in the future.

Even for lousy-but-earnest service, tipping at least 15 percent is a gracious gesture, especially bearing in mind that your server is counting on at least that much.

Personally, for great service, I tip as high as 50 percent. And when asked why I’m such a spendthrift about tipping, I say, you can’t take it with you folks.

Giving a good tip where due is like the parable (Luke 21:1-4) of the woman who gave two copper coins at the temple while some Pharisees were dumping in huge amounts of gold. The greater gift is that “she out of her poverty put in all the living that she had.”

I’m not suggesting you should tip outrageously or break the bank every time you dine out. You should however, put an allowance in your budget for respecting the hard work of another human being. If you can afford to dine out or even order in, you can afford to leave a tip.