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Old 06-25-2018, 11:14 AM   #60
DDW
Guru
 
City: San Francisco
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 3,094
I find tipping to be a very bizarre and illogical method of compensation, as commonly used.

First is the commonplace practice of sharing tips. If I tip a waiter (or dock person) for above average service and the tip is shared with everyone, the above average service is not rewarded. If the pay is the same regardless of effort, then no incentive is created. Might as well charge more for the moorage, pay the attendants more, and be honest about what it costs.

Next is tipping with the expectation of better service next time. There are situations where that does create incentive, but you must be a repeat customer, frequent enough to be recognized. Tipping a taxi driver in New York, or the dock person when you transit an area, you will never see that person again. Tipping them is charity pure and simple.

Then, the tip is usually added at the end of the service rendered. This causes the service person to speculate: is this customer likely to tip? will my behavior influence the tip? Most services are negotiated on price in advance, not after the fact.

Finally, there is the expectation of the service provider - if a tip is expected (or de facto required) for a service, why is it called a tip? Shouldn't it be called a fee?

On the US east coast, it was very rare for any dock personnel to assist, so no tips were contemplated. On the US west coast I've *never* had dock personnel assist in 40 years. In Canada, on both coasts, this is far more common - and yet I have never seen a tip changing hands in Canada.
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