Firstly I don't really agree with the author that tipping is inherently demeaning. But then again she probably writes from a leftward perspective that is at odds with my ideas. In any case I posted this:
http://www.foodieknowledge.com/the-reas ... 012/11/13/on another thread and would love to see reactions to it from anyone who's been on either side of a restaurant industry paycheck. So far I'm leaning towards assuming he is correct which has changed my thinking on the matter somewhat. Also, a couple of years ago some colleagues and I did a back of the envelope analysis and came to the conclusion that tipped servers' pay over 15 years had outpaced nearly every other service sector with non-college educated staff. Basically as a function of "meals away from home" historic prices from the CPI.
The essential problem with the tipping issue is a complete lack of transparency. Just like corporate tax giveaways, the high cost of college, pork barrel politics in D.C.... these are all areas where the consumer/taxpayer/voter has no transparency and hence no way of making an informed decision. Same thing for tipping. People on the left like the linked writer argue for "living wage" style hourly wages for servers. My impression is that the American diner would definitely not like the result. I'd use the Netherlands as an example where tipping is almost non-existent and the service is absolutely wretched. Americans just wouldn't stand for that.
But back to intransparency... it seems to me there are several classes of servers in America, some doing very, very well and plenty not doing well at all. How is the consumer to tell them apart and tip accordingly? Based on the link above detailing the health insurance angle, I would guess there are *roughly* four classes of servers broken down according to two major factors: where do you work and do you have health insurance from a family member. For simplicity's sake you either work at a good place with high prices and high tips or a bad place where you fight for a dollar tip for every plate of hash you sling. You either have to buy your own health insurance or you have it from parents or a spouse.
AAA Work at good place and have insurance from family. You are rockin'! Good times!
AA Work at bad place but still have family health. Tips are up and down but you're in college or are a 2nd family income. Meh.
BB Work at good place but have to buy own insurance. Nice steady income but DAMN this insurance is killin me! Drive a shite car.
C Work at bad place and must buy own insurance. Your life sucks. Seriously.
Everybody probably knows someone who has been in that AAA class. Just killin' it and making enough in a five hour shift to make a banker jealous. But we all also know someone or have had personal experience of being in class C like that one time you lived in Winslow for 8 months and worked at the Waffle King. Here's the problem... if we follow the left and yank server wages up to $8.00 an hour, people in Class C will be helped significantly. But people in Class AAA will be making WAAAAY to much money. You know your economy is definitely out of kilter when people will leave vocationally trained industrial jobs to go work as restaurant servers. That's the last thing we need.
Anyway, I'm not in the industry so I'm ready to be schooled by those who are. So please fill in my knowledge gaps. Obviously I am ignoring many other factors.... whether or not you pay all of your own rent/mortgage or share with spouse (or live with parents) is as important as the health insurance issue. Also whether you have kids, etc. I would mention that this whole situation is an excellent argument for an efficient, functional national healthcare system which would get rid of a lot of the intransparency.
