On Thu, 08 Nov 2007 07:59:26 -0600, James Robinson
mangled uncounted electrons thus:

Qanset wrote:

The wife and I are planning at trip to USA/Canada in the near future.
Is it true that the Yanks are really hung up on tipping, and that
FORGETTING to tip someone is courting disaster???

Tipping in the service industry is fairly common.

In some cases, like for waiters or people who help with baggage, their
wage scales, including legal minimum wages, are lower than for other jobs
in the expectation that they will receive a certain amount of money in
tips. The tax authorities also assume that they will be getting income
from tips and tax them accordingly. Therefore, if they don't get tips,
they will fall short on income, and could concievably be taxed on income
they never received.

Tipping is generally expected for waiters, taxi drivers and bellhops,
with 15 percent considered normal. They say they hope for 20 percent,
expect 10 percent, and get on average 12 percent. Pay what you think the
service was worth, recognizing that it is significant part of their
income, and it is customary.

Tipping is optional for most other groups, such as tour bus drivers,
hotel cleaning staff, a Maitre d' or front desk staff in hotels. The
greater the personal contact and assistance, the greater the expectation
of some sort of a tip.

Obviously, if you never intend to patronize an establishment again, you
can get away without tipping, if your conscience doesn't bother you.

I have a sort-of-related question...

When I've traveled in the US, sometimes I've paid the whole bill
and tip in cash, sometimes paid the whole bill and tip on plastic
and sometimes paid the bill on plastic and left the tip on the
table in cash. Is there a preferred way (preferred, that is, by
the waiting staff)? I sometimes wonder how much the waitress sees
of a tip that goes on the plastic and so through the
establishment's books...

Martin D. Pay
Not sure yet when I'm going back to the US, but it doesn't hurt
to ask now...