The Tip Jar is Hungry: Feed It?
To Tip or Not to Tip? that is the Question
Atop the counter -
A next door neighbor
To the cash register.
Like the carnivorous plant
In "The Little Shop of Horrors"
It seems to call out,
"Feed me! Feed me!"
Will it starve if we don't?
A tip for doing a job -
A concept taken from cab drivers,
Food servers and Bellhops
And distorted to apply
To everyone engaged in a
Retail activity.
Every generalization
Is neither a reasonable
Nor logically supoportable
Idea.
"But they get paid so little!"
The argument is made,
As though the customer
Is responsible to subsidizing
The cheap nature
Of the employer.
Guilt.
Caring for other humans.
Sharing.
Good values
Wrongly tempted
And abused.
Never an obligation.
Always a choice.
A Tip Jar
Simply by virtue of its existence
Is not automatically entitled
To be fed.
If you feed it when it feels unearned,
You are apt to leave feeling burned.
Published by David A. Reinstein, LCSW - Featured Contributor in Technology
Clinical Social Worker, psychotherapist, born in Boston and a relatively unscathed survivor of the 60 s. Fan of technology, guitars, creating music and poetry. Mental wellness coach, staff trainer and parent... View profile
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56 Comments
Post a CommentFunny thing is that the word "tips" is actually an acronym for "to insure prompt service"
You make an excellent point.
It seems everywhere you go there is a tip jar. And I hate when a tip is automatically included in the bill (what if the service was miserible)!
Having been a waitress and performer, I appreciate the tips that I have received. I tend to tip probably more than I should because of this, but if there is no service and just a jar, don't expect me to put anything in. Tips are a reward for doing a good job, in my mind.
Great question for the mind and heart. Well done.
You said it right, David. The guilt, the caring and sharing values are sometimes abused. I only give tips when I feel that I am treated and served well. That's what tips are for, right? :-)
I add money to the tip jar sometimes.
It is not my fault that someone chooses to accept a minimum wage job. A waitress is different or a delivery boy. I do not feed the tip jar. I do feel badly and wonder if I return they might remember that I didn't feed the tip jar!
Right! I'm always so torn about the tip jar by the register. In those cases, I am very random about feeding the jar. And sometimes I do leave feeling burned.
Yup, totally agree with Mary.