Bitte_Kein_Lexus wrote: "Hey, don't worry about this crap salary, you'll make tips!"
How about just paying workers a fair/livable wage in the first place? So in a way, giving tips can be counter-intuitive because it perpetuates the whole thing.

But that doesn't help the person serving me now, does it? I can't force her employer to do anything. Feel free, instead of leaving a tip the next time you eat out, to explain to the person serving you that they will inevitably thank you in the long run for your not tipping them today because their salary must surely increase in the future as a result. I'm sure they will understand and appreciate your efforts. But I'll continue to leave her a buck or two.

Joker Poker wrote:

OrangeDragon wrote:A significantly more advanced one may run you around $5-6, and a deluxe sort of thing $6-10. An example of this would be one of my favorites, the Country Boy Breakfast from Cracker Barrel (family restaurant chain)... $7 and includes: country Ham, pork Chops or steak, 3 eggs, fried apples, grits, hash brown casserole (pure heaven), sausage gravy, biscuits (scones for the english), jams.

Why would anyone need to eat all that food for fricking breakfast?

FFS! Would you like the side of beef extra, spit roasted lamb? How about this wafer thin mint Mr Creosote?

Just out of curiosity, what would your average American super porker eat for lunch and dinner after a breakfast like that?

No idea, I generally have that on a Sunday morning (well... late morning) followed by another couple of hours sleep. Meaning there usually was no lunch and just a nice dinner later on. And I'm a bit far from a super porker at 5'9" and 150 lbs.

Soi Dog wrote:

Bitte_Kein_Lexus wrote: "Hey, don't worry about this crap salary, you'll make tips!"
How about just paying workers a fair/livable wage in the first place? So in a way, giving tips can be counter-intuitive because it perpetuates the whole thing.

But that doesn't help the person serving me now, does it? I can't force her employer to do anything. Feel free, instead of leaving a tip the next time you eat out, to explain to the person serving you that they will inevitably thank you in the long run for your not tipping them today because their salary must surely increase in the future as a result. I'm sure they will understand and appreciate your efforts. But I'll continue to leave her a buck or two.

On top of that if wages went up and tips went out, restaurant prices would certainly go up to compensate. The same money would be changing hands into the same pockets... maybe. Prices could easily inflate more than wages however, without anyone being the wiser and just assuming it's all going to the server. With a tip you know it is.

We've met, so it certainly wasn't aimed at you or anyone else on the board for that matter. Mind boggling amount of food though.

As a Brit that lives in the US, when not in Cambodia, I adapt to wherever I am.

When is the UK, never as you never get good service.
In the States, always standard 20% of the bill. BTW – Cracker Barrel is one of the best chains in the states. They have a great one near an office I go to and its the first place I head for.
Cambodia – very very rarely. If service is included then nope however good the service was. If its not, then maybe if good service and I'll had a couple of drinks.

Joker Poker wrote:We've met, so it certainly wasn't aimed at you or anyone else on the board for that matter. Mind boggling amount of food though.

I've seen some of the English Sunday Roasts around town that would make me beg to differ, lol.

Garry.Crabtree wrote:BTW – Cracker Barrel is one of the best chains in the states. They have a great one near an office I go to and its the first place I head for.

Just going on their website to get the full list of what's included in the meal has my mouth watering...

OD, the idea that tips equate better service is a fallacy which Americans like to perpetuate. You guys are bred to believe that, but I've been served in tons of restaurants in the US and Canada (where a tipping culture exists) as well as in Europe and to be honest, I've never noticed a correlation between tipping and service. I've had both excellent (and occasionally crap) service in both Europe and the US. From what I've heard, service in Japan is also excellent despite a general lack of tipping. It's all smoke and mirrors...

And relax guys, I do tip here. More than I should. I'm not advocating people try to "stick it to the man" by not tipping where tipping is common. Tips are deeply entrenched in North American culture. So be it. But it doesn't change the fact that proponents of tipping generally can't address the points raised against it. I'm mostly addressing the concept of tipping as whole, and the Swiss cheese-like holes in the arguments supporting it. It's one of those foreign influences that Cambodia would be better off without. If it becomes so widespread that tipping becomes "mandatory", then oh well.

OrangeDragon wrote:

Garry.Crabtree wrote:BTW – Cracker Barrel is one of the best chains in the states. They have a great one near an office I go to and its the first place I head for.

Just going on their website to get the full list of what's included in the meal has my mouth watering...

Yeah me to. Just don't order Grits with the breakfast, I've never worked out why that’s so popular.

Garry.Crabtree wrote:

OrangeDragon wrote:

Garry.Crabtree wrote:BTW – Cracker Barrel is one of the best chains in the states. They have a great one near an office I go to and its the first place I head for.

Just going on their website to get the full list of what's included in the meal has my mouth watering...

Yeah me to. Just don't order Grits with the breakfast, I've never worked out why that’s so popular.

They're an acquired taste. Usually from childhood. I always have 2 or 3 spoons of them and then move on to absolutely destroying the hash brown casserole.

I think this is a real good thread and some very valid points have been made already, for and against tipping. I would like to contribute but really think what I add needs to build on the previous, valid arguments made. I just simply need to make a quality retort but it is just not easy, anyone got any tips?