peanuts and that tips go to make up the difference, but find it hard to shake off the British idea that a tip should be a reward for good service, not 'a good way of ensuring that the wait staff cares about your service'. After all, isn't providing adequate service the bare minimum? Why should we pay more for that? (I should add that I really don't have any problem with giving a good tip when the service has been good, and in my experience so far in the US, it usually is far better and friendlier than in the UK. But when the person serving us is surly or tardy or just uninterested, I do resent being expected to leave 20% of the bill for that.) Britanie I've been a waitress here (in America). I made $2 an hour. So yes, you pretty much live on tips as a waitress. Otherwise I would only make $16 in an eight hour day. It was worse when I worked as a car hop at sonic because people don't generally tip at fast food places and yet I still only made $2 an hour because I was supposedly making tips. (I'm not sure if they have car hops at any places in England but a car hop is a waitress/waiter that roller skates out to your car with your food and Sonic is a fast food place.) Jen K Gosh, don't we know it? Those of us who have traveled (one L,