If every guest who came in, every single guest that came in handed me a dollar, a loonie, I'd be a rich man. Some expect tips, some don't. And some people are big tippers, while others, well, are more frugal. Some say tipping goes back to the Middle Ages when wealthy travellers tossed coins to beggars to ensure their own safety. And so the tradition continues, a tradition that leaves this expert puzzled.
Most people have limited resources and fairly extensive wants.
Tipping represents a billion dollar exception to this rule, where people are voluntarily giving away money that they don't have. And most of us are used to giving that money away in restaurants. That's where we decided to focus our attention and asked servers what they do to get good tips. Many talked about making the customer feel good - being pleasant, acting chummy, flirting. It may be nothing more than schmoozing, but studies show it works.