Semi=weekly graphic., 1896-12-23
TIPPING rn
.~a Article That eivs, the AiAsar

Abroad, where w1i.1.rsure na. a }ng and have to }ale
 enurelT, the diner 1s always eNuse..s to pay i've per cent of his check Ta striking contrast ia America. where the walters are even wsll paj ths custom among gentlemen. bon viveprs. tie wealthy and even more cul Lnred people have established tue rule tbat the waiter should hu giy-u about ten per cent. of the face of the check That is, if you take your friend to an ordinary repast, to include a good bot tie of wine, coffee aud cigars, and vour check is five dollars to seven dollars and fifty cents, you should give the waiter not less than ten per cent. Some gentlemen never tip less than a quarter, and considerit better to give nothing at all than to give ten-cent piece. In America it looks awkward to give less than teG cents; in fact far better to give nothing at all Where. as, in Europe, tip of five cents or ten cents is more the rule than the exeep. ton.
 Very few people understand low Walters are employed Ut great summer hotels. For instance, the head waiter ) instructed to secure Us many walters aS the dining-room has tebles. These walters are paid so much a month. varying from twelve to thirty dollars, according e9 hotel and position. but they are not paid until their actual services commence. In other words, the head waiter assemb bles them at tho hotel, boards and ludges them without cost and without salary until the quests begin to arrive, and each waiter is assigned a table Of course one can see that the head waiter naturally will give tho best waiter the best table; but the walters usually have to take their chances on Sips. As soon as a waiter is assigned to a table his salary. Rs well as his tips, commences, but until that table is assigned it is no salary and no tips, and for this reason, unless the head waiter is q man of strong personality and has a master inc duence over the men, if the season be backward, as often occurs at some of the summer places, the walters become dissatisfied and some of them leave to accept positions at other hotels, which are more fortunate in securing early guests
 The summer hotei head waiter who has also a winter hotel to take his crew to, of course, is far more forts- nate in securing the best of help, and nlso in influencing his men to remain with him, even through dull season. As to the customsand usages of all the best hotels, the invariable rule of all proprietors, managers, and heads of departments is that any waiter who negleets a guest by reason of the guest being non-tipper, shall be instantly discharged. There is an unwritten law, however, which permits the heud waiter to rather faVor Che best cf peo- pie who do tip. A to the amount of the tip, a great many guests at promi- nent hotels have written me to know what is the custom, in order that they may secure the best of service. It is this; If gentleman and wife, say, for instance, engage accommodations 3t fine hotel, at all the way from seventy-hve dollars per week upward the custom amongst others of like class would prompt the gentleman on arrival to give the head waiter, on being as signed a seat at a table. a tip, varying Rll the way from two dollars to ten dollars, according as the gentleman feels in good spirits and liberality. The waiter assigned to the table should have a tip of at least one dollar on the first service of dinner Afterward, either once week, or at times during the week, tips should be given him to the amount of not less than two dol- lars or three dollars, or not more than ten dollars. Large tipping, in Amer ica, as in Europe, is vulgar, and is use- ally in practice among newly rich peo- pie and, of course, the wealthy or very great people. Lorillard estab- lished a custom years ago, on arriving at the Grand Union hotel, Saratoga, to present the head waiter with fifty dollars, and through the manager or proprietor in the office to the chef an envelope containing fifty dollars or one hundred dollars. The chef should always be reached through the office, and not through the head waiter or side waiter, as great many persons ignorant of the best usages suppose. The wife of the gentleman above ale luded to should give the cham mbermaid not less than one dollar per week, nor more than five dollars Hotel Register.