New-York tribune., 1907-07-28
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
THE TIPPING SYSTEM.
Correspondent Suggests a Fixed Standard
for Paying Walters.
To the Editor OF The Tribune

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: In a recent article printed by you on tip
ping you give the walters and the hotelkeepers'
side OF the subject, both OF which classes are In
terestsd the practice and in the highest posi-
ble rates These parties II seems. agree that ''25
cents IS the least gratUity which should be
an order OF from 81 TO 5 % cents is the right
thing" After that the walters think that the tip
should be 10 per cent all orders up 20 SO and L:
a guest uses Il table al the evening the percent
aga should be - per cent after the frst dollar
while the managers say that "A s. 90 check calls
for % cent tip. and orders above that amount for
tips OF ~ Per cent"
That these rates are exorbitant 1t requires only Il
moments consideration 10 perceive. Setting aside
the that the tip is IN addition the waiter
wages and that full payment for the ser
vices rendered IN each case they are far beyond
the prevailing in other occupations for the
same amount OF time. skill and labor. let US est
mate what the ordinary waiter IN g restaurant
would receive II everybody paid him IN the above
ratio. Il can hardly be supposed that he would
wait on less than twenty guests IN day, whose
aggregate checks could not amount 70 less than
s. and when We consider THAI on many days the
amount Of his checks will come 10 much more than
So q day the unreasonableness or 70 per cent
rate for tips Is still more manifest
The truth Is that tipping as q practice cannot be
entirely abolished and the only practical way 10
treat It to secure reasonable. established rates.
70 be collected in a reasonable. established way
In Europe. where the custom has been or such
long standing as 10 have become in some degree
systematlzed at least among LIE natives and old
residents hs does not include American tourists,
the rates are very small and generally understood.
and. being rarely exceeded In practice. give little
trouble. In this country the rate should be hxed
a settled basis. say ten per cent OF the order.
large and small but in less than 10 cents.
The tip should also be included IN the bill and
collected by the waiter himself. IN which case
tho guest VIII be that the waiter gets the
whole OF II. and not merely much the man
ager may 1T to allow him. The simple and
proper way would be have the following notice
printed each check. viz: Ten cent mot less
than ten ceuts) will be added and collected BY 5he
waiter as his fee for attendance"
As 70 ''rake-otrs" by the head walters or the re-
duction OF wages by the management on account
OF tips under such a system. under any system.
these are matters which the guest cannot possibly
control and with which, therefore he has nothing
to do. II ont OF sympathy for the walter he in
Creases hts tips II Will only increase the demands
on the waiter and therefore. like all other matters
OF wages II must be left by outsiders for adjust
ment between the parties concerned The guest
who has paid his waiter 10 per cent tip on his
order will have the satisfaction OF feeling that the
waiter WILL that rate. realize (as we have seer)
at least s. 30 day. or SO a month from his tips.
and this according 20 the statement made IN your
article is more than the highest wages paid 10 the
best walters at the clubs and hotels where no
tipping Is allowed. n 1. q
New Haven. July %, 1907.