New-York tribune., 1907-06-30
TIPS AND TIPPING.
Those Who U7iU Suffer If the Gus
tom Is abolished.

Who will suffer IL the International Society of
Hotel and Restaurant Employees succeeds IN Its
desire TO abolish the system of tipping waters7
Some enthusiast has estimated that about sSO.OoO.
600 is spent in single upon tips IN the United
States That is lot Of money but when one
stops TO think how much he himself pays in the
course of year in that way and realizes that
there are millions of others who do the same. the
estimate looks under rather than over the mark
There are many hotels and restaurants in New
York where walters are not paid sufficient wages
to live on without the tips they receive from the
puoic. Ihe average wages paid at the clubs where
tipping Is not allowed from $50 to SO a month.
Some Of the hotel and restaurant arrangements do
not recognize the tipping system officially but
there are none among the we'll known places where
tipping Is prohibited. The Waldorf. for instance.
refuses TO recognize the system, and claims that
the guest who tips Is not expected to receive any
better attention than the guest who lavish!y
throws dollar bills about. The fact is. however.
that in nearly all hotels and restaurants the guest
who does not tip is served with less alacrity and
care than the who does.
There a few places where larger wages than
the average are paid. The Holland House as an
example. has introduced a system where the
amount paid to the walters IS increased from year
to year in accordance with length of time they
have been in the establishment The waters start
at SIS month, after years service they get $50,
after two years S35 and some receive much
$50 a month At places like Sherry's. the Hotel
Astor and Delmonicos the wages paid $50
month as a rule. At the st. Regis. the Waldorf.
the Knickerbocker and Rectors the average is SIS.
In all these places walters have only table to
looA aLIer, Wh1e IN many OF the - tashiohaole
places they have three and four tables to serve
the principal and In many cases the only meal
served the scale Of wages Is different At Hams
the walters work in the luncheon hour only and
receive 81 week. MouQuin pays his walters
per cent on the amount OF the orders they take
The Mattresses in the Childs restaurants receive
80 n week. AT EitchcockS the management pride
themselves upon retaining their old hands. and
paying them wages OF from $40 to $50 month
that they can live without receiving tips from the
guests.
At Coney Island and many of the beach resorts
about the city walters receive no wages at all but
er "a hy hanA
The walters side OF the question is interesting.
The most enterprisIng stand for a continuance OF
the tipping system. asserting that a system of
higher wages would not enable them TO please their
patrons. They explain that # IS not the guest
only who has to pay tips. 1t IS the matter or tips
from the kitchen range and the wine cellar the
table In order to serve a meal properly. To begin
with. the waiter explains that he cannot hold his
JOB unless ne gives 'rake-ou TO the head
walter out OF his days profits. He may not be
discharged for negligence in this respect but In all
large eating places there Is system OF fines for
breakagey and other delinQuencies the part OF
the waiter For instance. lost check in soms
places means a fine of So Breakages and mistakes
In ordering from the kitchen are a fruitful source
of excuses for fines. These fines are imposed by
the head waiter who Is really the sutocrat or tho
table He enforCes discipline. and enforces It
vigorously. unless he has share OF the walters
profits days business.
Then there are the special laundry bills which
the waiter has to pay in many first class places
In the summer especially these bills run up to as
much Sl5 q month. Generally speaking. the
walters declare their services cost the fashionable
eating establishments nothing when the amount OF
@ StlIl tley 90 ot "'tt 10 De prohioted from taking
tips even If their wages raised and. a matter
OF fact. they say the prohibition of tips would be
impossible anyway.
There is little use in attempting TO Indicate what
amount should bo given In tips. No general tariff
will apply to all cases and all places According TO
the walters themselves, % cents is the smallest
gratuity which should be offered In a fashionable
hotel or restaurant For a light breakfast for in
stance. that Is enough In any hotel eating place
In New York. On orders running from 81 to 50
90 cents is the right thing. After that the tips
should be 10 per cent all orders up TO So and II
the guest uses table all evening the percentage
should be 10 per cent after the first dollar This is
the tariff the walters expect In fashonab BILE eat
ing establishments. Tho nanagements where they
will express an opinion at all. indicate a slightly
lower scale Practically all admit that % cents is
the smallest gTatuity that should be offered Most
say that that amount should be sufficient nm 10 q
u check s. 80 check calls for tip of 90 cents a
80 order a tip OF 81, and $40 order tip OF g
In popular price places anywhere in the ci1v tho
10 per cent Zip Is the usual thing on all orders