Tip of the week.............

I'm noticing a trend, and it's called the tip jar.

Now, don't get me wrong. I waitressed my way through high school and college- so I know the power of the tip. Restaurants have a real racket, if you ask me. They get off paying those poor waitresses $2.15 per hour (probably more now) and make them beg the customers for tips. I've never really understood why the businesses don't just jack the prices up 20% and pay them straight up at the end of the night based on their sales.

But then you loose the true tip power. Tips are To Insure Proper Service after all. As a waitress, I can honestly tell you the days I gave crappy crappy service, my wallet showed it. Then there were days that you could do cartwheels and those cheap old customers just weren't gonna throw a girl a dollar or two for her efforts- but that's a story for another day.

Point of this long story is- I get tips. I mean, I don't get them, but rather I understand them.

But yesterday, while pushed for time between and appointment and school- I opted to stop and grab lunch with the kids. It was a pizza & grinder place. Nothing fancy. There was a counter to place your order, another counter where they screamed your name so you can go get your food, and a soda fountain so that you can pour your own drinks. And right there- next to the cash register- a tip jar. A tip for what? For actually taking my order? Turn that dag gone cash register around and I'll do it myself. What then? A tip for the gal who made my $7 sandwich? IT WAS $7. And I am sure these folks were being paid to do their job, right? I got no specific service from them. I poured my own drink, picked up my own food and cleaned off my own table. What the heck? Tip for actually having to do your job? What's up with that?

Which brings me to my hairdresser. You know, the one I haven't been to in over a year. Yeah- that one. He owns the salon. He, my hairdresser, owns the entire salon where he charges me $40 to cut my hair. So- here's the question, do I still tip him? I usually do, but do I have to? I mean, I am realllly over paying for his service, which means he is making like $40 off me for 1/2 hours work.

And the Fruilatti people. You know, at the mall. The ones where you pay like $5 for a smoothie- which if I am correct is just yogurt, ice, two strawberries and 1/2 a bananna. Then as you are paying you notice the handwritten note taped to a glass that reads 'tips' and you wonder if they just slap that up there when their boss isn't looking.

What about if you are out at a restaurant, and it's 'goofy magician' night and he stops at your table. You know, the guy wearing the 'tips appreciated' button. I don't want to have to be polite and watch his show- and then have to tip him for something I didn't want in the first place. You know the guy- he always comes just as your food arrives. Perhaps I need a button that says 'we're penniless'- maybe he'd get the point?

What's next- will I tip the gas station attendant for allowing me to pay for my purchase? The McDonalds person for taking my order? The mailman each day when he picks up my mail?

So anyway- all this tip talk got me thinking. Here's my idea..........

What the heck, if you can't beat them- join em, right?

I made one for the office too.