tips are an earned income, not an expected income. while many of the workers out there confuse the two, I refuse to tip unless the service was over and above what should be expected from them anyways. yes, it seems more often than not, good service is hard to find. if im at a restaurant and the waitress is not up to par by way of not checking up on me, refilling my drinks, prompt or courteous service then hell no i aint gonna tip! yes they are paid minimum wage, but thats what that job is though, a minimum job!! some friends of mine work in a restaurant get upset because they didnt get enough tips that night and will hamper there way to earning 100g's??? i mean get a grip here. you want tip, you work your ass off with a smile and make sure the person you are serving has a smile. then and only then they may give you a tip. if im buying a 5 dollar coffee, they need to understand that im paying waaaaaay more than i ever should, treat me as such, and maybe i will share some with you. these people are in a SERVICE industry, the very word is contradictory to how some behave out there.