Tips are for table service. That's it.
When you go to Starbucks, ask for a product, then make payment for that product, and the little POS machine basically says "hey, can we have extra money?" it's systematized panhandling.
When you go to Starbucks, ask for a product, then make payment for that product, and the little POS machine basically says "hey, can we have extra money?" it's systematized panhandling.
The delineation between "sat at a table and got service", and "payed at a counter to be handed something prepared" has a middle grey area for things that are made on-demand for me, by someone behind the counter, to my specification.
- In your Starbucks example if they grab a pre-bottle something is that service? - Pulling a latte from a latte machine? - Making espresso on a complicated espresso machine I can't understand, using the beans I specified? - Doing the whole foam art thing, with more complex instructions on how I like the coffee?
(To be clear, I'm not a coffee person, but I'm aware there's a complexity to the production of an espresso).
A good barista can put in more effort, skill, knowledge into the coffee than a poured cup of coffee from a Mr. Coffee at the diner. Similarly, I've eaten in plenty of diners where you order at the counter and food is delivered. Is that service? What if I carry my food to the table but they bring drinks? Or I forgot something and they deliver it
My point here isn't that I disagree about it being systematized panhandling. I think it's awful.
But, I often find it hard to identify where to draw the line.
* Did you sit at a table and a waiter/waitress took your order, then the waiter/waitress brought the food to you, which you ate at the table, while the waiter attended to your needs? Then you leave a tip
* Else: Then you don't leave a tip
To me, a tip goes to an individual, not everybody who happened to be working whether they helped me or not. This is one thing I really object to in places that have a general tip jar. I tip individuals, not companies.