How to Tip: A Guide to Gratuities

The etymology of the word "tipping" as it pertains to leaving a gratuity for services received can be traced back to the slang of the medieval era, when, according to Yahoo! Answers, it literally meant "to hand it over". Additionally, many other languages also link "gratuity" and "tip" together, and the Latin origin of the word is directly linked to the word "gift".

Additionally, some experts believe that the Roman Empire was the first to put tipping into practice when they put brass urns in establishments for dining and drinking, and that the word tip actually is an acronym for the sign placed on the urn, mean To Insure Promptitude, and patrons were expected to toss coins into the urns for prompt and good service.

Essentially, in modern language, to leave a tip is to give a "gift" of money to a service personnel for a service they have provided. It is customary in most sit-down restaurants to tip the wait staff, and in some restaurants it is also expected to tip the host or hostess who seats you. Many upscale restaurants also have a reputation for providing better seating to those who offer a tip to the host or hostess as well.

The concept of tipping also extends beyond restaurants to other service industries, such as delivery personnel, hotel concierges, bellhops, skycaps, and more. Many establishments have taken up the practice of adding Tip Jars on their counters, such as many Starbucks locations and bars and nightclubs, and I actually saw a tip jar at one of the local dry cleaners the other day and a donation jar at a local newsstand.

Many are unsure of how much to tip or why tips are customary. In many states, including the state in which I live, Texas, the minimum wage salary of many service oriented personnel is less than the standard minimum wage. It is not uncommon for wait staff to only receive $2.50-3.50 an hour or so, because their income is supplemented by their tips. When service is good, they can make a considerable amount of money, and when it is not so good, their tip salary will be much lower.

Yet the question still arises: How do you know how much to tip?