Simple solution, PAY CASH! I also have a few comments for the multitude that replied to the original message... 1. If tipping, due to social construct or whatever, is considered mandatory then put it on the receipt (as is commonly done with large groups). If you are not charged for it then it truly is optional. Just because _you_ tip well doesn't mean the next guy has to. 2. Servers are not slaves, they ALWAYS have the option to quit. 3. Server's in MN make at least minimum wage or better (in a lot of cases better), we are not a "tip credit" state where the employer can reduce salaries due to expected tip income. 4. Not everyone who refuses to tip is just a cheap person. Would you still call them cheap if they truly disliked the service? There have been times when I've left a penny because the server was a complete failure and I wanted to send a message, I've also written notes on the receipt telling them just how badly they served me. Some people object to tipping for the server's own good. Some less respectable businesses in states other than our own (see number three) will abuse the tip credit and use the server as a very cheap janitor/maintanance tech/anything. If we didn't have tipping (and thus "tip credit" laws) this wouldn't be the case. 5. Corporation bashing is getting really old, learn a new tune. Corporations are not evil monsters that do of their own volition, they are people just like you and me. A corporation is a group a stockholders able to vote in leadership who in turn controls the direction of the business. If you are unhappy with a corporations actions and are a stockholder, vote. If you are a customer, go elsewhere for goods and services. If you are an employee, quit (see number two). Corporations are not omnipotent entities, get over it. If you've gone to the bar with a large group of people more than a couple times you realize that there will always be someone who doesn't leave enough. Whether it be alcohol dulling the mathematics ability of the person in question or simply forgetting to add tax (I've seen that happen many times by people I know well and trust, it just slips the mind) or a deliberate attempt to avoid paying, IT HAPPENS! I learned long ago not to get involved with large tabs, if your wait staff won't go cash or separate checks then take your business elsewhere but if you get involved with a tab and someone leaves you high and dry I don't have much sympathy for you. Move on, Ben. _______________________________________________ TCLUG Mailing List - Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota http://www.mn-linux.org tclug-list at mn-linux.org https://mailman.real-time.com/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list