The American way of tipping

Re “Forget tips — just raise wages,” column, Nov. 7

From Vancouver to Italy and everywhere in between, I have been served by people who are paid a living wage and expect to receive either no tip all or no more than a dollar or two.

When I estimated what the U.S. equivalent would be for the cost of the meal, plus tip, it always came out to be about the same as the foreign restaurant’s bill. Frankly, I felt better for it, knowing that everyone serving us, whether at a diner or dinner house, was getting compensated fairly.

I also liked not being expected to tip employees at Starbucks or Subway for doing nothing more than their jobs. Barry Davis Agoura Hills

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Lazarus is exactly right: The U.S. tipping system is anachronistic and unfair. It’s refreshing spending time elsewhere in the world, where tips are unheard of (Japan) or minimal and entirely optional (Australia).

As Lazarus notes, tipping and service are not causally linked, despite what my pro-tipping friends claim (I attribute this to perception bias).

I tip 20% in the U.S., but would much prefer to pay 20% more and not have to tip. Tipping makes me feel like a feudal lord deciding the fate of his serfs. Randall Gellens San Diego

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Two thoughts. First, the suggested gratuity at the bottom of restaurant checks is always computed on top of sales tax. That is inappropriate.

Second, tipping based on the cost of the meal is illogical. Do you get measurably better service if you order lobster instead of chicken?

It’s time to raise the prices in restaurants and eliminate tipping. If you get great or poor service, write a note on the check. That’s what I do. Felice Klein Northridge