That sound you hear is Oscar banging his spoon on his highchair.

WHY oh why is almost everyone so rude?

The man is from another country and he asked a question about something that made no sense to him. Play nice!

I live in the US and I tip but I do not tip 15-20 % when the service is poor. If you reread a lot of the post you will see that most of you have said because it is the thing to do. I agree that wait people should be paid a living wage, not have to depend on tips.

I have purposely left a shiny penny on the table of a dinner because the service was so bad. I wanted him to know that I didn't forget to tip him but that I left that for him

Why not just stay home Oscar. If the idea of tipping is so offensive, or can't be comprehended, why bother visting anywhere?

Sandi, simply put, because he does not want to. Are you going to be the waitress in any of his restaurants?

Oscar1, as you have seen, this is a highly volatile topic. I don't get tipping either, but I do it (in the United States) because wait staff aren't organized enough to force employers to pay a living wage, and employers are too short-sighted to see that it would be to their advantage to do so. So I tip 15% to 20% (anything over 15% only for really excellent service, above and beyond the ordinary). Yes, it's a stupid, unhealthy, iniquitous system, and having just returned from Europe I see that the objections that have been put forth to justify the system have no real merit, because professional servers seem to do just fine in Europe and there are profitable restaurants everywhere. The United States is simply provincial in this matter, and the system is, I believe, being perpetuated by those who believe (mistakenly) that they benefit from it inordinately; that is, that they would make less if the system were changed.

When in Rome . . .

granniem - I almost chocked on your question. Waitress? Heck no. I don't serve or wait in my own home. I'm the one who makes reservations... great system. And, tip accordingly. :)

Oscar - Maybe tipping hasn't been customary in OZ, but I can tell you (from Aussie friends), over the past few years, more and more of your countrymen are gladly accepting tips from unsophisticated visitors who choose to do so. Things do change.