There's an old saying that the easiest way to start an argument is by bringing up religion or politics. In fact, there is a third alternative, and that is to bring up the proper etiquette surrounding tipping. It's one of the most inexplicably heated debates that you will ever see, especially as it relates to the food service industry, as people become incredibly passionate about what is the exact right amount a server deserves for their services.
The debate is going to be sparked again as a restaurant opens in B.C. that does not actually allow tipping. Instead, the menu has somewhat higher prices listed, the extra income meaning the servers themselves get a higher wage. It's a solution that goes against how some restaurants operate, which is to pay the servers as little as possible and then expect the difference to be made up through tipping.
The problem with the second solution is that it is likely the entire reason why tipping has become this aggressive debate in the first place. Many servers, due to the way the system operates, are going to be relying on tips to live, it's the bulk of their income. So, for them, cheap customers are going to be a lot of work for very little pay, and they will naturally become openly resentful of a second group, which views tips as an optional gratuity rather than a necessary part of eating in a restaurant. This group does not believe tipping should be required, and that it should be a bonus rather than expected. At a certain point, both groups begin to make assumptions about the other and their motivations, and we reach a point where they all openly hate each other and are slinging insults all over the place. I have never seen an argument about tipping get handled in a civilized manner.
On the face of it, just charging more for menu items and paying the servers extra is a solution. The server is no longer dependant on the gratuity, their wage is going to be predictable and stable. The restaurant remains profitable, because the menu items reflect what people would be paying anyway - while marketed as a no-tipping rule, it's really just integrating the tip into the price from the beginning. For diners, it at least takes any guesswork out of what the tip should be, and they don't have to worry about being considered a poor tipper.
The question is now if the grand experiment is going to work. Since tipping has become a big part of our culture, it will be difficult for some people to move away from it, just because it is a social obligation. I personally can't imagine going to eat somewhere and not giving some kind of tip, it's such a normal part of the process of going out for a meal. As well, it remains to be seen if it's actually going to be advantageous for the servers themselves. In some cases, going away from tips would mean an income hit, depending on what their previous experience is and where they typically work.
It remains to be seen whether or not this trend will catch on, and if tips will slowly become an antiquated notion. I personally will go with the flow, I tend to be lead by the suggested amounts on the debit machine anyway so I'm highly influenced by restaurant policy on this. However, given that the debate over tipping can get intense and somewhat irrational, I am interested to see the result of this experiment.
