Tip entitlement in this town is definitely at an all-time high.

But what if he was the Serbian Richie Sambora?

I'll pitch it to A&E: SERVICE WARS.

YEAH, I WORK DOWN THE STREET FROM A STANFORD'S, TOO.

Here's the other thing that's at an all time high: people who can't afford to fucking go out but disperse their poorness to others by not going home with a twelve pack, where tipping isn't expected. Whoever tried to blame it on the server when some douche comes in and says," don't worry- I'm industry, I'll take care of ya".... In an attempt to get good deals or free shit, should know that they're an asshole. Tip entitlement is a bullshit mechanism to make servers feel bad for getting rewarded when they give good service. Exactly why bad service is prevalent in this town..why do a good job?

I'm poor and I tip well. So not to answer a question with a question, but, why do a bad job with a shitty attitude?

I wish tipping could be outlawed for one month in this town. Just one single month. 30 days. Watch with abject horror and disgust at how much more poor table service becomes overnight, how apathetic your servers suddenly become to your every whim, how much longer it takes for your drinks to get refilled (if it ever happens), how many more times you ask for something and it just magically never arrives, how snotty and stuck up your bartender magically becomes, etc...

It would be neat, and highly entertaining.

lyle, you may be right... but I prefer the tipping method in most other countries where you are not expected to shell out an additional 15%. (20% ?? nope!)
Perhaps their wages cover them well enough and is covered by the cost of the food and drink, I don't know...
But however this system got started over here, it sucks.
And they do their jobs just as well in other countries too.

Generally I find people who have worked in the service industry are some of the best tippers. Tipping fellow servers shows that you're not a douchebag. You just spent your night getting tips, you can't pass on a buck of that to someone in the same gig?

When I worked at Pizzicato, we had an arrangement with the Ristrettos on the same block to swap coffee for lunch whenever. We would tip what was essentially the same dollars back and forth day after day. It was great. I don't work in restaurants any more, but I still tip 15%, unless the service is lousy.

"But however this system got started over here, it sucks."

The service industry used to get paid in tips alone, that how it all got started. And outside of few backwards states with no minimum wage laws, tips are considered a "guilt tax", (i.e. you are having fun eating and getting drunk while someone has to wait on you hand and foot or as it is in most cases, open your tallboy PBR for you because you aren't allowed to).

The fact that nearly every bartender I know is either going on vacation or coming back from one is proof enough they are getting paid just fine.

Disastronaut- Yeah, what the fuck? Bartenders always seem to be "going home" for a couple of weeks