To tip or not to tip – is there even a question?

The etiquette of tipping has long been debated among patrons. The questions of how much to tip and who to tip have no concrete answers. However, for anyone in an industry where gratuity is the majority source of their income the question only has one answer. Tipping is a must.

“It blows my mind that people don’t realize it’s proper etiquette to tip,” sophomore Guy Bellaver, a Roly Poly delivery man, said.

The courtesy of tipping has evolved over time.

“The word tip comes from an old innkeeper’s sign, ‘To Insure Promptness,'” Sue Fox, author of Etiquette for Dummies writes.

Today, tipping is not only a sign of appreciation or done to ensure good service, but also a way that hard working people can earn money.

There are several things to keep in mind when tipping restaurant employees. Most waitstaff make about $2.15 an hour. Most of their money come directly from tips. Marci Martinez, a 22 year-old student and waitress at Snuffers said that she does not get to keep all of her tips for herself.

“We have to tip out to the bar and the busboy – that leaves little for the waitstaff,” Martinez said.

Because of this, she recommends that people tip 20 percent. Peggy Post supports her theory in Emily Post’s Etiquette.

“It wasn’t long ago that 15 percent of the bill, excluding tax, was considered a generous tip … now the figure is moving towards 20 percent ,” Post writes.

Leandre Johns, a server at California Pizza Kitchen, recommends that patrons tip a minimum of 18 percent.

“I believe that that is a fair amount for a waiter or waitress who does their job effectively and efficiently,” Johns said.

Both Martinez and Johns agree that the majority of money made in the restaurant business comes from tips.

“Waiting tables is not as simple as it looks. Not to mention the fact that everyone here has car payments and rent. Tips are our income,” Martinez said.

The question remains: What part of the bill do you tip on?

Many college students’ bills include alcohol. Post recommends that this should be included in the tip. For the waitstaff, serving alcohol takes the same effort as serving food.

“I definitely think that you tip on alcohol [because] you are still being served,” Johns said.

The exception to this rule is when you are being served wine by a wine steward.

“Give the wine steward a tip that equals up to 10 to 15 percent of the cost of the wine. Give this tip in addition to the normal tip to your server of 15 to 20 percent of the cost of the meal,” Fox writes.

When determining the tip, consumers should also consider the number in your party and the knowledge of your server. If theserver is attentive, Johns said guests should show them appreciation with a generous tip.

Bartenders can either be your best friend or your worst enemy. To ensure that the drinks keep coming and contain no spit, tip well.

“If you sit at a bar and have a drink, tip the bartender 10 to 15 percent of the tab,” Fox writes.

When paying in cash, tip each time you buy a drink. If you are using a credit card, add the tip when you close out the tab.

Another tipping consideration is the delivery man. Rushing through traffic to deliver hot food on time can be a grueling job.

Bellaver often makes deliveries for Roly Poly. He suggests that customers take three things into consideration when tipping: the distance traveled, the time of day and the size of the order.

“Everytime you get in the car to make a delivery, you put your car insurance in danger,” Bellaver said. “You hope for a tip that makes it worth your while.”

Fox suggests that delivery people should be tipped anywhere from one to five dollars. However, Bellaver feels the delivery person should be given the same courtesy as servers and receive a 15 to 20 percent tip.