Another view on gratuities....

I was just reading the thread about when and what to tip vendors (photographers specifically), and I just wanted to add a comment. Someone responded with remarks about gratuities losing their meaning in our culture. This is sort of true, but depends upon how broadly you are defining the geography and demographics. I think NEW YORK is a very different case than the rest of the country not to mention the rest of the world.

I think people in New York expect tips, whereas elsewhere in the US [and the world], tips are more appreciated and are less often taken for granted.
Just wanted to add my point of view...

I think you may have point about New York.
But another way of looking at it is that tips have already lost their true meaning in New York and that's sad if that's what make us different.

You are probably right about New York and how the system can surely not always work (having to sometimes grudgingly give a tip.) We've all been in situations in restaurants where an easy way to express dissatisfaction is to leave a smaller tip then we might have if the service had been better. I really don't think that there are too many service people who would do a less then satisfactory job because of the amount of tip they are expecting (certainly NOT in our kind of industry! perhaps in lesser paying jobs) My tendency is always to tip on the service and not just the cost of the meal. And by that I mean that I give a higher percentage for breakfast or lunch when the bill may be less while the amount of work may be the same. I actually enjoy tipping more and getting a bit more appreciation. It's a nice feeling to give just a step beyond the expected and then getting extra service if it is a repeat situation. Just an extra smile if their day is brightened a bit is worthwhile. These are all people working hard to earn a living and support their families. They don't work any less hard then people earning two or three times what they're earning (yes, I consider myself a socialist and think we all need to help each other more.)

I don't resent tipping more just because we're in New York. I think it's actually more gracious and considerate then other areas of the country where they don't think to do it as often. And yes; of course there are those service people who don't appreciate anything and are a bit more grumpy then those people who appreciate life more. Actually, sometimes I think that the grumpy people need it MORE as incentive to not be so grumpy! They must have some difficulties in their lives that we know nothing about.

By the way, I don't think there are any people in our type of vendor oriented service industry who are thinking of their tips as they're working or who would do a lesser job because they're expecting less of a tip!! That doesn't make any sense! If anything they would do a BETTER job if that was their concern.

Mark, I couldn't help but be slightly amused by your comments... Do you travel other parts of the country often? I can't help but think that you sound like a jaded New Yorker.

I don't resent tipping more just because we're in New York.

Who said anything about being resentful?

I think it's [New York] actually more gracious and considerate then other areas of the country where they don't think to do it as often.

On the contrary, tips in other areas of the country ARE considered to be a more gracious expression than in New York, b/c people elsewhere don't have the same expectation as they do here. It's not that other people or places don't THINK to tip as often, it's that other people in other places don't HAVE to be tipped in order to do exemplary work and make customers very happy with their service.

Based upon my own experiences, I also think that this point transcends most industries.
We'll have to agree to disagree on this one, I guess.

I stand corrected!

No problem. I also can't stand those service people who take their tip for granted and make no effort to do a special job. Is that what you meant? That it is so commonplace and expected and routine that it becomes nothing special? which, of course, is what it should be! A tip should always be a recognition of a job well done. The restaurant industry is perhaps an interesting exception, since it IS really a part of their weekly pay that they DO depend on. We naturally always hope that they'll keep in mind that the reason for it is to make a special effort to please the customer.