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Tipping has been around for centuries; some believe it started as far back as the Roman era while others believe it began in the days of the feudal lords when coins would be tossed to beggars along the way to ensure safe passage. But was that really tipping? It might be said that tipping began in the late Middle Ages when the lord of a manor would give extra coins to his servant for a good deed. But, I think it began in 16th century England when urns were placed on counters at coffee houses and local pubs with the acronym "To Insure Promptitude" inscribed on the urns, prompting customers to give tips before ordering to ensure faster service.

Tipping wasn't active in the United States until after the Civil War because we didn't really have a servant class, but by the early 1900s an estimated five million workers (10% of our labor force) were employed in the service industry making $200-500 million in tips each year. Today, tipping is a multi-billion-dollar phenomenon. But why do we feel obligated to tip? The quick answer to that is we tip to thank our server for good service. But there are also other reasons:

- We want to conform to social norms and avoid embarrassment (especially if we plan to return to the restaurant in the future).

- We want to show our generosity and compassion for someone who makes minimum wage (we accept that our food would be priced higher if the owner had to pay a higher wage).

- We want to impress the server or other people at our table (these are people who will tip way above the normal percentage).

- We get a feeling of superiority and power (not a good reason, but some people do like the feeling).

But, if you don't receive good service, do you still have to tip? I have to agree with what many etiquette books say - if your service is bad, reduce your tip, and if the server is deliberately rude to you, don't tip at all.

So what is a reasonable tip?

- For food servers: 15-20% of the total food and beverage bill for average service, more if you receive excellent service.

- For bartenders or cocktail waitresses: $1-2 per round ($1 per alcoholic drink and $.50 for a soda) or 15-20% of the total bill.

- For a buffet server: $1 per person (if you get your own drinks). If the server gets your drinks or gets you additional food, then tip 10-20% of your bill.

The best tippers are people who are in the service industry; they know how hard servers work and how much they depend on tips. My oldest daughter was a food server and cocktail waitress at a high-end

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