To tip or not to tip? That is the question

It was inevitable. Diners in Seattle are trying to figure out how they’ll tip now that wait staff are making a higher wage.

Now, it’s true they’re not yet making $15 an hour. That is years away and it’s currently $10 for tipped workers.

But it doesn’t matter because most people don’t realize that and they’re already coming up with ways to figure out what to do. Some restaurants, like Ivar’s, are doing away with tips altogether.

And apparently someone is going around some restaurants and leaving a little business card on tables stating: “$15 = no tip!”

The card also explains the guy’s reason for not tipping: “Economics 101: As the compensation for your service increases, there is a cost to me as the consumer to pay for that increase. As I have no control over the Seattle City Council’s decision to redistribute wealth, I can only exercise the rights left to me.”

Dave Meinert, who owns a bunch of restaurants like the Five Point Cafe, is telling people to tip if you get good service.

Didn’t we know this was coming?

When you raise the wage of people who haven’t earned it &#8212 who got it simply because they wanted it &#8212 and you didn’t even get to have a say in the decision, there is going to be some resentment.

And they’re going to take it out on the people who are the beneficiaries of the minimum wage hike &#8212 a hike that the folks didn’t support.

You’ll always have a portion of the population who will just refuse to tip now. They want to make a point.

I think that will be a small percentage. People might say they’ll stop tipping as a result, but I just don’t think they will in the long-run for the same reason that motivates me to over tip. We fear being judged.

A huge fear of mine is leaving a tip, then on the way out, getting yelled at for not being generous enough.

It never ever happens. It’s an irrational fear, but it’s a fear.

And I think most people don’t want to be judged as cheap jerks, so they’ll tip something.

But there’s no doubt whatsoever that this minimum wage hike will change the way people think about tipping.

The reason I tip more than 15 percent &#8212 at least in the past &#8212 was because I know these folks make a living off of tips. They weren’t getting rich off the minimum wage; these folks are generally using the job to get through school or as a temporary way to earn some money.

These aren’t career waiters for the most part.

So I want to help if I can and I’m blessed to be in a position where I can.

But I’m not going to pretend that in the back of mind I’m not thinking about this. And I think it’s more in play if I get mediocre service.

I’ll tip on mediocre service, again, because I think it’s a thankless job and I don’t want to be judged. But if you’re mediocre and I know you’re making $15 an hour, I’m sure as hell not going to tip like I normally would.

I’m willing to bet other people out there will be similar.