> But when in the provinces, could you do what the provincials do?
Do I wish things were different in the US? I do. The fact that the US has this klunky tip system in restaurants is annoying. "compris" as they say in France is, IMHO, a better way to go. Why give people one more thing to distract them from what should be an enjoyable experience: eating. I am relaxed in places where the prices are inclusive: table service is one price, standing at the bar for an umbra is quite another.
There's this other thing that I've been thinking about during this thread: every single one of my friends who have worked in restaurants/bars say that the vast majority of lousy tippers are women. I saw this once in the extreme at a splurge restaurant (which should be paying their people correctly and going compris; Chez Panisse does this, for instance[*] ... but I digress) in NYC. As I was sitting down, a nicely dressed couple was finishing up. The woman was paying, and I happened to notice the total. She considered it for a moment, and added a tip that worked out to be 10% of the total. I thought: oh, maybe she had a terrible time or didn't like her food? But as she got up, the host helped her with her coat and asked her about her meal, and she started to gush about it. She enjoyed every bite and had such a good time. What do the sociologists say about that?
/jordan
[*] ... sorta. They make a big deal about it, and actually show the math on your bill. They should just say: here are our prices, they include taking good care of our workers. They figure in 17% before tax, which, frankly, is lower than I would normally leave. Do they really take that slice of the bill and give it freely to their workers? Or is something else going on here? Should I feel bad that I'm not tipping there like I tip in other places. I know, First World Problems ... but still.