So basically, you lot work on implied blackmail to get your money? People deserve a tip just because they don't spit in your food but otherwise to a mediocre to crappy job? Well THERE'S an ethical culture for you! And before you get on your high horses about me needing to get a job in the industry - I worked in it for YEARS before I decided to go to uni and get a better life. Admittedly, I work in Australia where (as much as we bitch and moan) the workers get a better deal than many places around the world. I would much rather pay more for a meal and know that the workers are at least getting a living wage than go to one of the festy pestholes you lot seem to work in and pay less but have to tip for fear of random DNA in my food. Your sense of entitlement and obligation from (but not to) the customer is disgusting. Take some of that belligerence and make your managers pay you what your legal system says they have to pay you, ffs!

In the United States, many servers literally get paychecks that have "$0.00" written on them after taxes. Their pay is specifically set up to cover all the taxes, and then what they ACTUALLY take home SOLELY CONSISTS of tips. It is up to the customers to pay the servers their wage. How much you make in Australia is completely irrelevant to this person's problem.

*sigh* Interesting that you pick on the part of my post that I already acknowledged has no real relevance to the point I was making (the bit that started with admittedly... implies that I acknowledge the differences in wages and conditions in different countries). What I was saying was that I am aware of what is involved working in the hospitality industry with regards to the hours, the customers, the dodgy bosses, the actual work involved. I maintain that the implied, no - outright blackmail that many of the posters have posted is the result of a bullshit attitude. "Give us tips OR ELSE we'll spit in your food next time" displays the mentality of a 5 year old. I also stand by my point that I would rather pay more for a meal and know that the workers were paid a decent wage than feel obligated to tip someone who does a lame job. I think that this would cover the "it is up to the customers to pay the servers their wage" claim that you make. Why is it that all of the servers who are posting here seem to be willing to accept the abysmal pay rate and pay taxes on tips that they may or may not recaive but they are not willing to make the bosses and government fulfil their end of the contract? Just curious, but do you guys have unions? Are they active at all? Look, I understand there are different practices in different cultures and of course I would tip if I were eating in a restaurant in the US, but it seems to me that you guys are getting screwed and still supporting the system. If you could all channel the anger and resentment that seems to be directed at the customers and aim it at your legislators, maybe you could get some decent conditions for yourselves. I agree that people are entitled to take money home for their hard work. I don't agree that the threat of contaminating food to extort money from customers (and let's face it, this is what is under discussion in this part of the discussion) is the right way to go about obtaining it.