Here's a Tip for You

One of my favorite blogs is Slashfood. One of their recent topics was a review of a Michael Bauer blog entry. Bauer is the restaurant critic for the SF Chronicle and his blog entry was about service charges at restaurants.

The Slashfood article, "From Tipping to Service Charges" inspired some comments from U.S. diners as well as some from folks in other countries.

My comment on the article was:
I tip appropriately. If the service is good, I give 20%. If it's fantastic, I'll tip much more. Especially at restaurants or bars that I visit frequently, I get excellent service.

I also tip appropriately if the service is horrible. There's only been one instance where I tipped nothing.

Since I always pay with a credit or debit card, I also write an explanation or note of appreciation on the signature slip. Then, the server and the manager doing the receipts later have no doubt as to why the tip was less than stellar or over the top.

It would be wonderful if our servers were paid at least minimum wage. Since they're not and this is no secret to them, I'd think they'd work to make the service good and, hopefully, make up the difference in tips.


Bauer's Blog is here and the tipping article's permanent link is "Beyond the Tipping Point.

Bank Fee Rant

My bank doesn't charge me any fees unless I happen to overdraw my account. That hasn't happened in a very long time. This is not a rant about my bank. This is just a general, that doesn't seem fair, kind of rant.

I was given a check the other day to reimburse me for some expenses I'd had in caring for someone. Since that person doesn't bank at my bank, I went to their bank to cash the check. I needed to have the cash immediately (long, boring story).

First of all, I had to go into the bank. Minor irritation because it was really cold but I can understand the reasons they have non-members come in to a teller.

When I got to the counter, I saw the sign that said I would have to pay a $3 fee to have the check cashed. The sign stated that checks over $100 would be assessed this fee. So, I could have had the check writer make out two checks (more work for her and the teller) and not pay the fee.

This is what irritates me: By cashing the check, they are performing a service for their customer. They are also making an impression on a potential new customer. This was not a good impression.

I could understand charging a fee for cashing a check from another bank. I could understand charging a fee if I was asking them to make out a cashier's check or a money order for me, a non-member. I wasn't. I brought a check from one of their members into their bank and wished to exchange it for cash.

So, I've wasted a lot of mental energy being irritated at a bank over three, measley dollars. The thing is, it's not just that three dollars. It's a combination of random taxes and surcharges and handling fees and delivery fees and activation fees and more all tacked on to the price of an item or service.

I don't like it. I don't like it one, little bit.

EDIT/ADD: I've decided to find a friend who banks at that bank. I will give them $100 and ask them to let me fill out 50 checks, each for $2.00. Then, I will go stand in line, wait, and hand the checks to the teller. I think I just found my vindictive bone.