So, is it rude to not tip in resturants, and other places throughout life?

I do not tip. They do a job. And get paid for it. Is it my fault employers underpay? NO. Why should I tip for them essentially doing there job...They should be pleased just to have a job. Do you tip the binman everytime he empties your bin? Or the Postman everytime he delivers your post? No. Probably not. So why the need to tip everytime someone delivers food to your table, or pours you a beer. For me, if a waiter, a taxi driver, a delivery driver, feels the need to believe 'if you tip me, I will provide a better service;' well, maybe they are in the wrong job. I expect people in the service industry to give there 100%, just like I am expected in my job to give 100%, just like a binman will give 100%, just a like a street cleaner will. Unwilling to give 100%, time to be sacked. Do you tip fed-ex everytime they deliver a computer part? probably not. So why tip the pizza man everytime he delivers?

The issue is the employers do not pay enough. I pay for my food. It is up to the employer how he distributes the money. It is not my place to top up the wages with a 'tip.'

Not a hope Im going to tip someone for bringing me MY food which I already payed for. How hard is it to pick something up walk over to a table and put something down. Doesnt sound too hard to me.

"Buts people need tips because there wage is really bad"- Not my problem, its not like Im paying them to serve.

I really don't belive you should tip the waiter or the waitress, there only job is to bring the food, which has been said, if anyone should be tipped it should be the chefs who actually make the effort to prepare a good meal for you.

I know you should always tip your strippers. :P

This question is really too broad to be honest. Its a culture thing. I know across the pond in American its very common place and wages are given based on the fact staff receive tips, here in the Uk that's not the case and so we are less inclined to feel the need to tip as the people serving you are receiving a wage similar to that of people in other jobs.

Personally, when planning trips to Disney etc in America, I budget for tipping. As its customary there, I wouldn't feel right not doing it. In the UK, I tend not to tip unless I feel the server was deserving of it. If I feel the server was above the normal average standard and took pride in his/her job, then I will happily pay a little extra to thank them for their efforts.

So eh.. I guess as I said, the question itself is too broad, its not as black and white as you put it and there are many factors to determine whether its right to tip or not.

In this country you tip.  (USA) 

That's just the way it is.  Tip more for good service, less for poor service.  Wages for servers suck here.  I'd feel bad giving them nothing.   I understand it's their job, and nobody tips me for doing my job, but I get paid a lot better and I don't have to deal with drunks, etc. 

Tip:

Servers

Pizza delivery

MailMan (at holidays)

Strippers.

Well said Alabama,I know in some places it's in insult to tip I have been told.In Canada and United States it's customary to do so.Unless service was colpletly terrible.However some people think it is the easiest job in the world are totally misinformed and have never worked in the industry,Ingnorance is bliss.I am a chef and have seen many people come work at my place and fail ,They are complete morons and don't last long.It's not for everyone I can assure you.Where I am from postal workers/garbage men(bin-men ) Get paid very well.Servers/Bartenders get paid minimum because tipping is a thing that is custom around here.As Alabama said to broad of a question.

Tipping!?

They're lucky I don't gob in their face. Cunts.

Wages for servers suck here.

And since when did we stop calling these people waiters/waitresses?

It's simple for me if the service is good from the waiter/waitresses I tip, if not I don't.  But wages do need to increase.

I think it's tasteless to not give a tip if the waiter was good at his job. Not as tasteless as not giving tip to the hairdresser, though.

I'm a bartender.  The vast majority of my friends are bartenders or wait staff.  You'd better tip.  Obviously you've never worked in the industry.  You don't have to deal with the shit we do!  We work our asses of in ways you don't even see.  Who the hell do you think you are to expect us to wait on you hand and foot without a gratuity?  I make $2.13/hour when I tend bar.  Why?  Because you people wouldn't pay the $20 for a beer or $30 for a cheeseburger if the owner had to pay standard minimum wage.

It's my job?  Yes.  It is.  And, I do give it 100%.  Since I'm giving you 100% is it too much to ask for 15% or 20% in return?  When the bar is busy and you want another beer, being a better tipper means you're going to get better service.  We work for tips, not our hourly wage, so if I ever see you in my bar, don't expect to get served quickly becaue I know you're not worth my time.

The binman and the street cleaner make a proper wage for their job.  We don't.  Again . . . WE WORK FOR WHAT YOU GIVE US!  And, if you don't think tipping is necessary, I defy you to do our jobs for a month and see if you never tip again.

pickles couldn't have said it better. i've also worked jobs that rely on tipping, and am in the restaurant biz. and here's a thought. your tip, is your way of telling me how good a job you think i did. it's a simple to understand evaluation of the quality of my work.

yes, wages for servers/delivery drivers(my old job) and the like suck. yes, they should be increased. but until i'm getting paid the kinda wages the garbage men are, what i'm making ain't enough, and tips are how we increase that. so, my point. show your server they've done a good job...or a bad job. give them a tip that reflects the quality of the service. but give them a tip.

to be clear and fair, what i said is true in the US and canada. i do not know about other countries, and will not judge local customs.

but in the US and canada, give them a tip.

Remember, there's a difference between server and servant!

Look at most service oriented jobs out there now and how crappy the service usually is. You call your cable company and end up waiting for hours for them to show up. You call your phone company and end up arguing your bill (getting nowhere) for hours. I see nothing wrong with service oriented jobs paying their employees less and giving them an opportunity to earn tips for better service. Yes, it'd be easier if everyone would just do their job right and to their fullest, but we all know that doesn't happen...most of us slack any chance we get.

There's a HUGE difference between your idea of a "service oriented job" such as phone and cable and jobs actually serving people food and drink!  Those people make a salary.  WE make less per hour than the cost of one minute of a naughty phone call.  I guarantee their service will imrove if they had to earn their money based on customer satisfaction.

Unless I misunderstood the gist of your statement.

That was exactly my point, Texas_Pickles. I believe customer service would improve if other service oriented workers had to rely on tips. So, I see no problem in tipping a waiter for doing a good job...essentially he's actually earning his money (if he/she is doing a good job), while other service oriented workers (like the cable, phone, etc.) can scrape by doing the minimum because they'll be paid the same either way.

Its not my fault you get paid less Pickels.