Plunging Into The Deep End Of The Tipping Pool

Natalie Ladd takes on the Pandora's-box topic of tipping in her column for The Portland Daily Sun. An experienced restaurant server as well as a columnist, Ladd knows what she's talking about and doesn't take herself too seriously: "I used to have a pin that said, "Tipping is not a town in South Korea," but for some reason my boss made me take it off."

The ongoing questions of who, what, when, where, why and how much to tip continue to fascinate me as much as the history of the concept. Do we do it to show gratitude for good service? Is it our desire to impress others we may be out and about with? Do we want to feel good about ourselves by fulfilling a societal norm? Do we relate to working for "the man" and does this mean 99% of us should be getting tips?

Ladd also delves into the history of tipping, including the urns that were placed in 18th century English pubs labeled "To Insure Promptitude." Perhaps a practice that should return? We'd love to hear your thoughts on the subject in the comments - especially if you're a server.

· Tips Of The Trade [PDS]