I absolutely hate tipping.
It used to be 10%, then 15%, now 20%. Of course it's raised a bit more subtly (I think it went from 10% to 12%, then 15% when I became a young adult, then 18% which of course one rounds up to 20%, and now we're officially at 20%). The explanation for this is generally inflation...I call BS! 10% of $5 is $0.50. If inflation eventually causes prices to double, then 10% of $10 is $1; wow, the tip doubled without having to change the percentage, imagine that!
Many people advise tipping to ensure you don't get your food spit in, your mail lost (yeah, supposed to tip the mail carrier in the form of a Christmas gratuity), etc. Um...that's not a tip, that's extortion.
There's no list of people you should tip. Well, thanks to the internet there are lists now, but I have trouble believing some of them. You're supposed to tip a super who repairs something in your apartment? Anyways...I want to know who I'm supposed to tip, and how much. I remember the anxiety I felt when I first realized I was supposed to tip hairdressers (had my hair cut at Walmart, paid with a debit card, receipt had a spot to put in a tip). I tipped, but worried about all the times I hadn't.
Here's another good one. I like to cruise. I read CruiseCritic a lot. The tipping threads there are...interesting to say the least. Of course, everyone who posts there tips the standard amount, plus extra. They all know a lot of lowlifes who don't tip, but of course none of them dares to actually say so. Except me. I have the audacity to...get this...tip for services provided. The nerve! What's that? What could possibly be wrong with that? Let me explain.
You tip per person, per day, for certain things. Stateroom attendant might get $5. That's per day, per person. One person in a room, you tip $5 to have the room cleaned up twice a day. Four people in a room, total tip of $20 to have the room cleaned up twice a day. I don't know about you, but when I'm at home I don't need someone coming in twice a day to clean up after me (I may be messy, but I'm not THAT bad). So I posted on this cruise forum that I might have the stateroom attendant come once every two days, and tip for the entire day (as though he/she had come twice in that day). So $20 every other day. I got flamed. But that's not all....
Another group of people you tip are the main dining room staff. Makes sense. Except sometimes I may dine elsewhere, and tip that person instead. Well, again I'm in the wrong; the main dining room staff are being shorted because there's an empty table that was assigned to you, and it's not their fault you decided not to dine in the main dining room. Um, excuse me? Let's use an on-land example and see how this holds up. I decide to go to Red Lobster, and tip an appropriate amount. Afterward, I swing by Olive Garden and give someone a tip there, because by gosh, they would have loved the opportunity to serve me and earn a tip. Nope, total idiocy.
Of course, many times you're told you should tip simply because you're in a better economic situation than the person serving you. That may be, but if you're giving someone money just because they're poor, that's not a tip; it's charity. I don't mind who you give your charitable donations to, but please don't chastise me because I don't donate to your charity of choice.
I really love how it is in Australia. I go to a restaurant, and the price listed is the price I pay. I get a taxi, driver takes me from point A to point B, meter says $10, I pay...get this...$10. If I ever go to get my hair cut again, I know that whatever the price is...is the price I'll pay. I don't have to worry about what the postman thinks if I don't give a Christmas gratuity. One MAY tip, but it's not expected (but it's starting to creep in, I've seen tip jars spring up just in the couple years I've been here).
Anyways...back in the US, I tip where expected. The old geezer I am (mid-30s), I still tip 15% for standard service (i.e., did your job). Poor service can get 10%, horrible service less. Good service 20%, great service can get more. I might tip a bit less at a buffet (at Golden Corral they don't even get the initial drink, just the refill; they used to bring rolls but it seems they don't do that anymore; 15% for refills seems a bit high).
My wife has been a waitress. She's ok with my (our?) tipping policy (I think she's the one that pointed out we shouldn't tip as high at certain buffets). I do remember that Christmas Eve was the best day for tips.