Barnaby thinks about tipping

To tip, or not to tip? That is the question that Barnaby has been pondering this week. Should tipping be encouraged or should it be banned entirely? Is it a way of rewarding especially good service, or does it simply perpetuate a system that allows employers to underpay their staff?

In some cultures, tipping is seen simply as an unavoidable part of the cost of the purchase and has little to do with the quality of the service. This seems to Barnaby especially to be the case in the U.S.

In other cultures, such as China, offering a tip is seen as an insult.

Barnaby is reminded, however, of a sign in a restaurant which read, 'We pay our staff well. Please do not insult them by leaving tips.' However, beside the till itself was a jar labelled "Insults".

The question of whether to tip or not and by how much is frequently a source of consternation not only to visitors, but also to locals. Establishments in the U.K. are increasingly adding a tip automatically to the bill on the assumption that most people will pay up rather than risk the embarrassment of querying the addition. Only the very brave or exceptionally dissatisfied customer will strike out the extra demand.

Barnaby is of the opinion that people should be paid a fair wage and that the advertised price should include the service charge. Yes, Barnaby deplores tipping.

So, to make things absolutely clear, the prices displayed against Barnaby's books, including the FREE ones, is the full price. What you see is what you pay. No tips are expected or accepted,. (unless it is advice on how to improve his writing). See for yourself at www.barnaby-wilde.co.uk