Where did tipping come from?

One of the purest forms of recognition is the tradition of tipping. Tipping a service person recognizes the effort they have put forth and seems to be a borrowed custom from Europe. In the late 1800′s, wealthy Americans traveling in Europe witnessed tipping and brought the custom back with them to “show off,” or prove their elevated education and class.

By 1897 however, there was a movement brewing against tipping in America. The anti-tipping group believed that tipping created an aristocratic class in a country that fought hard to eliminate a class-driven society. In 1915 six state legislators attempted and failed to pass an anti-tipping bill.

While diners and servers alike haven’t stopped grumbling about the tip system, there hasn’t been a serious legislative effort to end the practice since. Tipping can represent 85% of the salary in some service industries, so it’s important to recognize and reward them when someone makes an extra effort on your behalf.