Standing in the corner of a beige kitchen in front of a small mirror, Perry Chen looks down and inspects his hands to make sure they’re clean. Outside in the dining area, two customers put down their menus and from the corner of his eyes, Perry can see his boss signaling him to the customers’ table. Quickly glancing at his own reflection, Perry notices his short black hair is already in disarray after only one hour at work. After he pats down the wrinkles in his white dress shirt, dusts off the flour from his khakis and puts on his best “waiter smile,” he strolls out the kitchen’s open doorway and greets the customers with an overly enthusiastic, “How are you guys tonight, are we ready to order?”

Cleanliness, politeness and attentiveness are tactics that seem to work for him in getting customers to give higher tips. To Perry, who’s paid only $8 an hour, these tip-generating strategies are what help him pay for rent, tuition and food. Though tipping is technically optional, every citizen living in this country knows that not tipping is simply not socially acceptable.

It’s no secret that the nature of tipping in America is more complex than anywhere else. To some people, the notion of questioning the validity of tipping is a social taboo in itself. After all, those who are in the receiving end of tipping, work hard and need the additional money, therefore it’s the only decent thing any civilized person can and should do. That’s the reason tipping first began, right? Well, yes and no. The genesis of this custom’s evolution in America is complicated to say the least.

Most historians generally concur that the true birth of tipping, that is the first instance in which additional money not required to complete a transaction, was given to a person providing a good or service, cannot be definitively determined.

It is believed that tipping might have begun with the Romans in the 8th or 9th century, but the evidence that suggests this can only be described as sparse at best.

A better explanation of tipping’s origin lies in analyzing the phrase “to tip” itself. “The Straight Dope,” a famous question and answer column debuting in 1973 in the (i)Chicago Reader(i), a popular Illinois-based newspaper, states that etymologists - written language experts - cite the phrase was originally derived from the Latin word “stips,” which translates to “gift.” The word was then adapted into popular use as the more commonly known “tip” by the English in the late 1300’s under the modified definition of “to give in addition.”

Though historic scholars may never truly establish the very first use of the word and practice of tipping, there is little doubt that England was the first country to popularize the convention, which came about as a byproduct of its highly divided class system.

Within English society from the 16th to late 19th century, wealthy nobles and house lords would often tip their subordinates with additional money or food after completing various tasks for them.

Yet, back then, tipping wasn’t the $25 billion a year expenditure that it is today. In fact, according to James Surowiecki of (i)The New Yorker(i), tipping was so disliked in America that anti-tipping movements around the country actually succeeded in banning the practice in six states.

It’s fair to say that in regards to America’s capitalistic economy, tipping is an anomaly, in that no goods are produced or exchanged for the extra money given. The only thing compelling a person to give is their desire to reward what they see as good service. In fact, according to Dr. Michael Lynn, a social psychology professor at Cornell University and researcher on tipping, this is the number one reason people give to explain why they tip. However, it isn’t necessarily the correct one.

In his surveys of the tips received by waiters at numerous American restaurants, Dr. Lynn found that, good service only increased the amount of tips given by 1.5 percent, which, in his opinion, would be unnoticeable by most servers.

Dr. James Newton, a professor of psychology at SF State, says this phenomenon can be explained by the concept of reciprocity -- giving in order to receive.

“People generally are more likely to give more of something, such as money, when they feel that their investment is more likely to produce a return,” he says. “But what triggers how much they give can easily be swayed by the level of warmth and connection they feel from another person.”

Though the institution of tipping exists in some form or another in most parts of the world, when compared to the United States, this country’s tipping culture is an aberration. Because unlike, its European counterpart, tips aren’t tied in as a mandated service charge for most businesses, but as a socially enforced option. In this sense, the United States is unique because, whether or not we tip and how much we tip is determined by our consciences, and not by a financial obligation present when we get our receipts. We Americans want to tip, so we do.

[SIDEBAR]
How Much Should You Tip?

The origin of tipping is fascinating and all, but knowledge like that won’t do you much good when you’re face-to-face with a bellhop, taxi driver or waiter. So here are some tipping guidelines, courtesy of Shirley Wiley of Etiquette & Company, a California etiquette school.

Barber/Hair Stylist – 15% to 20%

Bartender - $1 to $2 per drink or 15% to 20% of total drink bill

Bellhop - $1 per bag, $2 minimum for heavy or oversized bags

Concierge - $5 to $10

Doorperson - $1 minimum

Food Delivery Person - $2 to $5

Maitre D’ - $5 to $10 (Given discreetly)

Parking Valet - $2

Taxi Driver/Chauffeur – 15% to 20%

Waiter – 15% to 20%