www.CostaRicaTicas.com

PC,
I think you missed the point. It's not about tipping the person directly vs the tip jar. It's more about why a Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts employee thinks they are entitled to a tip in the first place. What have they done beyond what they are paid to do?

I understand, but I do see some examples of when a tip would be warranted. Like on my way to work most mornings. I go to the same coffee shop at 5:20am almost every day and the store owner keeps putting only one guy behind the counter. It's right beside an airport and there's LOTS of people going to work at 6am there so the poor K*D runs his ass off for 2 or 3 hours until the older, more senior employees show up at 8 or 9. I've complained to the franchise owner several times. This K*D is one of the few that deserves a tip, IMO. he never looses his temper and is very fastl, even when things are getting crazy at both the counter and the drive-thru.

I do agree though that a lot of times, these places having a tip cup is silly. However, is it not just as silly to pay a propina that is automatically added to your invoice at a restaurant or bar in CR, even though the server you get may be slow and rude? That's worse to me as you have no choice in the matter.

Im all for tip jars/asking for tips. It gives personal motivation to be better and do something beyond the typical call of duty.

What I don't agree with are mandatory tips; like WTF is the point of that? You may as well just jack everything on the menu 15% and just say don't tip unless extreme circumstances.

Also places that tip out the kitchen staff/hostess's. Like really? So the cook does a shitty job on the menu, or the new line cook keeps messing up the appetizers you ordered and thus your not happy with the overall experience. You don't leave a tip, and yet the wait staff HAS to allocate a percentage of their nightly sales to the non serving staff. Although its usually a small percent, that just seems retarded.