It was originally an acronym for "To Insure Proper Service". In the US, service industry workers aren't paid minimum wage. Servers make like 2.20 an hour "plus tips". A good server can make a boat load in tips, and it's mostly in cash (well used to be, the normalization of using credit cards has put a pinch on that I'd guess). Tipping is the way to reward your server for good service (or punish them for bad service).
Even if I get shitty service, I tip decent (10-15%, I'll go 20-25% for good service) . I have a fear of bodily fluids ending up in my food/drink because the server remember I tipped this shitty last time I was in.
Woah, that's unexpectedly interesting,...and also a totally foreign concept to me aye, lol.
Just checked the current conversion rate, and... $2.20(USD) = $3.37(NZD)p/h.
That seems shocking.
I made more than double that delivering milk, at 11yo.
Does this 'tips' thing actually work out fairly?, or is it much like the feral UK service?
Can't imagine that pans out too beneficially overall?
What if someone is really proficient fulfilling their job requirements, but is repeatedly screwed over by customers?