Editor,
This is in reference to Tim Donnelly’s letter to the editor on 10/3/25 about tipping and its history. Unlike what was mentioned, tipping’s source originated in medieval times as a master-serf custom wherein a servant would receive extra money for having performed superbly well.
In Mr. Donnelly’s comments he says, “workers must receive at least minimum wage, around $18 per hour. This has been a boon for the front of the house.”
In California, restaurant workers are mandated the rate of $18. Yet the term “a boon” implies this wage has created improved wealth to restaurant workers. Let’s understand what $18 means annually. Generally, the method used to calculate an annual salary from an hourly rate is to double the hourly x 1000. Therefore, the $18 would translate to an annual salary of $36,000 +/-. Do you think $36,000 is a livable wage?
I’m planning to continue to tip at 22% as tips are taxed. The “no tax on tips” is done when you do your taxes and you get your money back. Not at the time of the tip.
K. Shane
Belmont
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(2) comments
A wise person told me years ago that if I could not make it on my current income, I needed to find a way to increase it. That is a lesson I took seriously and managed to achieve a livable wage by improving my position in the labor market. A minimum wage level is not ever going to be sufficient but should only serve to get one going.
Thanks for your letter, K. Shane, but for folks who don’t consider approximately $36k/year a living wage, why only tip 22%? Why not 100% or a percentage that translates to what these folks consider a living wage?
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