On tipping

I have a few friends who work as bartenders to supplement their income while they finish school. One of them works three nights a week and makes enough money in wages and tips to pay for her apartment and generally keep her out of debt. The other works four nights a week and barely makes enough to pay for his books.

This got me thinking about the places they work, the audiences they serve, and how that makes a difference on their financial situation.

In a stroke of good timing, Sasha Frere-Jones most recent article in The New Yorker addresses these same issues. Worth a read, if you ask me.

For what it’s worth, if you’re not tipping a dollar for a beer and two for hard liquor at minimum, I don’t know if I can be your friend anymore.