Tipping or taxing?

Recently I visited a famous eatery located in Lahore i.e Haveli Restaurant. I was accompanied by my friend and we were looking for some good food after strolling inner Lahore. Haveli was the only eatery that attracted us among all the eateries on the food street. Slow music, disciplined staff, classical outlook, glittering bulbs, and historical items collectively give an exquisite ambiance. We ordered the food and the taste was very delicious. The thing that inspired me a lot was the polite and professional behavior of the staff who were waiting for us. And I was very impressed by that, although my friend was paying for food but I have made up my mind that I will tipp attending staff. But when the bill came I was taken aback. I was surprised to see that the food which was looking hard at 20$(6000/-pkr ), actually cost us 35$(10000/- pkg).

On canvassing the bill thoroughly, I found that almost 50% of taxes have been imposed on us in the form of GST and service charges. It means the tip I was planning to give by will has already been charged to me against my will. The service charges were 23% of the total food and it was a huge and unfair margin according to me but we could do nothing except pay it. Did I give an extra tip then? Nope, I didn’t. Because a tip is an appreciation that a person pays for hospitable and sophisticated attendance by will. Charging it against my will annoyed me a lot and we left the table without paying an extra tip.

It was the first time in my life that I had not tipped waiters. My father says that tip must who waits on you. And it was by his teachings that I adopted the habit of tipping. I also believe that tipping appreciates the people and they improve themselves further in their jobs. In this way we not only promote compassion but professionalism as well. Tipping amount is not so big but it can exert greater impacts .First, just like every drop makes a river. These small tipping amount from single customer becomes much reputable by end of the day collectively after attending and being tipped by many customers. Secondly, tipping diminishes the habbit of begging as well instead it oromoted professionalism because people then try to further improve themselves.

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Nowadays, service charges have already been included in bills mostly which I believe is very wrong. First of all the margin of service charges is very unfair and secondly the eatery owners pay salary through these service charges instead of sharing that among employess as tip or appreciation. Indirectly capitalist is favouring himself only. The cost of food includes all the expenses including emplyees salary and owner is bind to pay the employees to pay them from that and then distribute service charges as apprecition but it doesn’t happen.

Tipping must be solely by will. It must not be mandatory. It must not be pillaged silently and unwilling and it must be used as appreciation rather than as pay. But yes, if is not mandatory then we must promote the habit of tipping to contribute to overall moral of society. Tipping makes you generous. Tipping builds a better relation between two bodies and facilitates them much in their next interaction. I have personally experienced it. Whenever I extra paid housemaid working in our house, painter painting our house, gardener taking care of lawn and barber to whom I visit for shaving and hair-cutting, I observerd greater improvement in their work and in their behaviour towards me . Don’t say money can buy everything and every person lol.

But but it must not be wronged with bribe as some people do. Red-taping is a serious issue in our administrative and official procedures and to expedite your work,you have to pay tip which is actually bribe and is totally unfair and unethical. Tip is also paid disguising corruption. Using an acceptable word will not make unacceptable acts,acceptable. We must be sure whether we are paying tip or bribe. Because same money in different situations will become illegal.

This is my blog for #hl-exclusive and #hl-w139e3.