DID YOU KNOW?

History of compensation... Tipping can be traced back to the taverns of 17th century England where patrons would slip money to waiters "To Insure Promptitude" or T.I.P. for short. When upper-class Americans started traveling to Europe after the Civil War, they brought the custom back to their home country, where it was quickly met with resistance. Over time, tipping became accepted throughout the service industry and now, depending on the country, it may be customary to tip servers in bars and restaurants, taxi drivers and hair stylists. Tipping etiquette is something that varies greatly by country and while typically mandatory in the United States, destinations such as Japan consider tipping rude because good service is standard and expected.

The annual tradition of tipping service workers around the holiday season originated with newspaper delivery boys in the 1700s. Encouraged as a way to say "thank you" to those who provide year-round services, the young entrepreneur's gladly accepted gratuities from subscribers on Christmas or New Years Day. Currently, holiday tipping includes other service workers such as doormen, mail carriers, teachers, garbage collectors, etc.