I object to tipping automatically as well, if the service is exceptional then yes but if you're just doing your job then no.
No one is forced to work in catering!
I did it for a while and the last time was in a pub.
We took a group booking for an Xmas meal from a local company for about 30 people and we gave out free coffee and mince pies at the end of it.
They then decided to pay individually so we had to set up a till and get them to queue up and work out what they all had. More than half of them made a point of saying "I didn't have a mince pie or coffee" as I totted up what they owed and I'm sure some of them were kicking themselves for not having them as I repeatedly said "They were free" in an increasingly irritated manner.
This was about the time I decided to leave catering. There are other jobs out there if you look hard enough.
(cmouse is pondering about life in other jobs, Wed 29 Oct 2008, 8:54, Reply)