Just a few thoughts.
First, the reason that tipping is prevalent in the service industry in the US is not because of business owners skimping on paying staff. It is because the federal law allows the calculation of tips to be part of Federal minimum wage. It does this because tipping was part of the economy back in the day. Read any historical material and the idea of tipping staff or people who did a job for you was part of the society.
Second, I am a sailing instructor, I teach for a school that is agnostic on tipping - neither encouraging nor discouraging it. My compensation is an issue between me and my school - I would not expect the school to reveal that information to a student.
I NEVER say anything about tipping, period, and have never been asked by a student. It is completely up to the student as to whether or not they choose to tip me and I am always grateful and polite when it is offered. I have never changed a student's grade because I thought they were or were not going to tip me. Frankly, I don't care about the tip. IF it happens, it happens.
Having said that, I do quite well in tips. I like to believe it is because I am a good instructor. I realize that I am "a professional" and that usually a professional doesn't "accept" tips. However, back when I was working as the manager of a
hotel, a guest tried to tip me and I tried to refuse it. The owner of the
hotel stopped me, apologized to the guest and had me take the tip. As she told me later, if someone chooses to reward your good efforts without it being required or "suggested," that is something they are doing because they want to. To refuse a tip in that circumstance is the height of rudeness. It still took me a few years to get over my "don't tip professionals" attitude, but her voice still echoes in my ear.
When I don't get a tip, I do not assume it is because I did a bad job. I assume it is because, for reasons of their own, they chose not to give a tip. I do know instructors who get highly irate if they don't get a tip, but I don't see that as a problem. People do what they want to do.
If I didn't do a good job, I expect that to be reflected in the after class review that the school sends to the student. If the student truly felt that I did something wrong, I will hear about it there.
On the subject of
meals and "other compensation," well, to be honest there are only so many
meals I am going to eat in a four day class period, I don't drink while I am teaching, and frankly, when I am done for the day, I want to go back to my boat and put my feet up and not talk to people for an hour or so. I have spent 8 hours being "on stage" and I need a break. I do enjoy hosting students on my boat once per class, usually, and if asked, I will go out for dinner with a class. But that is not "off-time" for me - I am still in full teaching mode.
I have received a few nice gifts from students, but those are things that the student had and gave as a gift, not something they went out and purchased. I appreciate the thought, but I already have a nice Leatherman that I chose because it does the things I want it to do, my
navigation kit is full up with parallel rules and dividers and I don't really have space on my boat for anything knick-knacky. I wouldn't turn anything down, but that is because, as I said above, it is impolite to refuse a gift. However, if you give me something I can't actually use, then it is going to go into the "donate or trade" drawer.
Lastly, I understand that some people believe that "tipping" has gotten out of hand - but I have to say that I am of the opposite opinion. Consider how the world would
work if more jobs were paid, at least partly, in tips. That rude desk person at the doctor's office that shoves a clipboard at you and indicates that you need to go fill it out and bring it back later - suppose she was working for tips. Perhaps she would show a trifle more compassion. Or the counter person at a retail store that never makes eye contact, just scans and shoves your stuff along. What would happen if he needed to establish a modicum of human contact in order to get any compensation?
For that matter - how about the doctor, lawyer or other "professional" who keeps you waiting in their waiting room (such an apt term) for an hour past your expected appointment for reasons unknown to you (yes, I know that there are sometimes very good reasons for that, but...). What might happen if their compensation was based - in part - on what you thought of their attitude and effort?
No, I am not saying that all professionals - or all service workers - would be more motivated by a tip. I am almost certain that I would not. However, I have undertaken jobs for people that, when asked, I told to "pay me what you thought it was worth" - the ultimate tip.
Just my thoughts - they don't apply to all situations, but they are mine own.
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