Tipping Rant

Okay, this is going to seem really mean but I have to get it out of my system. First, let me say, I appreciate all waitstaff. Part of the reason I go out to eat is because I want to be waited on, served and I don't want to have to do the dishes afterward, HOWEVER...let me say (in case you didn't know), tipping is a courtesy!
I don't know how waitstaff have come to think, just because you ARE a waiter or waitress, it means you get an automatic tip. Tip means, "to bestow a gratuity". A gratuity is "something given voluntarily or beyond obligation usually for some service". Ahhhh yes, see the word "voluntarily"? That tells me, I give it if and when I want to. I'm not trying to be mean...I'm really not. If I have waitstaff that's doing what they can for me, yet not bugging me to death, I will definitely make it worth your while, however...I am not trying to supplement your hourly wage. You KNEW the job only paid "change" when you accepted the position, so how very unwise of you to think or assume you would make enough in tips to make your car, rent or mortgage payment. If you do, praise God! If you don't, grin and bear it.
When I think of the worst waitstaff I've ever had, 2 stories come to mind.
Story #1 - At a Red Lobster with my hubby and our waitress was an African-American girl. Clearly, I was old enough to be this child's mother, yet I was greeted with, "What can I get for you sweetie?". Sweetie?!? I'm twice your age and you're calling me "sweetie"? Did I correct her? No. If I had it would have come out real wrong and frankly, I didn't want her doing ANYTHING to my food. Anyhoo...the girl takes our order, brings our food out and we don't see her again. Now you know it's bad when you have to hunt the waitress down to get the check. Thankfully we didn't need anything but we noticed she was treating another table the exact same way. This other table had an elderly, African-American couple seated. She literally ignored them too. Now, did this girl deserve a tip? No! Did we leave one? Yep. She got $3.00 on a $30 meal. She got EXACTLY 10%. When I relayed the story to my elderly Mother, she informed me it's rumored that elderly people don't tip well because of their fixed income, so they're subjected to less than satisfactory service at times. How absolutely unacceptable!
Story #2 - My husband and I went to another restaurant and after the meal, my husband signs the credit card slip. The waiter comes to retrieve it before we leave. As we were about to get up, the waiter comes back and says, "Was something wrong with your service?", my husband replied, "No.", the waiter says, "Did I do something wrong?", now more irritated, my husband says, "Nooo.", the waiter says, "Ok, I was just wondering if I had done something wrong." [smh] I was about to lose it! It took everything in me to not snatch the credit card receipt back and change the tip amount. I don't even know how much of a tip my husband left but apparently, it was a little too little for this particular waiter.
Me and my husband love the episode on "3rd Rock From The Sun" where "Dick" learns how to tip and we've been tempted to use his technique many, many, many times.

To all you waiters and waitresses out there, know this...people want to tip you, however, be worthy of it. Remember, it's a gratuity, not a right! If you have assumed your waitstaff gig is supposed to supplement your income consistently, you are sorely misled...and...you need to find another better paying job. 'Nuff said. Peace!