Tipping well helps all

As Hawaii's economy has shifted its economic dependency from agriculture to the service industry, the need for consideration of service-sector employees has grown.

After all, this class of people has grown so large it might even you one day.

Since we have such a large stake in the tourism industry, which encompasses restaurants, it is imperative that , as a society, we learn how to tip correctly.

Servers expect a gratuity of at least 15 percent, assuming appropriate service. Anything less than 10 percent is a slap in the face.

The benefits of tipping generously not only affect those who work in the industry, but everyone else as well.

First improves your chances of finding a new job when yours is cut. Especially in view of the Liberty House bankruptcy proceedings and the state government payroll cuts, one never knows when the grim reaper of unemployment will choose to swing his sickle at your workplace.

Nepotism, the hiring of friends and family over other qualified candidates, runs rampant here, increasing the importance of staying on your best terms with everyone you meet.

Second, maintaining good relationships with waiters and waitresses through tipping involved the concept of "aloha-growth."

A stiffed server is not going to react well and will have a harder time giving their best to the next table. That will result in poorer service throughout the night, dropping your negativity onto the heads of everyone else.

Third, a good tip impresses your date. What kind of person would be attracted to you because of your stinginess? Pay no attention to those Sprint "Dime a Minute" commercials -- where the waitress finds a dime and smiles because she can talk on the phone for 60 more seconds.

If I were to get a dime for a tip, you'd better not let me catch you leaving, or else you'd hear some inappropriate for children language in full view of everyone in the restaurant.

If you really want to show how classy you are, you can leave a 20 PER-CENT tip. Now that's impressive, especially when you're with a large party.

Servers love that stuff, and will bend over backward for you next time.

I can't tell you how sad it is to see just how many lousy tippers make it out of the woodwork during certain holidays.

Sundays are bad, too. It seems like all the cheapos come out during the holidays, attracted to $9.99 meals like moths to a porch light.

My father stand out in my mind as exemplary because of his policy for tipping. Whenever he takes our my family, he spars no expense.

Whatever my sister and brother wanted was all right ,provided they finished it all. And he didn't let the price of the meal dictate the size of his tip.

Granted it meant we could only go out ever decade or so, but my dad was always thanked when he said the server could keep the change. All too often, it seems like the only people I get at my tables are the ones who could never passed sixth grade math, and can't even figure out 15 percent with a calculator. In my opinion, if you can't do tha math, you should ask for some assistance. I'm sure the server would be glad to help you.

The last reason to tip nicely involves and important economic theory called money creation. Look at it this way: your tip gets deposited into a bank, which keeps a certain portion while loaning out the rest. This, in turn, gets used to pay for something, and the money gets deposited into the bank, starting the process all over.

Therefore, the more you spend here in Hawai`i, the more there is to go around. As a result, we all get wealthier and HAwaii's economy becomes less vulnerable to currency fluctuations and the whims of foreign tourists.

So before you take your significant other this weekend, make sure you pack a calculator, a large bounty of cash, and a charitable spirit. After all, a big tip helps us all out.