Is it possible that, like in the USA, tipping in restaurants and hotels may actually drive DOWN wages for those working at these establishments? Maybe not if the person serving you is the person who owns the business.

Tips are a nice extra bonus for the person serving/helping you, I agree, and I always tip well at restaurants here in the USA and also the recommended amount abroad. But tipping can give EMPLOYERS reason to lower wages of those working for them because part of their (the workers') income would come from tip. Employers will start PROMOTING tipping to patrons & to society so that THEY (the owners) won't have to pay so much in salary. This makes the worker dependent on tips from customers and, well, as we all know, not ALL customers tip the same and sometimes not at all.

In my opinion, I've always appreciated the policy in Spain which seems to have existed for many many years. I love seeing "Professional" waiters whom, it seems, have worked at XYZ Bar/Café/Restaurant for the past 20 years, always being paid a living wage and rarely receiving tips. This, to me, is the responsible way to employ people. Pay them a living wage and they'll provide good service, be happier & more responsible with their jobs, and will respect their employers more. If employers pay their employees less and force them to depend on tips for survival, the employees will be less happy & less responsible, more stressed, and have more resentment towards management/owners.

So, in the BIG PICTURE of the economy and salaries and happiness, is tipping REALLY a GOOD thing? (Hmmm.. Maybe my discussion on this topic would be better located in the "About Spain" forum of the message board) Maybe if you secretly/quietly put a tip directly in the hand of that person helping/serving you directly but..... I don't know.

Saludos, MadridMan