Tipping? If ANYONE serves you, I say you should tip them--fred

I love eating at a local coffee shop owned by a young man named Jesus. It's family run and he has his sisters, mother and father all working there. He is obviously in charge, but do they all share in the ownership? I'm not sure.

He has grown more successful and been able to hire some outside help. A couple of waiters and busboys, along with delivery men. But most often we are served by his waitresses, which are his sisters and mother.

I've always tipped them like any good wait staff, without even thinking about it, but my friend says it is not necessary because they own the place. Would you tip the owner of a bar if he serves you a drink? The hairdresser who owns the shop?

I've always tipped these people in the past, because they still performed the same service for me as their workers. Why should they be cheated? The idea that they are making all the money on the place is kind of shortsighted. they are also paying all the bills. When you subtract the costs of doing business, sometimes the owner is making less money than any of his workers. If he is doing the work and not just managing that must mean he needs to save the extra money from another salary and could use the tip money.

And in terms of places like Jesus or any food establishment, a lot of times the wait staff pools their tips and gives out portions to the busboys and cooks who normally don't get recognized. So when you don't tip the owner, you are really cutting back on the full share for the busboys and other staff. They certainly did the same job for you.

Emily Post is Miss Manners and sometimes she's useful, but in this case she's dead wrong. If an owner performs a service for you, up to the standards that you expect, then you should tip them just as much as any regular worker.

The Freditor