Tipping problem solved

Last week's story about tips at Starbucks has me thinking again about this topic I hate so much. A judge ruled that the tips left at Starbucks are for the baristas, and that shift supervisors shouldn't get a portion of the tips. Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz disagrees, and he says they're not giving the baristas the money for those tips, period. He basically says that the supervisors have every right to be tipped for their good customer service too, and the company isn't going along with the court ruling.

I have an easy solution to this problem at Starbucks: Do away with the tip jars. When I go into Starbucks to buy a grossly overpriced cup of coffee, I expect that the employees actually make the coffee and serve it to me nicely. Isn't that what I should expect for several dollars? Why on earth do I need to tip them in addition? Just for doing their job?

I don't know about you, but I am frankly sick of tip jars everywhere I go. Tipping used to be reserved for restaurants only, as a method of showing appreciation to your server. Good service meant a good tip. Poor service meant a not-so-good tip. It was a simple system and it worked.