I've never understood the reason for the tip jar at Starbucks or fast food establishments.

<sigh>

I hope you're just trolling. If you can't see how throwing someone who gets their @ss up at 3 AM to come to airport and deal with a bunch of cranky passengers and crews some spare change or even an entire dollar (God help us) once in awhile, I don't know what to tell you.

Ya sometimes I have a hard time getting it up. Oh you meant my zipper. I was way off on that one.

Are you talking about the Starbucks worker or airline pilots and (more importantly) flight attendants? I don't know how the pay scale compares for a regional airline's flight attendant versus a Starbucks "barrista," but I'm thinking the FA has to be up at 3 am to deal with a bunch of cranky passengers and (s)he are trapped in a metal tube with them. Seems by your logic there should be a tip jar at the front galley.

Fast food establishments are very useful if you are traveling and need food quickly. Their menus often consist of low quality fare but it is reasonably priced and portable food to go.

The tip jar at Starbucks, no idea.

Yup, basically he is saying anyone that has to get up early and deal with people, deserves a tip jar.

Need to add a camping water purifier to your pack.

Potable water tank and the black water tank have the same part number. .......

I absolutely believe if a passenger feels a flight attendant is giving them good service they should feel free to tip. I worked at Starbucks during college, if someone threw something in the tip jar I would always politely say thank you. It felt good that somebody recognized we were working hard to get everyone caffeinated and on their way as quickly as possible. When someone didn't tip I didn't notice, usually we were too busy doing something else.

I have never understood why some people are so touchy about tipping. If you want to tip, tip. If you don't, don't. It's not that big of a deal. Was checking into a hotel recently and my Captain was able to talk the front desk into free breakfast because we had to wait a couple minutes for our rooms. Met him for breakfast the next morning and I decided to throw the waitress a couple more bucks than would be customary considering our free meal. The guy I was with gave me a hard time for leaving extra. I guess he thought I was making him look cheap. I hadn't noticed how much he'd given because it's none of my business and I don't really care.

Getting back to the poster's point, I just don't really see why a tip jar is anything to write home about. No one is going to think any less of you if you don't tip, and if you do, that extra hundred dollars at the end of the month is a nice little bonus to someone who might be struggling to make rent or just wants to have a fun night out with their friends.

That's a fine observation sir. I guess I dislike the idea of carrying around a french press and grounds.