tipping began with the Pullman Railcar company, who decided that they could grossly under pay the porters, by publicizing that the posters relied on tips. They saved 3 million dollars back the late 1800s by getting customers to pay the porters
Time in the podcast when they talk about it, 12:45
There is a tea shop in London called Twinings tea which dates back 300 years. Customers would order a cup of tea or coffee, and there was a box on the counter labeled T.I.P. an acronym for To Insure Promptness. Customers would drop a penny in the box to make sure their beverage arrived promptly!
Acronyms are a modern invention, and don't go back that far. Also, the word insure, isn't the right one, Ensure, is the correct spelling, and English people would insist on that correct form, so, all this is to say that the T.I.P. story is a urban myth. But don't take my word for it, here's the researchers https://www.iheart.com/podcast/105-stuff-you-should-know-26940277/episode/selects-how-tipping-works-90882332/ setting the facts straight
disgusting behaviour really.
ReplyDeleteThere is a tea shop in London called Twinings tea which dates back 300 years. Customers would order a cup of tea or coffee, and there was a box on the counter labeled T.I.P. an acronym for To Insure Promptness. Customers would drop a penny in the box to make sure their beverage arrived promptly!
ReplyDeleteAcronyms are a modern invention, and don't go back that far. Also, the word insure, isn't the right one, Ensure, is the correct spelling, and English people would insist on that correct form, so, all this is to say that the T.I.P. story is a urban myth. But don't take my word for it, here's the researchers https://www.iheart.com/podcast/105-stuff-you-should-know-26940277/episode/selects-how-tipping-works-90882332/ setting the facts straight
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