Tipping has become a controversial topic lately. It seems that everyone wants a tip. I am just waiting for the airline employee to start asking for a tip. The question for the day is do you tip at a hotel breakfast that is paid for (either comped or included in the price of the rooms)?
From my experience, people tip the chef who makes omelets a few dollars and possibly a few dollars for the person who buses your table. But I have not seen people tipping the waitress who may bring your beverage. That is strange because at a buffet, the standard tip is approximately 10% for waitresses and they only bring drinks and such. So why the difference.
The separate treatment may have to do with the fact that if a meal is complimentary, the hotel will not present a bill with a tip line in it. I feel that if there is a tip jar or a bill with a tip line, many patrons will give the person a tip. That is why tip inflation has really taken off. It has reached a crazy level that I do not agree with but it is were we are.
So what is the right thing to do. I do not think that having a zero bill in order to garner a tip is the right course of action that should drive user behavior. In the US, tipping is meant as a supplemental revenue source for servers if there is an expectation that they will receive tips. That way, restaurants can pay the server below minimum wage. If there is not the expectation of tips, then the server will receive at least minimum wage. So, tipping may actually work the take home pay of servers at hotel breakfast. I know that sounds really weird but it is a possibility.
I believe that complimentary meals like breakfast at hotels should be inclusive of gratuity and taxes. As a result, no tip is required.