Who is to say they haven't donated anonymously? Who knows what this Gals situation really was maybe $400 was what she needed for something. Who knows if maybe this wasn't all just for show?

I personally feel we need more stories like these than we need stories of people of differing views setting each-others hair on fire.

Nah, their appointment at the expensive restaurant got mixed up and they still needed to write off another $450 for tax purposes ;) I mean $450, kinda odd amount.

It's still a good deed, unfortunately used to push a political agenda.

Maybe I'm warped but the most impressive thing to me from the story is this "Harris, who is black, told the Post she was admittedly a bit prejudice when the men, who were white, told her they were in town to support Trump." I guess I just love it when people are willing to swallow their pride and admit their own shortcomings. Good for her. I wish more people would root out their own faults rather than looking for them in others.

Thats heartwarming.

Despite tipping not being the best way to pay waitresses, this was a very thoughtful and careless act. Not only because of the tip, but because of the message included. I do find weird for the store tweeting this instead of the waitress.

Because they'd rather be paid in cash via non-tax deducted tips than taxed income by their employer. Because it is nice to get money that day and not have to wait for one's check to pay bills. Because if their employer has to foot the bill, their hours will be cut or food prices will be raised. Because nice things like in the OP happen from time to time. Because it is a means for customers to show gratitude for your service. But mostly, because it is what most Americans are culturally predisposed to do, and it is not a problem for the majority of us.

Tips are just more flexible for many waitstaff. It is why my mother would rather make minimum wage and tips than work a $14/hr job without tips (she's done both.)

If you could stick to what I said instead of what you imagined I said, that'd be great.

1. I never said they haven't donated anonymously. I specifically talked about the amount she received as a tip.

2. I never said that it was all for show, only that in my opinon it was. Huge difference. In other words, it may not have been, it seems that way to me (as in, I still entertain the possibility that it was out of the kindness of their hearts, I just find it less likely).

Whether she needs that money or not is irrelevant. You can give a CEO that money and he may super duper need it for x reasons. I still find the tip excessive for the service that she provided and for the message they wanted to send. For me, the message would have been just as clear if it was $40. Still too much for a tip and still sending a message ("just becase we disagree, doesn't mean I won't treat you like a fellow American").

A few quick thoughts on the Tipping conundrum within the US.

1) Wages made from tipping do not get claimed for taxes, the govt requires 8% of the employee's total receipts added to your W-2 (reported wages for you Non-US people). With the average tip in the US being closer to 12% of total receipts. This allows the individual to have that extra 4% to not be claimed on their W2. Legally the individual needs to claim all tips but they just don't, and the govt does not force them to. For example a person tends bar and sells exactly $100 worth of drinks. They get tipped 15% so they make $15. The company has to report $108 of wages on the W-2. The bartender walks away with $7 on non-taxed income.

2) If you remove tips and increase wages the same bar will increase the price of alcohol. Let's say they only increase it by 8%, the amount they must add to a W-2. So a $10 drink now costs $10.80. This increase in price will reduce total sales. The bar loses money, but the people buying alcohol are actually paying less money because they no longer tip. Where they would normally tip 12% and the drink would cost them $11.20 they are no saving 40 cents per drink. But the average person will not see this and will only see higher prices and choose not to buy as much.

3) following the last example, price go up only enough to cover government required W-2 submissions. The increase in price lowers sales. Now add on the increase of money for wages to the bartender, which will be far in the 20-30% increase so that the pay increase at least covers what the employee is missing in tips, and now we have a company that is losing money very fast. Even if they do brilliant marketing and increase business they will still likely lose money, go out of businesses and the bartender now has no job.

As much as it sucks, changing the tipping structure in a drastic fashion will not work. We are basically stuck with it, it is its own trap. If we change the model businesses that rely on it will die. If we don't change it people will continue to get screwed.

My sister is a long time bartender and and very liberal. However, she is not in favor of changing the tipping model, nor is she in favor of minimum wage increase in her field. Changing either the minimum wage or the tipping model of business will effect her negatively. In fact, our area has had minimum wage increases and the increase has caused drink prices to go up, and as a result her tips, and thus wages, have lowered since people are ordering less to drink.

Exactly.  If you work at a restuarant with decent customer flow and you're a decent waiter, you're going to be making more than minimum wage.  And if you have steady customer flow and are a great waiter, you're going to be making even more.  It also allows the owner to keep prices lower.  Now, if they had to choose between taxed minimum wage and tips, most are going to take the tips.  If the owner has to pay a full wage, the prices are going to go up.  That can lead to not only less people coming in, but also cut hours for the waiters.  Hell, if the place is just making it, it could cause it to go out of business, then where's the waiters income?

I do have to laugh at some people on the left, though.  It can't just be because people found a different way to do something.  Or have a different opinion.  Oh no.  It's always got to be about the EVIL business man fucking over the little guy, no matter how small that business is.  They've said it so much, it's got to the point where those words mean little to nothing, now.