Why tip?

Recently, I stayed at a hotel in downtown Montréal. When I arrived, the room was sparkling clean and the bed ready with a nice chocolate on top of the bedcover. Around 8 p.m. the housekeeper knocked at my door. She asked whether I needed anything and handed me two bottles of water then told me goodnight. What a nice way to start my stay!

The next morning, I was attending a conference, so I had to leave in a rush. As I did not have cash with me, I was unable to tip the housekeeper although God knows she deserved it! Had I had access to electronic tipping like Tip&Go this would not have been an issue.

Where does tipping originate?

There is no consensus on the origins of the word ‘tip’. Some say that in England, it goes back to the second half of 17th Century, when London pubs for aristocrats kept a metallic can on their counters where those who were rushed could throw a coin to draw the attention of waiters. According to this version, the acronym ‘TIP’ would stand for ‘To Insure Promptness’.

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