Definition: Tipping & Taxes in PHILADELPHIA

Definition: Tipping & Taxes in PHILADELPHIA 
1ST DRAFT
tip - (n) a payment given for services in excess of the standard charge; gratuity* 
*SOURCE Dictionary.com. 10. February, 2012. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/tip 
TIP-RECIPIENT EMPLOYEES (aka: “service workers”) Per my understanding, there is a vast range of employees who are tip-recipients or receive gratuities in exchange for their services. This includes, but is not limited to: 
-parking garage attendants 
-bathroom attendants 
-food service workers - waiters, waitresses, bartenders, delivery people (I’m tempted to write “delivery guys” because typically it is men or guys who do delivery...I, TOO, HAVE TO REMIND MYSELF THAT GENDER ROLES AND SOCIETAL STANDARDS ARE CONSTANTLY CHANGING...it is 2012, even if I do have a penchant for 1940’s glamour and I like to live in imaginary alternate eras as a way to entertain my acting side...*sigh*) 
-entertainers - jugglers, street musicians, exotic dancers, gogo dancers (although as a gogo dancer I have generally made a certain amount per shift...for example, $150 for 2 hours from 12am-2am, plus tips...it depends on the club, what type of club it is, what the laws are in that district or region of that particular state...SIGH...this is why I don’t enjoy traveling to do shows much, because I have to re-orient myself to COMPLETELY new territory, different driving laws, different club laws, different clientele base...and let’s face it...I have ADD, not to mention hypersensitivity to new environments, so you can see why it stresses me out BIG TIME...) 
-hotel accomodat...ers?: bellhops (guy who carries your luggage), the shuttle guy, the concierge or whatever 
-cab drivers 

Insomuch as employees of gentlemens’ clubs go, tip recipients include: 
-bouncers 
-door guys 
-couch room attendants 
-bathroom attendants 
-champagne room hostesses / hosts 
-managers 
-djs 
-bartenders 
-waitresses 
-shot girls 
-massage girls 
-exotic dancers

 CUSTOMS ON TIPPING NOW...per my understanding, it is customary to tip a waiter or waitress 20% of your bill at minimum. The waiter receives a below-minimal wage of approximately $2.25 per hour. Depending on the establishment (ie: Applebee’s vs. a diner vs. a high-end restaurant like del Frisco’s in Philadelphia...), the tips are either pooled, or, the waiter takes his/her own tips and that’s it. They fill out a W-2, and they may or may not report all of their cash income. [[My mother used to wait tables while attending Art College (this was approximately 1972 in San Francisco), and refused to pool her tips (meaning, put her tip into a large jar with everyone else’s tips and split them up evenly amongst all of the waiters). Why, you may ask?? Because...unlike the majority of service workers, she busted her ass, and did her job extremely well. Then, the people who wanted to slack off or be lazy that day would receive more money, therefore, becoming more crippled by the establishment and less incited to work competently.]] I *believe* many chain pizza places (ie: Domino’s,Papa John’s) have an added-in gratuity for delivery service. I generally still try to throw the guy a couple extra bucks, because, hey...he’s delivering pizza in the dead of winter, and that’s gotta suck. I generally tip the non-chain delivery guy more because he is usually a nice immigrant who is happy to work in America and is working hard to support a family or send money back to his family overseas...and he receives no gratuity, or if he does, it’s probably a percentage. Not to mention...he’s delivering pizza in the dead of winter...and that’s gotta suck...he’s gotta keep the car running, scrape the ice off, avoid accidents, which, in normal weather is near-impossible in f*CKING PHILADELPHIA and New Jersey...and so on...Many chain restaurants (ie: TGI Fridays, Applebees) may pool tips, but I’m not sure. Typically, franchise or independently-owned restaurants or businesses (aka: “mom and pop shops”) rely way more on tips and cash influx because they are not protected by a larger corporation. Thus, they retain independent and “freedom of trade” if you will (my personal preference...since I am of an entrepreneurial spirit and small-business mindset)...the benefits of working for a chain is that there is generally a) is generally more structure b) more benefits offered (insurance, IRA’s, etc etc.) and c) if you get fired illegally or are discriminated against, you can probably sue them for a whole lot of freakin’ money. 
Now...as far as bartenders go, I remain ignorant of their exact income since I am a non-drinker and have never paid for my own drink (minus a bottle of water or Red Bull...in which I tip the bartender at least $2.00). As far as I know, nowadays bartenders make approximately $25.00 to $75.00 per roughly a 5-6 hour shift. [Yes, I know drink prices are very high...especially at gentlemen’s clubs. 
City taxes are very high. Philadelphia city taxes are approximately 8%, which is higher than the standard Pennsylvania 6% sales tax on non-food and non-clothing items]. And, yes, I know they charge a cover fee. 

I do not receive any wage per hour whatsoever. I do retain the ability to sell lap dances at $20-$30 a pop. While this is extremely good money (hello...$20.00 for 4 minutes of work??!!!?!)...I receive $15.00 or $20.00 of every lap dance I do.  
Just sayin'.