With the tourist season rapidly approaching, it is a good time for a friendly reminder to raise awareness regarding the proper way to tip fairly and thoughtfully. So a review of the why, when, where and what you are tipping for may prove enlightening.

Why? The history of tipping in America goes back to the 1850s and 1860s, when wealthy Americans traveling in Europe brought back the custom of tipping to demonstrate how cultured they were. Since the custom of tipping became a fixture in the food service industry, a legal system has developed allowing restaurant employers to keep their labor costs and food and drink prices lower by paying their employees less than the minimum wage, thereby outsourcing a portion of their employee's wage to the customer.

How much? It is important to recognize that the customary tip has changed over the last 175 or so years. There was a time in the 1950s where the customary tip was approximately 10 percent. That percentage has increased over the last 50 years as people have adjusted the recommended tip to reflect that more of a tip is needed to allow servers to meet their day-to-day expenses. The standard tip is 18 percent for satisfactory service and 20 percent or more for exceptional service.

Where? It is also important to recognize the location where one is tipping. The cost of living varies across the nation, regionally and even within a few miles. A tip that may be sufficient for a waitress in Yoder, may not be sufficient for the waiter in Manitou Springs as the cost of living for the server differs according to where they live.

What? One of the most common mistakes in tipping is a lack of awareness of what the customer is actually tipping. The customer is tipping for the services of the server and for those things he or she is responsible. In its most basic form, the waiter is responsible for greeting the customer, taking their order and serving their food. However, they should not be held responsible for any waiting a customer must endure because of the volume of business.

These are but a few of the considerations customers should consider when dining or drinking out.

Sarim Thomas

Manitou Springs

Don't punish policemen

I am responding to your headline "ACLU, Colorado Springs agree to settlement on racial profiling lawsuit" April 20:

Racial profiling is not racist. Police departments don't profile people because of the color of their skin. Profiling is simply an acknowledgment of the economic fact that a shameful practice of slavery, reinforced by 200 years of abuse and prejudice, put a significant percentage of our black-skinned fellow citizens in such a collective "hole" that, for those still climbing out, crime sometimes seems the only way to survive.

If profiling were truly racist, we'd be reading stories of far more Hispanics, Asians and American Indians being pulled over for no good reason. Bottom line: cops should not be punished for making reasonable inferences based on the very essence of human intelligence i.e., "The ability to cross-reference." Don't punish policemen for the unrelated sins of past slave owners. They're simply doing their job. And stop giving away precious tax dollars for "PC" purposes.

Gregory Olinyk

Colorado Springs

A place of respect and dignity

Why is it not surprising at all that in Donald Trump's White House there are people of the caliber of Sarah Palin, Kid Rock, and Ted Nugent, who pose in front of Hillary Clinton's portrait mockingly?

No matter who has been president in the past, the White House has been a place of respect and dignity, but when this man was elected it was obvious that those days were over. Ted Nugent is a vile, disgusting person, Sarah Palin is laughable. Leave it to Trump to associate with these people.

Sally Alberts

Monument

Organic food has many benefits

For the past three or four decades, the percentage of obese and people with health issues has been increasing in the nation. Because of this, concern for the well-being of neighbors and friends has increased. Organic food should be consumed more than nonorganic food.

Organic food is a concern due to its expense. Although it is hard on the wallet, it has many benefits and advantages for human health. Organic foods help maintain better health, give nutrition for the brain, have fewer artificial stimuli, reduce doctor bills - all leading to a more success in every aspect of life.

The solution for the high cost of organic food is to lower the price and gain support from the government and the public providing the same quality.

Research has shown that organic food has 17 percent more antioxidants than nonorganic food, which helps to lower the risk of stroke and cancer. Another problem is schools don't explain the benefits of organic food, so the people are not aware of what to buy to be healthy. There has been some progress towards instituting programs like SNAP, an alternative to food stamps, to encourage healthier food. Overall, organic food has many benefits for general health.

Benafsha Shakari

Colorado Springs

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LETTERS: The ins and outs of tipping; benefits of organic foods ... - Colorado Springs Gazette