Tipping Is An Abomination Rhetorical Analysis

“Tipping Is an Abomination” by Brian Palmer is an argument that provides various evidence about how tipping is an objectionable practice that has little benefit to none of the parties involved. Palmer first provides some introductory information about tipping before going fully into his argument. In his argument, Palmer provides a variety of reasons with supporting evidence to back up his claim. Throughout his argument his point is clear and concise. This argument is very effective due to its many strong components.
Starting with the title of the article, it is clear how Palmer feels about the practice of tipping. The title of this article is extremely direct and leaves no room for misinterpretation. The title effetely sets the tone for the article. Palmer, in his first paragraph, also demonstrates his distaste for the tipping while providing information about where tipping originated. This provides use with more information about the issue and defines his claim. His claim is a claim of policy as he

provides evidence as to why it is bad and then provides a solution. He also briefly mentions various reasons for his opinion that are developed further into the article.
In this article Palmer, has three main reasons for why tipping is objectionable.

These reasons briefly are: tips do not drive hard work, perceived racial bias creates differences in service, and tip credit allows restaurants to under pay workers. All of these reasons are supported by facts, statistics, and examples. The facts and statistics in this article all appear to be from credible sources, which shows that Palmer researched his topic thoroughly before writing this article. An example of one of the well placed statistics in Palmer’s argument is “According to a 2000 study, a customer’s assessment of the server’s work only accounts for between 1 and 5 percent of the variation in tips at a restaurant.” (Paragraph 3). This statistic is not only shocking, but provides an insight for the readers on how little one’s services provided are actually being paid for considering a later fact mentioned about how little some restaurants are allowed to pay their

employees.
Palmer also provides an opposing argument to his claim. He mentions that the only people who seem to benefit from tipping are lawyers who handle disputes between companies and their employees. This provides an interesting opposition because it shows that the only benefit from tipping comes from conflict over tipping policies. The legal policies behind tipping, according to Palmer, are unclear and vary widely by state. This creates a lot of discrepancies not only for companies but for the consumers as well.
Lastly in Palmer’s article, he provides some potential solutions that he feels can solve the problems he mentioned. These solutions are well thought out and demonstrate knowledge about the issue. He proposes government intervention in the abolishment of tip credit, consumers informing servers of their tipping practice, and tipping a flat but generous amount per person in your party. This solutions are simple but will address the problems that Palmer has laid out for us. Palmer belies tipping should be a form of gratitude not an obligation.
Overall, Palmer provides a strong argument as to why tipping should be abolished. He defines the issue and his claim clearly and effectively. He also provides solid reasons backed up by appropriate evidence. Palmer also includes an acknowledgement of opposing viewpoints in his article, when discussing lawyer’s benefits of tipping policies. After reading his article and assessing the arguments readers will find little fault in his claim and will be inclined to agree with his viewpoints on the issues of tipping.