From today’s b, the paper

10:20 p.m. last Sunday the tip jar at Nino’s Pizza in Baltimore was empty.

It’s not an uncommon sight, for no one to leave any tip throughout the day. Some people give tips to the Nino’s delivery men, though not always, and those so inclined usually tip with their credit card. The staff at the pizza shop, which also makes sandwiches and salads, doesn’t serve sit-down customers. They won’t refill your drink or ask if you’re interested in dessert. But they work at a feverish pace for a steady flow of customers.

Still, Nino’s gets tips from about 30-35 percent of customers daily, said owner Zafar Ali. On the weekends that’s split by as many as six employees. It amounts, usually, to $15 a person.

“For us, people spend all their money at the bars, so when they come to us there’s nothing left,” Ali said. “And people aren’t sure whether to tip for a slice or two of pizza or a sandwich.”

It’s second nature to tip at a restaurant or bar or hair salon. But at places like coffeehouses, ice cream shops and carry-out restaurants, it’s not exactly clear whether you should tip or how much to leave. At places like Nino’s, where the white plastic tip jar reads “Tips JAR. Thank You,” the questions seem endless: Does everyone who pours you a soda merit a little something extra? Or just the guy who remembers that you like tuna-on-rye-hold-the-lettuce? Do you tip depending on your bill or just if the person behind the counter remembers the napkins and extra forks?

“People care tremendously about not being seen as cheap, and they don’t want to look extravagant,” says Peter Post, a director with the Emily Post Institute in Burlington, Vt. No surprise, then, that the etiquette advice organization has been fielding more questions about handling the ubiquitous tip jar. Post says the answer is: whatever makes you feel comfortable.

Most people tip to express appreciation for a cashier who remembers their name or favorite food, Post says. Although 70 percent of respondents in a survey his institute conducted in 2003 said they felt no obligation to tip, most said they shelled out when they felt it was warranted.

Some places, like Cold Stone Creamery, which has several Maryland locations, make tipping part of their marketing. Whenever a customer at Cold Stone leaves some cash, the employees sing. No one sings at the Daily Grind coffeehouse in Fells Point, but if they did so based on tips, the place would often seem like an ongoing Broadway show.

At 10:36 a.m. Monday, the Daily Grind’s glass tip jar covered with colorful stickers was already filling up.

“Most of it is coins,” said employee Amy Reid, tipping over the jar onto the counter, revealing lots of quarters and dimes. “There’s quite a few dollars though.”

On average, the employees at Daily Grind, which split tip jar earnings, can take home $30 a day. It used to be more. The shop previously didn’t charge tax on its drinks, but that changed at the beginning of the month, when the taxes went up to 6 percent and consequently prices rose a bit. But still, customers usually leave about 8-10 percent. The split between those who tip and those who do not is about 50-50.

“A lot of our customers know us, know we have car payments, go to school, go on vacations just like them,” said Daily Grind employee Lindsey Shanklin. “Those people always leave tips.”

At Nino’s the answer to the tipping conundrum might come down to some old-fashioned good manners.

As he watched two customers walk inside his shop, Zafar, standing outside his shop, observed as the pair scanned the menu.

“If you respect your customers, they respect you,” he said.

The Los Angeles Times contributed to this report. Jordan Bartel is assistant editor for b. Contact him at jordan@bthesite.com.

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