It’s easy to see both sides of this issue. On the one hand, restaurant workers are giving up part of their holiday so others among us can enjoy ours, oftentimes during a hot, busy shift. Adding a few dollars or extra percentage points is a relatively inexpensive way to acknowledge someone working while dining out, especially on Labor Day, a holiday honoring workers.
Others would argue that tips should be based on service, not on the calendar. Plus, the worker may have volunteered or is receiving holiday pay or other compensation. The slope gets more slippery. Does one tip more for the big holidays (Christmas, New Year’s) over lesser ones (Labor Day, Memorial Day)?
Keep in mind that there’s no established etiquette requiring, say, a 25 percent tip instead of 20 percent, simply because it’s a holiday. I contend that if the service is particularly noteworthy, the worker is slammed, or you simply appreciate that someone is spending part of their holiday taking care of you, then rounding up or adding a few extra dollars is a gracious gesture that won’t go unnoticed…