While the fact currently says
The Tea Class Pages say differently at: http://www.adagio.com/info/trivia.htmlto insure prompt service
Tipping as a response to prompt service was born in the tea gardens of England. A small wooden box was placed on each table in the garden. The box was inscribed "To Insure Prompt Service" or TIPS for short. A coin dropped in the box usually assured prompt tea service. And thus the custom of tipping was born.
OOps! -A site about Tea should carefully promote facts not myths, just seems like someone didn't read carefully enough in choosing "facts" to post on the side. Sounds like they need to go back to tea class! PS. The tea class online is fun and I have learned a lot. If you haven't visited those pages, you should! I love knowing more about the product I love to drink.Finally, a common misconception about tea is the fact that it is to blame for the concept of tipping. Supposedly, tipping (the act of attempting to influence quality of service through a small gratuity) was born in the tea gardens of England. Story has it that a small wooden box was placed on each table in the garden. The box was inscribed "To Insure Prompt Service" or TIPS for short. A coin dropped in the box usually assured prompt tea service; thus the custom of tipping was born. However, the word "tip" existed long before the first tea garden was ever established. Most obviously, this "tip" would not insure prompt service (unless tea at the time was dangerous), rather ensure prompt service... Another covert sabotage attempt by the coffee industry foiled.
