Most people tip servers/waiters in restaurants even if service tax is included in the bills. In starred restaurants, chefs and cooks could get handsome rewards from rich patrons. But have most of us given a thought to the poor table cleaners? These are the people who take away our used plates, glasses, cups etc. that may contain remnants of chewed and leftover foods and drinks. The mess left on tables and sometimes even on chairs are wiped and cleaned meticulously by them and made ready for other customers. In small and medium size restaurants the cleaners are mostly males, teenagers and middle to elderly persons, while in South India there are ladies who clear the tables. If the cleaners inadvertently break glass or ceramic crockeries, the cost of these may be deducted from their meagre salary. The next time you go to a restaurant, do tip these unsung and silent workers who do their job without blinking at the wastage and dirty state of the tables that the customers leave behind. These workers are also an important cog in the well-oiled restaurant business.
