DEAR ABBY: What can I do when I am graciously treated to a restaurant meal by a friend or colleage, and when the bill comes, an inappropriate tip is left for the server?
I am embarrassed if we have received good or exceptional service and yet my dining companion leaves only a 10 percent tip, or less.
Whether it's an oversight, lack of appreciation for the 15 to 20 percent rule, or a lack of math skills, I feel compelled to supplement the tip out of my own pocket if I think the server deserves more. How can I do this without offending my host or hostess? -- WELL-FED IN SACRAMENTO
DEAR WELL-FED: There is no need to offend or embarrass your host by calling attention to the small tips that shortchange a server, so as you leave the table, leave your tip as inconspicuously as possible.