While old London coffee houses are generally credited as the birthplaces (a customer left a gratuity over and above the menu price "To Insure Promptness"), tipping has morphed into a mostly American custom.
" While we're most definitely writing anything these folks say in regard to promptness off, we're admittedly glad the gurus behind the scenes feel this next step up should happen rather smoothly, but the IEEE still doesn't think a "finalized standard" will go live "until 2009 or 2010.