Out-of-Pocket Experience

Our parents may have taught us about sex and other mysteries, but few, it seems, ventured into another obscure territory: the art of tipping.

We all know to leave the waiter 15% or more, but who these days knows how to properly grease the palm of a maitre d’ to get a table without the wait?

To an earlier generation, there was the “golden handshake,” in which a crisp bill, most likely $20, was cupped in the palm of the hand and slipped to the other party during the handshake.

It still goes on today, and can often “buy” a table even in the most crowded restaurant. According to the manager of a popular Westside restaurant,some customers today bring gifts, from flowers to champagne, to guarantee access.

Another manager of a trendy Hollywood spot confirms that regulars bring presents--from ties to chocolates--and that some will occasionally sneak a $20 tip if they show up without a reservation. But he says the tradition essentially died with the market crash in the ‘80s, and it’s the rare, older customer who practices it today.