This tipping thing is really out of hand

[EPCOTatNight]

Thank you, thank you, thank you for this thread. This has been on my mind for years. It started with me at a donut shop. How much work does it take to turn around and put 2 donuts in a bag?

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[powellrj]

I'm also surprised by the number of people that are adamant about tipping valet (when all they do is walk a bit and drive) yet they won't tip housekeeping that scrubs your toilet and deals with your used soggy towels. Does anyone happen to know what base salary is for Disney valet and bellhops?

OK I'll bite, your maid is paid at least minimum wage because its not considered a tipped position. A valet is paid $2xx a hour some places and its an expected tip position. I was talking to a friend whose DS works as a valet at our casino and she said they are paid $5 an hour and then they have to tip-out their managers a percentage of their tips. I always tried to tip the valet well because I don't pay to valet park with my handicap tag, I am glad to know I did now that I know they have to share their tips!

 

[mamacatnv]

I own a takeout restaurant. We have a tip jar at the window. Sometimes the person you talk to will take your order and make your drinks while someone else in the back cooks your food and then calls your name to come get it. Other times, depending on the day, the person you talk to will be doing it all alone - taking your order, making your drink, cooking your food, packaging it and serving it out the window. My kids (they're all mine once they're hired!!) make more than minimum wage, and they split the tips between them that they get on their shift. They rarely get more than a couple of dollars on a 5 hour shift. If I am working by myself, I do not put out the tip jar, nor do I split tips with my kiddos - technically, I am getting the most benefit from their work, so I don't think it's fair to take part in the tips. At sit-down restaurants, I tip 20%, but that's about as far as I take tipping, except for hotel maids who have to clean up in personal areas like bathrooms. Other positions, I hope they're getting paid enough or they set their own prices(mailman, massage etc.) Guess I'm probably a cheapass but so far nobody has said anything to me!

All this sounds like a regular job description.

Why don't you pay "your kids" a decent wage for doing their job rather than having them beg for tips?

I hate when places that pay a regular wage put out tip jars. That is their job. They are not being paid a sub-wage that depends on tips.

Can't wait for the time I walk into my local bank and their are tip jars on the teller counter. Oh wait, banks are professional. That wouldn't happen.

The only time I will tip is if I go in with a huge order for a party. But for a regular order, ridiculous. And I worked at Arbys through my entire college career. We were forbidden to accept tips. And we were proud of it. We would have been mortified to accept tips for just doing our job.

Maybe you didn't read closely. My kids are well-paid. The lowest paid is getting $9.60 an hour for their training period and will rise to $10.25 when they have proven themselves ready.

I put out a tip jar because my kids also try and go above and beyond to be entertaining and give good service, so if someone wants to tip them for that, good for them! And the only way I can see to be fair about it is to have them split tips at the end of their shift - otherwise the ones assigned only to backroom duties that day would not have a chance at any tips that shift. My kids appreciate the tips they get because they know they are for good service only, not because they're paid poorly.

Honestly, I have no idea why you would put a tip jar out. I, as a patron used to feel obligated to drop my spare change etc. into that jar. I don't anymore, I now go out of my way to avoid places that have a tip jar that is unjustified. A take out restaurant with a tip jar is unjustified IMO. You pay your kids well, that is great, I assume you charge a decent price for your product so that you can afford to pay the kids well. I'm not trying to be snarky, I'm trying to understand, how it is you justify a tip jar for your employees who are doing what you pay them (well) to do?

I hand out the payroll every week, maybe I should put a tip jar around my neck.

OP, I'm with you, the tipping issue is getting out of hand.

I tip my hairdresser, wait staff when at a sit-down type restaurant with an assigned waitress/waiter who takes my order, brings my meal and tends to me throughout the meal. I also tip for hotel services (valet, bell man) and skycaps at the airport.

 

[fortwildernessishome]

As an employer, you should be rewarding your employees that go above and beyond with a bonus. Not relying on your customers to pay their salaries.

Tip jars for standard, or in your case, above standard wages, is an insult to your customer. And greedy on your part that you keep your maximum profits and put the onus on your customers to fork out more for your product when you have excellent staff who should be rewarded.

That is how I feel about tip jars. It is the establishment owners who are becoming inordinately greedy. They have found a way to maximize their profits by not rewarding their employees. They are putting the responsibility for rewarding their employees for excellent work on the customer. If an employee is going above and beyond, their profit needs to be minimized a bit to reward that employee. The customer should not be expected to pay more for their product.

Just curious, but when you say, "not relying on your customers to pay their salaries" do you mean all jobs, or just those in food service?

Just curious, what you thought about my question of tipping a tour guide and bus driver on a trip that you have spent a good amount of money to go on.

 

[Disney st8 of mind]

OK I'll bite, your maid is paid at least minimum wage because its not considered a tipped position. A valet is paid $2xx a hour some places and its an expected tip position. I was talking to a friend whose DS works as a valet at our casino and she said they are paid $5 an hour and then they have to tip-out their managers a percentage of their tips. I always tried to tip the valet well because I don't pay to valet park with my handicap tag, I am glad to know I did now that I know they have to share their tips!

That's why I asked how much a valet typically makes. I would never just assume that they are considered a tipped position and make less than minimum wage based on the fact that places CHARGE for valet services. Why aren't these charges used to pay the staff that directly provides the service?

 

[DebD4T]

DH and I recently purchased a large backyard shed from Costco. It came in 3 LARGE boxes. The boxes were so large that they would not fit in my minivan even with the stow-and-go seats down.

One of the employees were sent out to help us load the shed. He informed us that the only way we could fit the purchase in the van was to take all the pieces out of the boxes and load it that way.

The poor guy spent about 15-20 minutes, in the blazing sun, opening the boxes and loading my car.

When he finished, DH tried to tip him. The employee said they were not allowed to accept tips.

 

[cfriend416]

When he finished, DH tried to tip him. The employee said they were not allowed to accept tips.

In this case, I would call the employee's manager and express how helpful he was and how much you appreciated his service. I do this often. It may not be a tip, but it's certainly more thoughtful and personal than just throwing money at someone. Comments such as these come into play during annual performance reviews, raises, and references when changing jobs.

 

[Hrhpd]

Just curious, but when you say, "not relying on your customers to pay their salaries" do you mean all jobs, or just those in food service?

Just curious, what you thought about my question of tipping a tour guide and bus driver on a trip that you have spent a good amount of money to go on.

To me, any job that typically pays under standard wages and relies on tips to make up the difference, I have no problem tipping and tipping well. I also have no problem tipping somebody who has done me a personal favor, such as helping me set up a washing machine when I am only paying for curbed delivery service.

I am not sure if tour guides are paid a sub-standard wage. I do know that the tour guide has long been considered a tipped position, so I have no problem with it.

Any other job, that pays at least minimum wage, it is the responsibility of the employer to reward good employees, not the customer.

Putting tip jars out tells the customer that tips are expected. The establishment owner has now relieved him/herself of the responsibility of encouraging and rewarding employees for going above and beyond. They are maximizing their profits and now putting the responsibility of rewarding good employees on the customer by asking them to pay more for their product. It is greedy.

The good thing is that it is starting to backfire, as evidenced by this thread. Customers are becoming more and more annoyed at being coerced to pay more for a product. I know many of my friends who are so fed up that they will actively avoid retail establishments that put out tip jars.

 

[Hrhpd]

DH and I recently purchased a large backyard shed from Costco. It came in 3 LARGE boxes. The boxes were so large that they would not fit in my minivan even with the stow-and-go seats down.

One of the employees were sent out to help us load the shed. He informed us that the only way we could fit the purchase in the van was to take all the pieces out of the boxes and load it that way.

The poor guy spent about 15-20 minutes, in the blazing sun, opening the boxes and loading my car.

When he finished, DH tried to tip him. The employee said they were not allowed to accept tips.

And that is why I LOVE Costco. Their employees are well compensated with excellent benefits. The CEO refuses to take a salary above an x% of the floor employees because he doesn't believe he is that he is that much greater than his employees.

And the customer gets outstanding service from Costco because the employees are happy because they are treated so well. There is not a huge turnover at Costco.

 

[MomofIndigo]

I worked fast food/quick service for 15yrs. So anyone in that catergory (starbucks, ice cream shoppe, Whataburger, etc..) I will not tip. These people get paid full wages and it is part of the job.

Sonic is franchised and some can pay someone lower if they are in the "car hop" category. These people are on roller skates. They mainly work on tips and are young kids so I tip them. But not all Sonics are created equal. The one near me now does not have car hops and it has a drive thru so they move up to my category that I do not tip.

I think we are all in agreement of tipping waitstaff at full restaurants. If there is bad service, I still tip but then I am the person that calls the manager over and explain what I thought was bad service. If the employee and management do not know, then they cannot fix it. (coming from experience).

Other than that I tip the pizza delivery guy, or any catering/food delivery to the office I work. I tip my hairdresser because he is honest with me about what I want and what will actually happen (and he make my hair look great for at least a day )

 

[Bob NC]

Putting tip jars out tells the customer that tips are expected. The establishment owner has now relieved him/herself of the responsibility of encouraging and rewarding employees for going above and beyond. They are maximizing their profits and now putting the responsibility of rewarding good employees on the customer by asking them to pay more for their product. It is greedy.

The good thing is that it is starting to backfire, as evidenced by this thread. Customers are becoming more and more annoyed at being coerced to pay more for a product. I know many of my friends who are so fed up that they will actively avoid retail establishments that put out tip jars.

If I like the product a business sells I'm going to buy it.

It's a tip jar, it's not a gun and a mask.

I can ignore the tip jar.

 

[clarkshel]

And that is why I LOVE Costco. Their employees are well compensated with excellent benefits. The CEO refuses to take a salary above an x% of the floor employees because he doesn't believe he is that he is that much greater than his employees.

And the customer gets outstanding service from Costco because the employees are happy because they are treated so well. There is not a huge turnover at Costco.

Costco does pay their employees a lot higher than Walmart. I think I read it is like 84% higher at Costco, plus they get benefits. Costco's latest CEO made $650,000 in 2012 an $200,000 in bonuses and $4 million in stock options. But this is still a lot less than other CEO's of their competitors. The founding CEO took a salary of only $325,000.

 

[debknight]

Although I haven't been on a bunch of tours but the few that I've gone with outside the US all have similar tipping guidelines.

My retired aunt and her friends go to the casinos often on those one day bus trips and there is also a guideline to tip the bus driver and guide.

What is a "bus driver" being tipped for? Because he did not get into an accident?!

 

[clarkshel]

What is a "bus driver" being tipped for? Because he did not get into an accident?!

I only tip bus drivers if they handle my luggage. We tipped the Budget Port Canaveral shuttle driver. He was really great and helped us get all our luggage onto and off the bus. I gave him a good tip. But the Budget shuttle driver at the Oahu airport didn't do anything by drive. Didn't help anyone with luggage. I didn't tip him one penny.

 

[ironpig70]

Tipping is out of control!

In WA State, the minimum wage is almost $10 and hour with a raise almost yearly. Waitstaff receive the $10 an hour no exceptions.

A few weeks back we were in BJ's Restaurant and they had a suggested tip amount on the bill. The problem I had with it is, they used the full amount including tax, unless they are paying the Dept of Revenue a tip, I feel that is wrong. (Our restaurant tax rate is almost 10%)

Here is what many people do not understand. The waitstaff is making minimum wage in many places.

Lets say for simple math they wait on 4 tables in 1 hour. Each table is $40 and each person leaves 10%. So that's $4 a table or $16 for all 4.

So $16 in tips and $10 in wages. Really $26 an hour for doing the bare minimum of your job. Most folks tip 15-20%.

 

[jrmasm]

Maybe you didn't read closely. My kids are well-paid. The lowest paid is getting $9.60 an hour for their training period and will rise to $10.25 when they have proven themselves ready.

I put out a tip jar because my kids also try and go above and beyond to be entertaining and give good service, so if someone wants to tip them for that, good for them! And the only way I can see to be fair about it is to have them split tips at the end of their shift - otherwise the ones assigned only to backroom duties that day would not have a chance at any tips that shift. My kids appreciate the tips they get because they know they are for good service only, not because they're paid poorly.

I wouldn't allow that at my business.

 

[declansdad]

To me, any job that typically pays under standard wages and relies on tips to make up the difference, I have no problem tipping and tipping well. I also have no problem tipping somebody who has done me a personal favor, such as helping me set up a washing machine when I am only paying for curbed delivery service.

I am not sure if tour guides are paid a sub-standard wage. I do know that the tour guide has long been considered a tipped position, so I have no problem with it.

Any other job, that pays at least minimum wage, it is the responsibility of the employer to reward good employees, not the customer.

Putting tip jars out tells the customer that tips are expected. The establishment owner has now relieved him/herself of the responsibility of encouraging and rewarding employees for going above and beyond. They are maximizing their profits and now putting the responsibility of rewarding good employees on the customer by asking them to pay more for their product. It is greedy.

The good thing is that it is starting to backfire, as evidenced by this thread. Customers are becoming more and more annoyed at being coerced to pay more for a product. I know many of my friends who are so fed up that they will actively avoid retail establishments that put out tip jars.

To me any job that doesn't pay the regular minimum wage is putting the responsibility on the customer to pay the wages. Pay the minimum and let the customer if they want to tip for the reason tipping was created, a reward.

 

[luvsJack]

Here is what many people do not understand. The waitstaff is making minimum wage in many places.

Lets say for simple math they wait on 4 tables in 1 hour. Each table is $40 and each person leaves 10%. So that's $4 a table or $16 for all 4.

So $16 in tips and $10 in wages. Really $26 an hour for doing the bare minimum of your job. Most folks tip 15-20%.

It may be that way where you live, but not here. They make a portion of minimum wage--a very small portion.

Waitstaff usually does depend on tips to bring there wages to at least minimum

 

[runsandjumps]

Costco does pay their employees a lot higher than Walmart. I think I read it is like 84% higher at Costco, plus they get benefits. Costco's latest CEO made $650,000 in 2012 an $200,000 in bonuses and $4 million in stock options. But this is still a lot less than other CEO's of their competitors. The founding CEO took a salary of only $325,000.

I had a patient tell me she made $10 an hour working for Costco. However she had good benefits so she made it work.

Ana

 

[hereyago]

I don't donate to the tip jar. I have wanted to write a note that says"get some self respect,professionalism, and stop begging", but I have refrained.lol.