Does everyone really tip housekeeping?

[steven_&_daniel]

Maybe it's a regional thing, but there are many people who have never heard of tipping housekeeping. Whether doing so is right or wrong won't change that fact. Short of a national ad campaign telling people to tip housekeeping, there will continue to be many people who have never heard of doing this. (apparently, some housekeepers included)

For some people, tipping housekeeping is something they have always known. So they have a difficult time understanding the mindset of those who have not. Imagine if you suddenly found out that many people have been tipping their child's teachers every week. I'm not talking about a holiday gift, I'm talking about a cash tip on a regular basis. Certainly educating your child is a worthy consideration. You haven't even been tipping the school bus driver who delivers your child safely each day?!? Others are shocked that you have not been doing this and consider you to be cheap and inconsiderate. Would you immediately start tipping the teachers and school bus drivers, or would it take you a while to adjust to the concept?

 

[NickieMouse MO]

As an AirForce family we move every 12 to 18 months. So far we've lived in 8 different states. And NO, I had never heard of tipping housekeeping.

However, people in the south don't necessarily have Midwest Friday Night Fishfries. People from the North don't understand what roping at a rodeo looks like. (and as for grits...) Do you know that waitresses in some states make less than $2/ hr. and depend on tips? While in Washington State, they are paid the full amount of minimum wage and receive tips in addition to that. Do you tip the grocery boy bagging your food? Some states do!

Seems to me that tipping, like many other actions, is rooted in the culture of a region.

 

[Eeyore's My Favorite]

We always tip on the last day of our stay in a hotel. In the past both at WDW and other hotels it never made any difference in the type of housekeeping we got when we tipped daily, so we cut back to just at the end of the trip. JMHO....

 

[NHTikiBeckie]

I don't really know what constitutes a tipped vs. a non-tipped position, but tipping is traditional (not mandatory) in all areas of hospitality and tourism so I don't know why housekeeping should be any different.

I imagine the people who don't tip housekeeping don't tip other positions either, on the basis that everyone in the service industry is already getting paid for doing their job.

Do you tip the clerk when you check in? The travel agent? Doubt it.

To say that people who do not tip housekeeping probably do not tip other people is ridiculous. I tip people who go above and beyond, and always tip the ME driver, bell services and waitstaff. Sorry, but tipping housekeeping is NOT mandatory and most people do not do it. Take a poll of NON Disney people and you'll figure that out.

 

[karylrocks]

I tip people who go above and beyond, and always tip the ME driver, bell services and waitstaff. Sorry, but tipping housekeeping is NOT mandatory and most people do not do it. Take a poll of NON Disney people and you'll figure that out.

Interesting comment. Tipping any of these people is not mandatory, so I wonder what causes a person to decide to tip any one of these and not another? Maybe because we see these other people face-to-face, but the housekeeper comes and goes when we aren't there? Just a thought.

 

[Mrs. Bee]

Now I'm highly interested in which parts of the country typically tip housekeeping and which don't. It's an intriguing topic.

Feel free to post if you tip or don't tip housekeeping. And which state you're from. I'm curious to see if there is any type of trend.

Iowa - I do not tip housekeeping.
My husband is orginally from California and he doesn't either.

 

[JPN4265]

Tip if you want to or feel the need. Housekeeping is a salaried position, and tipping is not expected. Don't hate me because I am cheap.....

 

[Buzz2001]

In the past, I tipped at the end of my stay but once I started visiting WDW, I started to tip at all hotels each day.

 

[Sleepy]

Many years ago I worked in housekeeping. I made well over minimum wage! I don't think I should get paid a tip to make up for a wage I am already making. My job was to clean the rooms. I cleaned the same whether tip or not and we rarely got a tip. Tips are for people who do not make minimum wage. That simple for me.

I make my own beds, straighten my room and take dirty towels and trash to the housekeeper in the hall and ask for new liner and towels. That is my tip. She gets to skip my room.

 

[lilyv]

I always tip housekeeping. I don't do it expecting any "perks". For me, it's a nice opportunity to give back a little pixie dust.

 

[boomhauer]

Honestly, until I read about it on the DIS, I had had never heard of tipping housekeeping. I have nothing against it, and do it now (though certainly not $5-$10 per night). I think tipping is starting to get a bit out of hand. I think there is so much pressure on people to tip that they feel if they don't, they're doing a bad thing. Between valet parking (which sometimes isn't even a choice), restaurants, bellhops, housekeeping, tipping can send a vacation budget way over.

Getting back to the original topic, if you tip housekeeping, awesome. But I certainly don't think those who don't should feel guilty about it.

 

[boomhauer]

Many years ago I worked in housekeeping. I made well over minimum wage! I don't think I should get paid a tip to make up for a wage I am already making. My job was to clean the rooms. I cleaned the same whether tip or not and we rarely got a tip. Tips are for people who do not make minimum wage. That simple for me.

I make my own beds, straighten my room and take dirty towels and trash to the housekeeper in the hall and ask for new liner and towels. That is my tip. She gets to skip my room.

Thanks for posting that. I'd be curious to hear if it's still the same or if all hotel companies do this.

 

[boomhauer]

Interesting comment. Tipping any of these people is not mandatory, so I wonder what causes a person to decide to tip any one of these and not another? Maybe because we see these other people face-to-face, but the housekeeper comes and goes when we aren't there? Just a thought.

Excellent point, and probably true. As a society, I think many of us are feeling guilted into tipping everybody we come into contact with. I don't use ME, but I know f I did, I'd feel obligated to tip him even though I don't think they've done anything special.

 

[Rustysmom]

Until I came here, I never heard of NOT tipping the housekeepers. Maybe it's because at any other hotel, they leave little envelopes out for that purpose.

 

[dhcoffey]

Until I came here, I never heard of NOT tipping the housekeepers. Maybe it's because at any other hotel, they leave little envelopes out for that purpose.

I've never seen tip envelopes at any hotel I've stayed at .

Heather

 

[lilyv]

Excellent point, and probably true. As a society, I think many of us are feeling guilted into tipping everybody we come into contact with. I don't use ME, but I know f I did, I'd feel obligated to tip him even though I don't think they've done anything special.

I think tipping (outside of meals) is generally optional. If it's not something one wishes to do, then don't. I don't tip bus drivers at Disney, but I usually say thanks. I don't do valet parking, ever at Disney. Doesn't bother me to walk. (That said, Boomhauer, I seem to remember you have little ones, incl. twins. In that situation, parking close-by would likely be important.)

I think people should do what they are comfortable with, and leave it at that.

 

[Strikan]

I am originally from the UK and moved to the US about 13 years ago. One of the things I was very careful about when I moved here was to make sure that I was tipping the appropriate amount in the right circumstances as tipping expectations are very different in the UK. However, I must admit that I certainly never heard about tipping housekeeping until I came to these boards. Maybe it's a New York City thing, but I do not think it is common practice to tip housekeeping in NYC hotels for example.

The other thing that confuses me a little is that I think it may also depend on the type of hotel. While I could imagine someone wanting to tip housekeeping in a moderate or budget resort, I find it really weird to think that you should tip housekeeping if you are staying at a deluxe resort. One of the main reasons why people pay up to $500 per night (or even more) to stay in a deluxe resort is for the high level of service. One of the most important services offerred to you at any hotel is housekeeping and so I tend to view the cost of that service as part of the room rate. It just seems a little strange to stay at somewhere like the Grand Floridian and pay top dollar for great service and then leave a tip for housekeeping on top of that.

Of course, having seen everyone's reactions to this thread, I am now very concerned that I have been blindly going along not tipping housekeeping on my stays at GF and AKL and the housekeepoing staff think I am a total cheapskate. Hmmm.....I think I may need to adjust my behavior in future.

 

[boomhauer]

Of course, having seen everyone's reactions to this thread, I am now very concerned that I have been blindly going along not tipping housekeeping on my stays at GF and AKL and the housekeepoing staff think I am a total cheapskate. Hmmm.....I think I may need to adjust my behavior in future.

At over $300 a night, I wouldn't feel bad about it. You've paid enough.

 

[boomhauer]

I think tipping (outside of meals) is generally optional. If it's not something one wishes to do, then don't. I don't tip bus drivers at Disney, but I usually say thanks. I don't do valet parking, ever at Disney. Doesn't bother me to walk. (That said, Boomhauer, I seem to remember you have little ones, incl. twins. In that situation, parking close-by would likely be important.)

I think people should do what they are comfortable with, and leave it at that.

Yes, we have a 7 year old and twin 9 month olds. Absolutely, if we valet park we tip.

I had posted this on another thread a couple weeks back. I stayed at a Westin hotel last month for a few nights. I arrived and you HAD to valet park your car - Tip. Also, it was $22 a night for parking (it was in the city.) A bellhop outside the hotel carried my suitcase about 50 feel to the front desk - Tip. Checked in, and another bellhop carried my suitcase up to my room - Smallest bill I had were 5's. I had already dropped $10 just to get to the front desk. I purposely avoided being in the room when my suitcase was delivered just so I wouldn't have to tip another $5. It was the principle of the thing. I'm not so wealthy that I can spend $15 in 8 minutes just to do something that I could (and would) have done by myself if they would have let me.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Here is what I consider to be a funny story.

My daughter is a very busy woman and as a result I do not see or talk to her often. She called me up last week and I mentioned that I was wore out and she proceeded to lecture me that it was because of all the things I insisted on doing. Out of all the the small things that I do she chose to pounce on my making decorated envelopes to give the housekeeping staff at DW.

I listened nicely, smiling all the while. It only takes maybe ten minutes of my time to make those envelopes and they seem to make my Mousekeepers so happy that I feel they are well worth the bit of extra effort.

I am guessing that the houre I spend driving my sil back and forth, picking up the grandkids, taking care of them etc. are NOT too hard on me.

I like making the envelopes. The Mousekeeper sometimes says "Thank you!"

Slightly Goofy