New rules for end of the year tipping

[4HppyCamprs]

Respectfully, it appears while getting the humor in pearlieq's response, you missed the content.. "Tip" is not an acronym of anything. How can it be? How can anything given AFTER service was provided/completed possibly.be designated or presumed 'to ensure prompt/proper service'?

While you are probably correct this not the true acronym for Tips it has been around at least 30 years since I have been hearing it most of my life (32 years ) having lived in all states on the west coast and currently in the midwest it appears that this acronym is a widely spread belief so while not written in stone it is culturally accepted

Also again...Insuring proper service would only apply in establishments that are frequently visited such as a hair salon, garbage delivery, local restaurant, paper delivery. Obviously it would not work in situations where you never see the people again.

Tips in general do not motivate people to work better because they have no way of knowing as they are serving you whether you will be good tipper or a poor tipper. Also some people may have a "off" day but in general a persons work ethic is what it is. There is a waitress who works with my MIL who complains frequently that she does not make great tips. Well because of that she takes more tables than she can handle and therefore provides less service so the tips are still poor and yet she cannot seem to make the connection between her poor service and her poor tips....


Also in regards to servers wages do differ regionally..California, Oregon and Washington State servers make minimum wage plus tips. In 1995 as a junior in high school I made 7.00 a hour (above minimum wage because of raises) plus tips. Local servers in Indiana made/make 2.25 a hour and are expected to make up the hourly wage in tips.



ETA: I was not responding to Pearlieque I was responding to the article as I had read it for myself and had been discussing it with my husband earlier in the day and we had in fact been laughing over the writers use of the word Ensure instead of the commonly accepted Insure. Again it is a commonly accepted acronym among many even if not the "true" origin of the word.

 

[JoiseyMom]

Whatever happened to some one just doing their job? That's what they're paid to do.

If people get "tipped" all this money, then what's the point of them having a salary? Seems like their paychecks are a drop in the bucket compared to the tips they earn. Servers are the only exception for me, I do tip them based on service.

And I mean it's nice an all to give people who are friendly, nice, and provide outstanding service to you a small gift or token of appreciation around the holidays.

Glad I'm not the only one that feels this way!!! Other than people that are paid because they get tips do I tip. I'm sorry, but paying $20 for someone to cut my hair for 15 min is crazy enough... that's $80 an hour! (Okay, I did find a better person, great prices and I do tip some each time). I could not afford to do anything if I had to tip everyone. And yeah, we don't do a lot of the things on the list so no need to worry about door men or cleaning people. I just wish more people had the attitude that they do their job for their pay and not expecting tips....

ITA!! I tip wait staff, take out delivery (not what I would I give in the restauratn), and I do tip the guys that deliver and put together my furniture. I also tip when I get a hair cut and my nails. I do not however give them holiday tips or gifts. I give my nail person enough of a tip when he does my nails...I am sure he makes more money then I do!

BTW...I HATE tip jars, and won't put my change into them.

 

[rubato]

Respectfully, it appears while getting the humor in pearlieq's response, you missed the content.. "Tip" is not an acronym of anything. How can it be? How can anything given AFTER service was provided/completed possibly.be designated or presumed 'to ensure prompt/proper service'?

The start of tipping, back in the day, was to put the tip out before the service. Over the years, it has changed and been added to.



I still don't understand why people are getting so riled up. Tip if you want, don't if you don't want to. No one said you had to tip.

 

[pixiewings71]

I agree with a PP that was talking about regional differences (and international ones); I think Canada tipping is quite different than in the U.S., and there seems to be a large range in the U.S. as well. Tipping of waitstaff seems to be very similar though. I tip my hairdresser at my appointment time (same with mani and pedi) - I do not go and hunt them down at Christmas.

One thing I always wondered...WHY don't we tip full-service gas station attendants? I have to tell you, I DO. Most of the year here the weather is miserable, cold, or even freezing, and those people are OUTSIDE freezing their bums off to pump my gas so I don't have to get out of my nice warm car. A waitress serves food in a nice warm restaurant and automatically expects 20%?? I don't tip that much to the gas guys, just a dollar or two when I get a fill in yucky weather - I think that is a tipping tradition that should get started! BTW, full-service and self-service gas prices are exactly the same here, so I would rather go to a full-service and support someone having a job, than pump my own for the same price.

We don't have full service gas station attendants here but when I was in Oregon over the summer and had to get gas I did tip the guy who filled my tank, just a few dollars but it was a Thank You. I actually paid less for gas in OR then I do here at home so even with the tip I spent less then I normally do, it was dark, cold and late at night so ya, I tipped the guy.

Respectfully, it appears while getting the humor in pearlieq's response, you missed the content.. "Tip" is not an acronym of anything. How can it be? How can anything given AFTER service was provided/completed possibly.be designated or presumed 'to ensure prompt/proper service'?

I'm 39, all my life I've been told that TIPS stands for "To Insure Prompt Service" so yes IMO it is an acronym of that. My parents and grandparents taught me that, I teach my kids that too. Of course it's not a "real" acronym but it's very widely used to it is culturally accepted everywhere I've ever been. We tip based on a lot of things, promptness of our server greeting us after we've been seated, promptness of offering refills, taking our orders, bringing our food to the table, there are a lot of chances for a server to be prompt thus bringing the tiP total up. Of course we also tip based on our servers pleasantness, willingness to help us and again promptness in serving us.

The start of tipping, back in the day, was to put the tip out before the service. Over the years, it has changed and been added to.



I still don't understand why people are getting so riled up. Tip if you want, don't if you don't want to. No one said you had to tip.

The article posted states "rules" for tipping, not guidelines. That's why people are getting "riled up", I'm not, I'm just sharing my thoughts on the matter and I really don't think many others are either but I would imagine that's why people are getting annoyed. IMO many of the people in the article don't qualify for tips, and as C.Ann stated with me out of work I don't need the additional guilt placed on my shoulders because I can't tip extra for the holidays.

 

[Took]

We don't have full service gas station attendants here but when I was in Oregon over the summer and had to get gas I did tip the guy who filled my tank, just a few dollars but it was a Thank You. I actually paid less for gas in OR then I do here at home so even with the tip I spent less then I normally do, it was dark, cold and late at night so ya, I tipped the guy.



I'm 39, all my life I've been told that TIPS stands for "To Insure Prompt Service" so yes IMO it is an acronym of that. My parents and grandparents taught me that, I teach my kids that too. Of course it's not a "real" acronym but it's very widely used to it is culturally accepted everywhere I've ever been. We tip based on a lot of things, promptness of our server greeting us after we've been seated, promptness of offering refills, taking our orders, bringing our food to the table, there are a lot of chances for a server to be prompt thus bringing the tiP total up. Of course we also tip based on our servers pleasantness, willingness to help us and again promptness in serving us.



The article posted states "rules" for tipping, not guidelines. That's why people are getting "riled up", I'm not, I'm just sharing my thoughts on the matter and I really don't think many others are either but I would imagine that's why people are getting annoyed. IMO many of the people in the article don't qualify for tips, and as C.Ann stated with me out of work I don't need the additional guilt placed on my shoulders because I can't tip extra for the holidays.

Okay, as an English teacher, the "insure" thing bugs me. As another poster noted, "insure" is the wrong word. "Ensure" would be the correct word.

As to the topic at hand, I tip a few regular service workers very well throughout the year (25% or more at the salon, as I KNOW what BoRics pays her and it's crappy). I don't give extra tips at Xmas (never thought about it) but I might this year. I have a good job. Many of them are part-time workers and make very little although my service from most is very good.

 

[C.Ann]

BTW...I HATE tip jars, and won't put my change into them.

These annoy me more than anything else.. The majority of the places where you see these tip jars never, ever had them before.. It's almost like they said, "Well everyone else is doing it, why shouldn't we?" If I go into Dunkin' Donuts or someplace similar for a cup of coffee, I am not going to tip someone to pour it - when they are already making minimum wage or above..

In a restaurant - where I'm going to sit down and take up space - yes.. But not when I'm going to take my coffee, turn around, and go right back out of the door.. These places didn't have tip jars before - why do they need them now?

IMO many of the people in the article don't qualify for tips, and as C.Ann stated with me out of work I don't need the additional guilt placed on my shoulders because I can't tip extra for the holidays.

Exactly..

Nothing for you to feel guilty about - and I hope you find a job real soon..

 

[pigletof4]

I have delivered newspapers for about eight years now. I am an independent contractor. I get paid .10/per daily paper and .40/per Sunday paper. Not alot of money after I pay for bags, rubber bands and gas.

At Christmastime, I have always given a holiday card to my customers to thank them for their business throughout the year. I don't include an envelope or my telephone number demanding a tip. I don't expect the tips, but I do get tips and not everyone on my route tips. I am ok with that. I have gotten everything from a box of candy, cash, giftcards and even a couple of bottles of wine. It's just the thought that counts that I am doing an excellent job delivering their newpaper.

 

[SandrA9810]

When I worked at Qdoba, we had a tip jar next to the register. And the receipts over 25$ did print out with a tip line, but we couldn't change the total after the transaction processed, so it was a moot point.

During a lunch rush, any customer that came into the store would see every one working, and every one would be helping to prepare that person's meal. So all tips were divided evenly.
For the most part, the tippers were the ones to have a large order (the one lucky guy to pick up lunch for the whole office with ten orders and ten different CC), or the regulars who ordered the same thing every time, and we'd have their meal ready by the time they walked to the register.

It wasn't expected, but it was nice to receive it. And it does go along the lines of "to insure prompt service", because they knew as a regular, they'd have some one greet them by name, prepare their meal without saying anything, and usually wind up with a few extra chips or a little extra salsa and cheese.

 

[pixiewings71]

Okay, as an English teacher, the "insure" thing bugs me. As another poster noted, "insure" is the wrong word. "Ensure" would be the correct word.

As to the topic at hand, I tip a few regular service workers very well throughout the year (25% or more at the salon, as I KNOW what BoRics pays her and it's crappy). I don't give extra tips at Xmas (never thought about it) but I might this year. I have a good job. Many of them are part-time workers and make very little although my service from most is very good.

I am aware it's not "insure" but rather "ensure" however as I stated this is how it was always explained to me growing up. It was an easy way for my parents and grandparents to explain it to a child. When I tell my kids about it I point out the "in" and "en" difference to make sure they know I'm using the wrong word but the right context. We joke about how much "teps" our servers will get, joke as in making of the of the fact that it should be "teps" instead of "tips" to get the correct meaning of the acronym. We don't joke about how much we will give them.

These annoy me more than anything else.. The majority of the places where you see these tip jars never, ever had them before.. It's almost like they said, "Well everyone else is doing it, why shouldn't we?" If I go into Dunkin' Donuts or someplace similar for a cup of coffee, I am not going to tip someone to pour it - when they are already making minimum wage or above..

In a restaurant - where I'm going to sit down and take up space - yes.. But not when I'm going to take my coffee, turn around, and go right back out of the door.. These places didn't have tip jars before - why do they need them now?




Exactly..

Nothing for you to feel guilty about - and I hope you find a job real soon..

Thanks C.Ann, I hope I do too.

 

[kirstenb1]

I usually get my hair cut at some point in December, so I just double my usual tip and consider that a Christmas tip. Our trash collectors are private contractors out here in the country, so I give them $20 each the week of Christmas. Basically it's a guy with his truck and a helper, so I know they're not getting paid with benefits, etc. Same thing with the newspaper carrier, $20. Our mail carrier, I usually give some type of gift (I'd heard they couldn't accept cash).

Along with teacher/bus driver/aide gifts, it's just something that's always been a part of our budget, so no big surprises.

 

[kaytieeldr]

The start of tipping, back in the day, was to put the tip out before the service. Over the years, it has changed and been added to.



I still don't understand why people are getting so riled up. Tip if you want, don't if you don't want to. No one said you had to tip.

Nobody got riled up when Emily Post rules of etiquette, or Miss Manners, or Peggy Post, or Letitia Baldridge... but let some upstart reporter take a single subtopic and include that word - and duck!

Once again - accept the advice or ignore it. Nobody's coming after you if you don't give your hairdresser a tip. But again, don't use "she must make a fortune!" as your excuse not to give a Christmas gift to someone who provides you great service and who you probably see more than some relatives to whom you do give gifts.

 

[Alexander]

The only extra tipping we do for the holidays is for our mail lady. She delivers so many packages to our house in Nov./Dec.! She will pull up the driveway and leave the packages in the bin on our back porch. Then she writes us a note and attaches it to the mail in our mailbox at the end of the driveway! That is service above and beyond! She could just stick a note in the mailbox and we'd have to go to the post office to get our boxes. We usually leave her a Christmas card with some cash and a gift card.

 

[Disneylush]

newspaper guy puts a x-mas card in the newspaper with his name and a return envelope with his address. Along with feel free to send cash or check[/QUOTE]

I just finished stuffing my husbands 220 holiday cards with our address but no envelope. This is our first year of the newspaper route. I had no idea there was such a thing but the newspaper prints the cards and expects you will add them to your Sunday papers.

We do not make much at all by doing the route, my husband does it from 1:30-6:00am. So far we have only had one broken rib from an ice fall. Plus he does go around to the back door for a lot of people and even rings the bell and hands the paper to many who have asked for it.

We aren't expecting anything but it would be nice.... maybe it would pay the medical bill hahaha

 

[chimo2u]

as they say, different strokes for different folks. some poeple care more about their hair, caure more about getting better service and care more about getting the extra mile. i'm a hairstylist, believe me we remember who gives the extra tips for the holidays. i will go the extra mile to fit them in when they want , or even give them a free treatmeant after, or a little extra something. you know, what goes around comes around. i know a tip is a choice, i give good service no matter what, but if someone gives me a big tip or and extra holiday tip, believe me they will be getting more then good service.
and im sorry for people who think that we hair stylists are only worth out salary, where i work we gt paid min. wage plus commission ... aboout 100-150 every two weeks...
no health benifits, no retirement , no benifits. i work hard to please people and i can only hope they appreciate it.

I'm sorry, but this so bothers me about hairdressers. I always feel obligated, like they are hanging over the pin pad to see how much we leave for a tip. I hate it. When I get my hair cut, just for a cut, it costs me $$$55.00!!! and that's just for a haircut!!! Last night, I left her $5.00 extra, because I thought, hey..... $5.00 in her pocket on top of what she's getting from the cut.... that's pretty nice. I would love people to give me $5.00 every 20 minutes or so for the care and attention I give to them!!! In any event, I felt a little cheap leaving the $5.00 and I went next door and bought her a $20.00 Starbucks card to thank her for the care and attention she has given me over the year. I felt better after that holiday gift......but I still feel that tipping at the Salon is so stressful.

 

[hoosiergirl7]

Customers who think $20 for a fifteen minute haircut means the stylist gets $80 an hour and don't need to be tipped really should investigate further. Probably half or more of each cut goes for chair rental, more goes to supplies, taxes, etc. These people make you look GOOD. Sometimes they attempt/achieve the impossible (come in looking like Ugly Betty, leave looking like Catherine Zeta-Jones). Not every cut takes just fifteen minutes; the chair isn't constantly full.

My stylist became a single mom last year after she got a divorce. I pay a lot for my cut, color and low lights. It takes her easily 90 minutes or more to do her magic. I tip 20% every time because I know that more than 50% of that goes to pay for the supplies she uses to color it and the salon owner to pay rent and his staff of receptionists & shampoo girls. Today I gave her an extra $10 on top of her regular tip as a holiday bonus. She always does a good job and goes out of her way to take care of me. I probably should've given her more.

 

[wtrmlnlabs]

Customers who think $20 for a fifteen minute haircut means the stylist gets $80 an hour and don't need to be tipped really should investigate further. Probably half or more of each cut goes for chair rental, more goes to supplies, taxes, etc. These people make you look GOOD. Sometimes they attempt/achieve the impossible (come in looking like Ugly Betty, leave looking like Catherine Zeta-Jones). Not every cut takes just fifteen minutes; the chair isn't constantly full.

Nope, not when it's in her home! I understand expenses that go into a business, we're slowly buying FIL's business, I know. And I know that she doesn't get 4 people per hour or everyone doesn't take 15 min, but hair cuts should be a bit more according to what is done than X amount per person. Obviously if I'm there 15 min she's not doing much to "make me look good" she's trimming my ends, if I could contort myself to do it I'd be able to do that at home! (I'm not coordinated enough to cut my own hair, I could trim others but not mine).

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Nope, not when it's in her home! I understand expenses that go into a business, we're slowly buying FIL's business, I know. And I know that she doesn't get 4 people per hour or everyone doesn't take 15 min, but hair cuts should be a bit more according to what is done than X amount per person. Obviously if I'm there 15 min she's not doing much to "make me look good" she's trimming my ends, if I could contort myself to do it I'd be able to do that at home! (I'm not coordinated enough to cut my own hair, I could trim others but not mine).

One more thing you're 'buying' when you go to a salon over a person's house - insurance. Probably, if you go to a person's house, and it turns out horrible - they would redo it, just as the salon would...but I've alwasy felt that goig to a salon gives you some extra protection in case somethign goes wrong. Maybe hairstyling is not the best example.

Petsitting is an example of a prfession where the value of insurance is important.

 

[tleeiii]

I'm sorry, but this so bothers me about hairdressers. I always feel obligated, like they are hanging over the pin pad to see how much we leave for a tip. I hate it. When I get my hair cut, just for a cut, it costs me $$$55.00!!! and that's just for a haircut!!! Last night, I left her $5.00 extra, because I thought, hey..... $5.00 in her pocket on top of what she's getting from the cut.... that's pretty nice. I would love people to give me $5.00 every 20 minutes or so for the care and attention I give to them!!! In any event, I felt a little cheap leaving the $5.00 and I went next door and bought her a $20.00 Starbucks card to thank her for the care and attention she has given me over the year. I felt better after that holiday gift......but I still feel that tipping at the Salon is so stressful.

It's different for everyone, but in my salon there is no one doing a 20 minute 55 dollar haircut, 3 times an hour. I work in a very busy salon , and if your cut is 30 minutes, it's just a cut, and in that case 5 dollars is fine. If your comming in every three months to get a haircut i don't really see it as someone who would give a holiday tip, it was nice that you did though. I'm talking about people who come in every week to get their hair styled, every month for a color cut and style, and every 2-3 months for highlights. I wasn't trying to make people feel like they had to give more, and i honestly feel like what you gave her was really nice, and if she didn't even appreciate the 5 dollars i wouldn not have given her anything more.

 

[chimo2u]

It's different for everyone, but in my salon there is no one doing a 20 minute 55 dollar haircut, 3 times an hour. I work in a very busy salon , and if your cut is 30 minutes, it's just a cut, and in that case 5 dollars is fine. If your comming in every three months to get a haircut i don't really see it as someone who would give a holiday tip, it was nice that you did though. I'm talking about people who come in every week to get their hair styled, every month for a color cut and style, and every 2-3 months for highlights. I wasn't trying to make people feel like they had to give more, and i honestly feel like what you gave her was really nice, and if she didn't even appreciate the 5 dollars i wouldn not have given her anything more.

Thank you tleeiii I just go to my salon once every 6-8 weeks for a cut. My boys go every 6 weeks or so too, and it's $80.00 for 2 teen haircuts. They do a good job though, so I pay the price I just find they are so expensive already.....and I give my tip out of sincere gratitude for a job well done! I feel better that I gave her a holiday thank you as well!

 

[TandLMommy28]

I didnt realize the garbage man is also should be included. Ours doesnt get off the truck. He had one of those mechanical arms on the truck-lol! I still dont tip everyone just the food servers, stylist, porters. I'd be broke tipping everyone on the tip list.

Do you still have to tip the garbage man if you have to pay for private garbage service? I live in the country so it's not just city garbage pick up. We have to choose and hire our own garbage pick up and they charge enough... and like you, ours doesn't get out of the truck. If he has to get out of the truck for an item that doesn't fit in our container, we get a $25 charge on our bill!!!!