Tipping the gas station attendant?

[T. Lynn]

Yeah, I haven't seen a full serve gas pump in this area in about 3 years. All the gas stations had to dig up the old tanks(some EPA thing) to replace them. And rather than do that(too expensive), a lot of little mom and pop stations just closed up. They were the stations that seemed to still be doing full service. Last time we had full service was when we went to Atlantic City.

Ours is at our main grocery store. One part is full service and the other is self service. Gas is the same price no matter which lane you get in

 

[monkey68]

There's a BP around here that is full serve only, and the price is the same as the self serve stations. You can bet I usually only go there. For the same price, I'll let somebody else pump my gas. I've also never tipped, I usually pay by credit card as I don't have that much cash on me, and when you pay credit, there is nowhere to even leave a tip.

 

[dolfinjuls]

I've never tipped the gas station attendant and really have never thought twice about it! I can't remember the last time someone offered to clean my windows either!

 

[DarthKTrava]

It has to do with static electricity. They say you can create a static spark by sliding out of the car and when you touch the pump it ignites. That being said - I wouldn't mind pumping my own gas IF it was cheaper. But you know they are going to charge just as much if you pump your own (at least around here anyway).

Which is why I touch the car before even opening the gas cap.

And as far as the poll goes, there's still full service gas stations? Here, it's pump your own gas.

 

[alliedogsmom]

Lifetime NJ resident here....Gas is cheaper in NJ since we have some major refineries here in the state. I paid $1.81 last week for full service. I hope NJ never makes us pump our own gas! As for tipping, I do tip, but only when it is really ugly outside (raining, snowing, really cold, etc.). About 2 weeks ago, I went for a fill up, and the attendant not only cleaned my front and back windows, but he offered to check my oil, and told me that my one front tire looked like it could use some air. I told him thank you, and as I paid for the gas, he then said to pull over to the air hose and he would take care of it for me. Not only did I tip him, I made it a point to get in touch with his manager to let him know how kind this gentleman was and how he really understood the meaning of full service! The station is a bit out of my way (not the closest one to me), but simply because of that type of customer service I will continue to do business there.

 

[dislainey]

I live in Massachusetts and I have never pumped my own gas. I tend to go to the same gas station and at Xmas I give the gentleman who usually pumps my gas a dunkin donuts gift card. I do NOT tip on a weekly basis.

 

[patsal]

No, I don't tip usually these places are about 5cents higher per gallon. In my area they are paid at least regular minimum wage and would not be taxed on tips. I don't just hand out money, though, so I may be in the minority.

 

[mjkacmom]

That is true about the auto insurance. But, DH comes home everyday to tell me how much lower the gas prices are in Jersey(he works construction). And their prices are consistently 20-30¢ cheaper than they are here. And you don't have to pump it. Drives me nuts. That just shows me how much we are paying in taxes. And obviously that money isn't used to maintain our roads since PA is always voted "Worst Roads in the country".


Yeah, I haven't seen a full serve gas pump in this area in about 3 years. All the gas stations had to dig up the old tanks(some EPA thing) to replace them. And rather than do that(too expensive), a lot of little mom and pop stations just closed up. They were the stations that seemed to still be doing full service. Last time we had full service was when we went to Atlantic City.

You can't be complaining that NJ gets a little break in something! Our sales tax is higher than PA, our income tax goes up to 8%, everyone I know pays a 6 figure property tax bill, and we have the second highest car insurance premiums in the nation! Heck, we deserve to have our gas pumped!

 

[AnnaS]

I do tip most of the time $1 when I fill up - he does not wipe my windshield or anything, just pumps gas.

 

[mom2boys77]

I totally agree. I especially enjoy seeing that stupid tip can at the drive through of Dunkin Donuts. Are they serious?? What would I be tipping for? The garbage service in our town uses those automatic lift things, they never set foot outside of the truck. Why the heck would I tip them?? I think it's really out of control.

I seldom use full-service gas stations, but I've never heard of tipping for that.

But seriously...isn't tipping getting a bit out of hand? I tip waitresses and waiters of course. And I tip baggage handlers (even though the ones at the cruise ship ports make VERY good money, minus their tips). I tip while I'm on a cruise, and I leave a tip for the maid when I'm at a hotel. I tip taxi drivers too, even though most of them are rude. There's probably some more tipping instances I'm forgetting about.

But....I absolutely refuse to tip at fast food type joints where there is a tip jar on the counter. Like excuse me, but I walked up to the counter to order, I'm carrying my food back to the table, and I'm going to deposit my remains in the trash when I'm done. Why should I tip?

There was another thread on here recently where people were talking about tipping the garbage men, and mail person. The garbage men (in most areas) are Teamster Union members, and make excellent money and benefits. The mail person is a government employee, and they get very good pay and benefits.

I'll probably get flamed for my opinion, but that's my 2 cents.

 

[Donnainnj]

You can't be complaining that NJ gets a little break in something! Our sales tax is higher than PA, our income tax goes up to 8%, everyone I know pays a 6 figure property tax bill, and we have the second highest car insurance premiums in the nation! Heck, we deserve to have our gas pumped!

6 figures!!! I hope there is a decimal point in there, or you know some crazy wealthy people.

On the subject, I have tipped a couple of times, but never just for pumping the gas, they had to at least wash the windows, and the windows had to need it.
Donna

 

[janets]

One of the joys of living in NJ is full serve gas stations.

I grew up in NYC and when I got my license my dad did a couple of things...taught me to pump my own gas, check my oil, put air in my tires and call AAA.

When I moved to NJ, I found out that I never had to pump gas again. Also, I never tip. Why would I? I have found that the attendants at the stations I patronize (and I use off brand as well as name brand) are among the surliest, unfriendliest, laziest group of workers in the world. I have a particular station near me that I frequent because the prices are among the lowest around. It has 4 pumps and is a small station. Well, often it's backed up because of the price. There is a single person working there and he makes no attempt at all to work at a decent pace to move the cars out. I have pulled up and sat there until he slooowly makes his way over to me to start the gas. Then I'll sit there done, waiting for him to take my CC, and he'll pass me by to sloooowly make his way over to another car (mind you, I was there first). I finally opened my window the other day and called out "can you please finish me up?" since he was walking my way with someone else's CC in his hand (again, they got there after me) and he just waved the card around, saying "miss, miss" and walked away.

Really, not a single one bothers to clean your windows (and they get really dirty during the winter with all the crap that gets kicked up off the road), I have not had anyone check my oil in YEARS, and I think I could be driving on a flat tire before any of them would comment.

I wish I could find a station with decent service. Even someplace where they would say "thank you" after I pay them. Most of them basically shove my card back at me as they walk away. And when I was paying close to $4/gallon, they could at least have the decency to thank me for my business.

Now, my garbage guys I "tip." They get off the truck every Friday morning to do the trash so last year I made a big batch of incredibly yummy brownies and ran out there on a Friday morning at 6 AM to give them a nice holiday package. They are civil employees and I don't think by law they are supposed to accept monetary tips so I thought brownies would be acceptable.

 

[luvpooh]

Jersey girls don't pump gas!!!

Something I read said that NJ has the 2nd lowest gas prices in the country b/c of the highway taxes offsetting gas costs - I believe we were behind MO, and we would be the lowest if we didn't have strictly full serve.

 

[mjkacmom]

6 figures!!! I hope there is a decimal point in there, or you know some crazy wealthy people.

On the subject, I have tipped a couple of times, but never just for pumping the gas, they had to at least wash the windows, and the windows had to need it.
Donna

Oops, my bad (although I do know people who pay more that $25,000 a year)!

 

[mjkacmom]

Now, my garbage guys I "tip." They get off the truck every Friday morning to do the trash so last year I made a big batch of incredibly yummy brownies and ran out there on a Friday morning at 6 AM to give them a nice holiday package. They are civil employees and I don't think by law they are supposed to accept monetary tips so I thought brownies would be acceptable.

Our guys, too - I learned from my neighbor that they really appreciate a case of beer most of all!

 

[NEDisneyFans]

Why is it illegal to pump your own gas in Jersey?I remember when we took a road trip and hit Jersey and being totally dumbfounded by why was this guy there to pump our gas!!

I don't know about NJ, but in Oregon it was/is to protect jobs.

 

[disneychrista]

I figure that 9 cents is enough of a tip.

That is IF the attendent got that extra 9 cents but they likely don't.

 

[PatsGirl]

I never thought to tip the service attendant until DS worked at a full-service only station two years ago. I knew that he had no $$ and wondered how he had a bunch of cash one Saturday night. He told me those were his tips. Seems he was making anywhere from $15-30/per 8 hour shift pumping gas. I really didn't believe him~! There are only a few gas stations in our area that pump (and he worked at one of them, lol) and they are a few cents cheaper!!! than the self-serve local stations. I now tip the pumper a few dollars with each fill-up, especially in bad weather. Now that it's getting so much colder (it was about 20 here today) and gas is now half the price it was, tipping is easier than ever. I filled up last night for $37 -- two months ago I paid $80! So I tipped the guy $3.

 

[Kathi OD]

We moved from PA about 3 years ago and there is still a full-serve station in our old town. I always bought my gas there as the price was the same as the self-serve station across the street. I never understood why someone would want to pump their own gas if you could get someone to do it for the same price. (same thing w/ the people at the Exxon station this morning who were paying 40 cents more than the people at the WaWa across the street..... )

And, NO, I've never tipped at a gas station.

 

[Kathi OD]

You can't be complaining that NJ gets a little break in something! Our sales tax is higher than PA, our income tax goes up to 8%, everyone I know pays a 6 figure property tax bill, and we have the second highest car insurance premiums in the nation! Heck, we deserve to have our gas pumped!

Geez, I thought my property taxes were high, but where are you living that everyone pays over 100,000 in property taxes???

ETA: Didn't see the correction. Yep, lots of people pay over $25,000. Thank God our taxes aren't quite that high yet.