Tipping Vent...

[canwegosoon]

I do tip:
Christmas Time: (I do not have garbage or newspaper services)
My mailman-He always has packages under my portico...and puts the mail there too. I do a $10 Gift card to DD or MC D(because that's where they all meet every afternoon in our area).I used to do more , but switched to comply with guidelines.

I do tip my DH and 2 DS barber-(she is a family friend and she borrows my vacation house in the summer). She always manages to fit us in...even when I call really last minute.

This year I am tipping my Milkman-I started milk service in the spring. 15 for driver/15 dollars for deliveryman.

I also tip the front end supervisor at my supermarket(BUT-she always gives my children, her own money-despite my protests-usually a dollar each every time my boys are with me-I have gotten it down to about 12-15 times a year...my children are not able to see their grandparents, so I like to think of this as a special relationship) This year my boys made her the "candy wreath" and I usually give her either a $40 gift card to a restaurant or target.


The usual other spots:
Bellservices
Valet
Housekeeping
waitstaff
Hairdresser/barber

I will not tip:
Dunkin Doughnuts
Bruggers Bagles
Subway
etc...There is no need to-if they do not perform at their job, they should be fired. I do not need to supplement their pay by dangling a dollar saying "oh thanks for not screwing up my order"-Please- have some pride in yourself for doing a job well(without having a tip cup out as a way to feel better about yourself). You don't tip the person who checks you out at the supermarket or Target do you?


Off my soap box now too.....

 

[canwegosoon]

I'm curious about this as well. In the past, at holiday time, I have just given my hairdresser twice what I would normally tip for a haircut/style. This year, I will be getting my hair highlighted too, so she will receive a big tip for that appt. anyway. Do I have to double that?? I have also noticed that she occasionally has gifts at her work area during the Christmas season. What do you give your stylist for a holiday gift?? She has been my stylist for about 3 yrs and does a great job, so I surely don't want to offend her!

I would just add what your regular tip is to the coloring tip...color is usually done every 3 months or so. Many people do not tip hairdressers unless they go in the month of December. I tipped my hairdresser extra when she was going to Hawaii(since I knew she could use the cash then)-but now I won't see her until January

 

[wellesleyprincess]

So, I'm one of those people who does actually tip at Starbucks, but that's because my starbucks goes above and beyond. I go in everyday that I have an 8:30 class, and they know my order and will just ask me if I want my usual the minute I walk in the door, and go ahead start it before I even hit the register so I'm never late because of starbucks. Additionally, if I go in right before they close during midterms or exams, a lot of times they send me back with left over pastries for free. So, I do tip at *MY* starbucks, but I wouldn't for just random, normal service.

Also I have a question about tipping a manicurist. I go to get a mani once a month. So my December one will be more than 2 weeks before christmas, so should I tip her for christmas then or send her a card closer to actual christmas?

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

My son was a paper carrier for one year, believe me the pay is low, they work every day and they pay for their own gas, plastic bags, rubber bands and insurance because some one may says he broke some thing.
The only reason he worked as a paper boy was because he was looking for work and it was the only place that hired him right away, and this was better than drawing unemployment.
He worked all year thru the holiday and never expected that he would get a tip from any one, but he did and this was very much welcome and appreciated.

You seldom just throw a paper from a car, and hit a pouch.
Your Motor route is a walking motor route, or at least in our area, You are not aloud to throw papers in the yard.

I too worked as a newspaper carrier for one of my neighbors during the summer one year when I was about 12. You're right it is tough work and I only did it for 3 months.

Thats when we walked door to door and collected the money also, then gave the customer a little ticket as a receipt.

If this was still the case, I would have no problem tipping this hard working kid. Our newspaper is thrown from the car in our driveway every morning. I've seen the guy do it. Plus if its raining, its certainly gets wet and more than once its been ripped and at times sections missing. Not tipping for that.

 

[kaytieeldr]

USPS paid well in the 1970s and 1980s. Because of that, most people are under the delusion that they still do.

I do not blame anyone for not tipping a letter carrier that simply does not care about his/her route. I know many times people can't help but focus on the mistakes letter carrier's make and rightly so, mail is very important. The trouble is, people have no idea how many times misaddressed letters make it into their mail box because your letter carrier/post office did care. I am not talking about junk mail, I am talking about old Aunt Hattie that can't quite get your address right (or even close). She sends a birthday card with $20 in cash with a barely legible and incorrect address, and some how, miraculously, it ends up in your mail box.

One year, I order Star Wars checks for my brother for Christmas.

The package was addressed:
- my first name, misspelled
- the wrong street number (but strangely enough the name spelled right), no apartment number
- my city

That was IT. My carrier was able to deliver them. Oh, yeah he got a tip! Funny thing - I haven't seen him much all year. Now, all of a sudden, he's back to delivering here late - after many tenants get home... No, I know why he does it - 450+ apartments, and he's indoors in the light.

 

[Friendly Frog]

I didn't read all of posts so I am not sure if this has been mentioned...What about the amount you tip servers? I am older, so I remember when it was considered a good tip if you gave 15%. How did tip standards get from 15% to 20%? Don't say inflation because the food prices have gone up, so that covered the inflation. Just more food for thought.

I "gift" the mail person at Christmas mostly because I don't want my bank statements going someplace they shouldn't. I seldom tip for "tip jars" unless it is someplace I frequent often and have a good reason to.

 

[JoiseyMom]

ooh this post just made me think of a similar situation we had on our last cruise.

we pull into port canaveral and before the car even comes to a complete stop, a porter opens the trunk/hatch (suv) and starts pulling out everything that was back there, including an umbrella and a large tivo box (why we'd be taking an open tivo box on a cruise is beyond me ), and loading on to a cart. i also need to mention that every time he took a peice of luggage out, he didn't lift it but instead let it roll and bang right over the bumper of the car. every. single. time., which was lovely. ok i'm trying to not start off the vacation annoyed, so i quickly get out and nicely ask him to hold on, that we're only taking the 3 peices of luggage, none of the other things he took out.

so he gives me an annoyed face, probably because theres other cars pulling up that he could be gracing with his presence, and tosses the other items back into the trunk. so i, still nicely, tell him thanks and to hold on one sec. i get back in the car to grab his tip and i swear as i turned to get back out of the car he was rightthere, in between the slightly opened door and me. now first i should say that during this time, everyone else had already went inside the terminal, so i was alone there and second i told him i would be right back, (and since i went into the passenger side, it wasn't like i was going to drive off without tipping him).

so i was pretty taken aback by that to begin with when he then starts with this creepy monotone of, "ok all done, i've loaded all your luggage for you and will make sure it gets to your room right away, i'm going to take care of everything, on behalf of disney cruise line (he was wearing a dcl hat, even though the porters aren't employed by disney) i'll make sure everything goes smoothly" and he said this like 3 times and actually puts his arms on the door and hood of the car so hes like completely blocking me, so now i'm even more uncomfortable and instead of giving him the singles I had taken out in preparation for this, I take out a 10 figuring it'll keep him happy and keep my luggage out of the atlantic.

he THEN says, "c'mon make it 20, driving a car like this and going on a disney cruise you can afford it" so i grabbed two 10s and gave it to him, and he backs up and goes "thanks a lot have a good cruise"

just thinking back on it makes me sick but i truly felt that if i didn't tip him 20 dollars, or if i tried to get the attention of another porter or someone, that something would happen to my luggage. it was just such a horrible experience and something we've never gone through on over 10 dcl cruises. i mean i have no problem tipping, and we usually tip well (we always tip least 20% when we eat out, and more if the service is good etc.) but i just felt this was like extortion and it left a really bad taste in my mouth. next time i'll have the doors locked before we pull up to the terminal.

ok thread hijack over haha

Wow, sorry this happened to you. If someone pulled that on me, I would have taken the 10.00 back and insisted on speaking to his supervisor, and making sure that my luggage got on the ship ok. This person should not be doing the job he is.

 

[Jordans_Mommie]

I didn't read all of posts so I am not sure if this has been mentioned...What about the amount you tip servers? I am older, so I remember when it was considered a good tip if you gave 15%. How did tip standards get from 15% to 20%? Don't say inflation because the food prices have gone up, so that covered the inflation. Just more food for thought.

I "gift" the mail person at Christmas mostly because I don't want my bank statements going someplace they shouldn't. I seldom tip for "tip jars" unless it is someplace I frequent often and have a good reason to.

I wondered about this too. I recently dined at a pretty upscale restaurant and was a little surprised to see a handwritten note on the bill from the server. It read "please include 20% gratuity for your service". I was quite taken aback by this. She was pretty good, so I would've tipped 20% anyway, but her little note was a little over the top for me.

I still left the 20% though

 

[aclov]

I went to a couple of candy shops yesterday, and was surprised to see tip jars. And more surprising to me was all the dollar bills in there!

I know our local ice cream shop does have a tip jar which I usually put in change or a buck.

 

[tinkerone]

I wondered about this too. I recently dined at a pretty upscale restaurant and was a little surprised to see a handwritten note on the bill from the server. It read "please include 20% gratuity for your service". I was quite taken aback by this. She was pretty good, so I would've tipped 20% anyway, but her little note was a little over the top for me.

I still left the 20% though

i'm afraid i'm of a mean nature. if i would have got that note i would have put my own memo on it 'not now' and left.
i know some are going to be pissed i said this but that is going to far and i will not be bullied into doing what i would have done anyway. just me.