Tired of Tipping

[dansamy]

I think the "who should we tip" debate is getting a little off track. Teachers, police, nurses, doctors are salaried employees not in a tipping based industry. (Although I feel teachers/police deserve higher salaries).

I agree that teachers and LEOs are underpaid. However, nurses aren't highly paid either. In some areas, they are even very underpaid. I'm a nurse in a hospital & I'm not severely underpaid, but I'm not highly paid either.

I could move, travel or work strikes & make a six figure income, but that's not conducive to my family's lifestyle right now. That's my choice. Just like others choose their employment based on their skill set & lifestyle needs.

 

[WheelCEO]

You say this as if $25/hour is a bad thing? I wish I was making $25/hour making the highest hourly wage at my work.

$25 in tips + $3/hr

My wife handles the $150,000+ that her work takes in every day. She only works 4 hours, so I guess the revenue would be $43,000 for the time she is there. At the end of the day, she has $43 in her pocket, yes $43, less than 0.1% of the take. I wish we all could make a percentage of the take rather than a wage.

Is your wife making $2.25/hr? Yes this is what servers were being paid at the time that my friend worked there. Doesn't sound like your wife is in an industry where TIPS are the PRIMARY income source for the employee, or am I mistaken? Listen, I would careless what you tip and I could careless what the server takes home each night.. I'm just sharing my experience. I own two successful companies and I make sure to tip well according to the service I receive.

With everyone talking about a tipping %, my statement was a mere example of how bad people tip. If she had $2000 in sales and every guest tipped on average 10%, she should have made $200 for the night. There are some pretty horrible servers out there, I seem to always find them, but people look past the full job of a server. I've never been a server, I wouldn't take the job if you paid me $50/hr. From reading this thread alone and seeing peoples poor excuses for what they call an arguement of why they don't tip, all I can say is god help us all.

 

[Alesia]

I've never been a server, I wouldn't take the job if you paid me $50/hr. From reading this thread alone and seeing peoples poor excuses for what they call an arguement of why they don't tip, all I can say is god help us all.

As a server I can tell you that the attitudes seen here aren't the norm. 99% of my customers are extremely nice and tip within the expected range. I love my job. Every once in a while I get rude customers and/or customers who don't tip well - that's life. But don't think for a minute that I don't remember them, and if I'm busy and have to choose who's going to get the best service between someone who tips well and someone who doesn't, well, who do you think I choose?

 

[daughtersrus]

$

Is your wife making $2.25/hr? Yes this is what servers were being paid at the time that my friend worked there. Doesn't sound like your wife is in an industry where TIPS are the PRIMARY income source for the employee, or am I mistaken?

I know that the comment wasn't to me but why don't we require employers to pay their employees? I'm sure that they wouldn't like it because, as the employer, they would be responsible for paying more taxes on behalf of their employee.

On a side note, one of our local pizza places has "Our delivery personnel are waiters on wheels. Please tip accordingly. 20% of the total bill is expected." written on their menu. There is also a delivery charge.

 

[kamik86]

I know that the comment wasn't to me but why don't we require employers to pay their employees? I'm sure that they wouldn't like it because, as the employer, they would be responsible for paying more taxes on behalf of their employee.

On a side note, one of our local pizza places has "Our delivery personnel are waiters on wheels. Please tip accordingly. 20% of the total bill is expected." written on their menu. There is also a delivery charge.

I wouldn't go to the place.

A waiter or waitress has to bring me drinks, then each of my items separately. They also have to take my older and get it right and check if I need anything mid meal.

The pizza delivery guy MAYBE took my order, but many places have separate people for that. That's it. Nope they will continue to get a few dollars, and they will continue to get very little if they mess up our request (We ask that drivers come to our back door to the apartment if you come up the side it is much harder to get that door open as it sticks and keep the cats in while getting our food. (By the way the place we use most the request is on the label of the pizza box, so yes I know the driver could have been made aware if they wanted to be aware)

 

[WheelCEO]

I don't know whether to laugh or cry at some of the comments in this thread

 

[NLD]

I'm tired of the tipping for a bunch of little things, too. And I'm a very generous tipper at restaurants. But it seems like so many people expect a tip anymore.

Servers don't make minimum wage. It is clear they're supposed to get a tip, so I do it. And having worked in the food industry before, I tip well.

But whoever said it's cumbersome to be expected to know what everyone makes is spot-on. Really I wish minimum-wage laws were adjusted so that everyone has to be paid minimum wage, and tips became solely about rewarding someone for extra-good service.

It's weird what has become "standard" in terms of tipping. My father is a licensed battlefield tour guide at a national park. He does get tips. Some of them are VERY generous, and he appreciates them a lot, but he appreciates all his tips. But then some people don't even think to tip him, probably because it's not a "typical" service.

Does he need the tips to survive--is it built into his wage structure like it is a server?--no. And no one SHOULD feel obligated to tip him. It's just weird that people don't think to--even when they're super pleased and he went above and beyond for them, giving them extra time on a tour for free and what not--but I bet these same people DO think to tip bell services.

I mean really, doesn't it make more sense to tip for a service that is performed for you over a decent period of time and is highly customized to you (tourguide giving you 3-hour tour at the cost of a 2-hour tour, and tailoring stories to the interests of the people in your group)? As opposed to a "service" than only takes 5 seconds and is completely impersonal (retrieving a bag from the bell services room)?

Last week I was in Orlando. At MCO, I lost my camera bag. My camera bag with my professional-grade digital SLR, a couple lenses, and external flash. Heck the bag itself was pricey. So I was pretty upset.

I went down to Lost and Found. They didn't have it. I described it. They said I could call in every day and they'd let me know if it turned up. So I took their card and walked away, slowly retracing steps in one last-ditch effort to find it.

As I was about to go down to Level 1 and give up and get my shuttle, a lady from Lost and Found came running after me. She literally RAN as fast as she could to get me. Someone turned my camera bag in after I'd left Lost and Found. This woman was pregnant, by the way.

Sure enough, it was my bag they had. I asked if I could tip them and especially the lady who came running. All the Lost and Found folks shook their heads. I said "I'd really like to, are you sure?" Nope, shook their heads again.

Now what is that about? I couldn't tip the pregnant lady who came running across half the airport to give me my camera bag.... but I'm EXPECTED to tip the shuttle driver who spent exactly five seconds picking up one suitcase and flinging it into the back of the shuttle?

Sorry for the rambling. It just seems like the whole tipping "system" or expectations are all messed up.

 

[rockundergirl]

As a server I can tell you that the attitudes seen here aren't the norm. 99% of my customers are extremely nice and tip within the expected range. I love my job. Every once in a while I get rude customers and/or customers who don't tip well - that's life. But don't think for a minute that I don't remember them, and if I'm busy and have to choose who's going to get the best service between someone who tips well and someone who doesn't, well, who do you think I choose?

hmmmm I have very mixed feelings about this... half of me is all " yeah go get'um they don't deserve good service because they are cheap/ mean to you" and the other half is like " at work you should be doing the best job you can all the time, its not about how they treat you , its about how you treat them"
I deal with a lot of clients, and 90% of time, the "cheaper" the client the more of a pain they are to work for .. constant nagging , nothing is correct .. ever.. with that said, they are also the first ones to give my company a good or bad review, so it works on my behalf to make sure they are treated well. so yeah .. like i said Hmmmm not sure how i feel lol

 

[budbeerlady]

Last week I was in Orlando. At MCO, I lost my camera bag. My camera bag with my professional-grade digital SLR, a couple lenses, and external flash. Heck the bag itself was pricey. So I was pretty upset.

I went down to Lost and Found. They didn't have it. I described it. They said I could call in every day and they'd let me know if it turned up. So I took their card and walked away, slowly retracing steps in one last-ditch effort to find it.

As I was about to go down to Level 1 and give up and get my shuttle, a lady from Lost and Found came running after me. She literally RAN as fast as she could to get me. Someone turned my camera bag in after I'd left Lost and Found. This woman was pregnant, by the way.

Sure enough, it was my bag they had. I asked if I could tip them and especially the lady who came running. All the Lost and Found folks shook their heads. I said "I'd really like to, are you sure?" Nope, shook their heads again.

Now what is that about? I couldn't tip the pregnant lady who came running across half the airport to give me my camera bag.... but I'm EXPECTED to tip the shuttle driver who spent exactly five seconds picking up one suitcase and flinging it into the back of the shuttle?

Sorry for the rambling. It just seems like the whole tipping "system" or expectations are all messed up.

In this case I would write a very flattering email or letter to the boss of this person at MCO if you can track them down. Great people and great service can be hard to find. Let them know they have an employee who goes above and beyond!

 

[rockundergirl]

Ya know what else just occurred to me ( lol sorry I'm so wound up)
wouldn't it make more sense to tip on what a person does for you instead of what you feel you need to do for them because they are some how at a disadvantage because of choices they have made?
It seems to me that would even out the playing field because good employees doing a good job could afford to stay at that job because of the tips, and bad employees would leave to work someplace they could make better money. I don't want to tip someone extra because i feel badly for them, but because they made me feel good about the service/ product.

 

[Bob NC]

I couldn't tip the pregnant lady who came running across half the airport to give me my camera bag.... but I'm EXPECTED to tip the shuttle driver who spent exactly five seconds picking up one suitcase and flinging it into the back of the shuttle?

Yes. Now you've got it.

 

[Alesia]

hmmmm I have very mixed feelings about this... half of me is all " yeah go get'um they don't deserve good service because they are cheap/ mean to you" and the other half is like " at work you should be doing the best job you can all the time, its not about how they treat you , its about how you treat them"

I'm not sure I made my point clearly. I always want to give the best service possible to everyone - even to customers who are rude and/or cheap, but that isn't always possible. I am only one person and there are times when I simply cannot do everything that I need to do as quickly as people would like. I'm only human. And it's during those times that I do have to make choices about who's going to get better service. It's the people who tip well and the people who treat me like a human being will win every single time.

It isn't about getting revenge against people who treat me poorly. It's about economics.

 

[Sugardimples]

It's weird what has become "standard" in terms of tipping. My father is a licensed battlefield tour guide at a national park. He does get tips. Some of them are VERY generous, and he appreciates them a lot, but he appreciates all his tips. But then some people don't even think to tip him, probably because it's not a "typical" service.

Does he need the tips to survive--is it built into his wage structure like it is a server?--no. And no one SHOULD feel obligated to tip him. It's just weird that people don't think to--even when they're super pleased and he went above and beyond for them, giving them extra time on a tour for free and what not--but I bet these same people DO think to tip bell services.

I mean really, doesn't it make more sense to tip for a service that is performed for you over a decent period of time and is highly customized to you (tourguide giving you 3-hour tour at the cost of a 2-hour tour, and tailoring stories to the interests of the people in your group)? As opposed to a "service" than only takes 5 seconds and is completely impersonal (retrieving a bag from the bell services room)?

I would never in a hundred years think to tip a licensed tour guide in a national park. Especially since my taxes pay for that national park.

 

[ccgirl]

I would never in a hundred years think to tip a licensed tour guide in a national park. Especially since my taxes pay for that national park.

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[Jacoby 46]

As a server I can tell you that the attitudes seen here aren't the norm. 99% of my customers are extremely nice and tip within the expected range. I love my job. Every once in a while I get rude customers and/or customers who don't tip well - that's life. But don't think for a minute that I don't remember them, and if I'm busy and have to choose who's going to get the best service between someone who tips well and someone who doesn't, well, who do you think I choose?

I couldn't agree more!! I feel exactly the same way! I do love my job as a waitress and make very good money! I work at a Chinese restaurant and we get paid more than other waiters in the area and that is because our boss appreciates what we do and how we treat all our customers. I do love all my customers, but don't fool yourselves...all waitstaff remember crappy tippers!

 

[MarineVet]

I would never in a hundred years think to tip a licensed tour guide in a national park. Especially since my taxes pay for that national park.

That makes me wonder if he is a contractor. Federal employees, (myself included) are not supposed to accept tips.

On another note, my mother was a waitress back during the Depression. As a senior citizen, she was on a fixed income and never really grasped that a waitress or waiter won't be thrilled with just a dollar anymore. I would pick up the check after a meal, and she would insist that she would leave the tip. I would let her leave the dollar, maybe two, on a $20-30 check, then she would always use the restroom. I would slip back to the table and add money to the tip, or make sure I added more on the check if I was using my credit card. If she saw me, she got offended. Bless her heart.

I do try to tip housekeeping a few dollars for a special request if we are there more than three days. We had problems at Shades of Green last time - three adults in the room, I am paying an extra $15 per night for the third adult, and we would only get two coffee cups, two glasses, and three towels. Every evening it was call the desk and have the additional items (cup, glass, towels) brought to the room. I started leaving a note each day with $2.00 on the pillow. As long as I did that, they left the proper quantities.

 

[ccgirl]

That makes me wonder if he is a contractor. Federal employees, (myself included) are not supposed to accept tips.

On another note, my mother was a waitress back during the Depression. As a senior citizen, she was on a fixed income and never really grasped that a waitress or waiter won't be thrilled with just a dollar anymore. I would pick up the check after a meal, and she would insist that she would leave the tip. I would let her leave the dollar, maybe two, on a $20-30 check, then she would always use the restroom. I would slip back to the table and add money to the tip, or make sure I added more on the check if I was using my credit card. If she saw me, she got offended. Bless her heart.

I do try to tip housekeeping a few dollars for a special request if we are there more than three days. We had problems at Shades of Green last time - three adults in the room, I am paying an extra $15 per night for the third adult, and we would only get two coffee cups, two glasses, and three towels. Every evening it was call the desk and have the additional items (cup, glass, towels) brought to the room. I started leaving a note each day with $2.00 on the pillow. As long as I did that, they left the proper quantities.

It's just sad that is what it took since you were already paying the extra $15 a night. Thank you for your service, btw.

 

[thomas998]

Quite frankly, being in charge of a service company that entertains clients on a regular basis, I would be appalled to find out that one of my employees was stiffing restaurant employees in front of clients. A good way to lose business in IMO.

If you had ever taken out clients you would know they never see the bill... showing a client how much you spent on the meal is considered very bad form. Not once has a client ever said, "let me see the bill." If you tip them 500% or 5 cents the client will never know.... Now the P&L at your company will show how loose you are with money.

 

[Sweettears]

If you had ever taken out clients you would know they never see the bill... showing a client how much you spent on the meal is considered very bad form. Not once has a client ever said, "let me see the bill." If you tip them 500% or 5 cents the client will never know.... Now the P&L at your company will show how loose you are with money.

Wouldn't risk the chance. Its a matter of character not P & L.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I feel bad for all of you who warrant not tipping at Dunkin' Donuts. You either didn't go enough or go to too many different ones. When I worked there, I got lots of tips offered. Tips were not allowed but gifts were and we were routinely given gifts. Customers would bring in money in envelopes or wrap it in a napkin as a gift.

I knew all of my regulars coffee orders and had it ready as soon as I saw them coming to the door. We made sure they had their donuts they wanted every day at the same time by setting them aside first thing before we could sell out. When people we didn't know came in, especially with large orders, we were patient and polite and made sure that everything was exactly how they wanted it and well marked before they left. When work crews were fixing the street or parking lot were around, we gave them free coffee and we gave police and fireman free coffee too. We had a few homeless people around so instead of throwing out everything at the end of the time, we put it into a clean garbage bag, got to follow the rules by putting it in a trash bag, and brought it outside when the homeless were around and would nod to them so they would know it was theirs. We weren't allowed to give them away but we made sure they didn't go to waste.

Sometimes they just make your coffee just right and they deserve a tip. you know, they melt the sugar in your ice coffee and then add the mocha so it all blends nicely instead of layers.

Maybe I go too much.......

Perhaps.

I don't order any kind of coffee. Just donuts on rare occasion. Tipping for counter service is fairly new in recent years....or should I say, more commonplace when it was virtually absent when I was a kid.

Counterservice folks are not tipped wage positions in the food services industry. When it comes to food services, if I am pretty much just ordering, picking up, and bussing myself, I don't really tip. I may toss in spare change every now and again.

But, no, they don't go the extra mile for me or do anything for me other than grab 6 donuts for my family.