Basic Tips on Tipping: How Much and To Whom?
Published on - October 12th, 2006 (Modified on - October 16th, 2006) (by J.D. Roth) Every time I get my hair cut, I’m faced with a dilemma — should I tip the barber or not? I usually get my hair cut in a small-town shop. I tip $2 on a $12 haircut. If I get to hear stories about Vietnam or histrionic political rants, I tip $3, even if I don’t agree with the barber’s viewpoints. (I tip because I’ve been entertained.) Sometimes, if I don’t have enough cash, I don’t leave a anything at all. Are these tips appropriate?
What about when I pick up Chinese takeout? Should I have tipped the guys who delivered our new gas range last fall? What about a hotel bellhop? A parking valet? Out of curiosity, I did some research on tipping practices in the United States. There’s actually significant disagreement about how much to tip for even common services.
For example, you know you should tip your waitress. But how much should you leave? Some people claim that 10% is adequate. Others claim that 20% is standard. But I suspect that most of us learned to tip 15%, and to give more for exceptional service. (The wikipedia entry on tipping currently contains the bizarre claim that “18% is generally accepted as a standard tip for good service”.) Which amount is correct?
After browsing dozens of pages, I drafted the following guide. The amounts listed are based on averages or on consensus, when possible.
Food Service
- Barista
- No tip required, though many suggest throwing coins into the tip jar.
- Bartender
- $1/drink (or 15% of total bill). Pre-tip for better service.
- Delivery person (including pizza)
- 10%, $2 minimum (also, also)
- Maitre d’
- $5-$25 for special efforts
- Takeout
- No tip required unless something special is done (also, also)
- Waiter
- 15% for adequate service, 20% for exceptional service. For poor service, leave 10% or less. It’s okay to leave nothing for exceptionally poor service, but only if you’re sure it’s the waiter’s fault.
Hotel Staff
- Bellman/Porter
- $1 to $2 per bag, $5 minimum. (Or, just as many places say $1 bag, $2 minimum.)
- Concierge
- $5-$20 depending on the service. $20 if he does something exceptional. Nothing for directions.
- Housekeeper
- $2 to $5 per night, paid daily or as a lump sum at checkout. (Most sites suggest you tip daily.)
- Parking Valet
- A wide range of opinions. Everyone agrees that you should pay when your car is retrieved. Some say to pay when it’s parked, too. Most sites say to tip $2, though some suggest $5.
- Room service
- $5 minimum (unless gratuity is included in check)
Travel
- Bus driver (not mass transit)
- $1 to $2, if she handles luggage
- Cab driver
- 10%, $2-$5 minimum
- Chauffeur
- 10-15%
- Gas station attendant
- Nothing. Or $2-$4. There’s no agreement. (I’ve never seen anyone tip a gas station attendant ever.)
- Porter/skycap
- $1 per bag. $2 for heavy items, or if porter brings luggage to counter.
Personal service
- Barber/Hairstylist
- Again, little agreement: 10-15%, 15-20%, etc. One person recommends $5 to each individual who shampoos or blow-dries your hair! (also)
- Manicurist
- 15%
- Spa service
- 15-20%
- Masseuse
- 10-15%
- Shoe-shiner
- $2 or $3
Other
- Building superintendent
- Varies —read more.
- Coat checker
- Most sites recommend $1 per coat, though one said $2 to $5 upon retrieval.
- Furniture deliverer
- It depends. Most of the time $5-$20. Some recommend simply offering cold drinks. (also)
- Grocery store bagger
- One site recommended $1-$3, though I’ve never seen one tipped in my life.
- Mover
- $10-$25 per person (also)
What about tipping at holidays? Tipping service people with whom you have regular contact can build goodwill. I found these recommendations:
Holiday Tips
- Babysitter: one week’s pay
- Doorman: bottle of wine or box of chocolates
- Garbage collector: $15 to $25
- Gardener: one week’s pay
- Housekeeper: one week’s pay
- Janitor: $15 to $25
- Mail carrier: $15 to $20 (up to $20 non-cash)
- Nanny: one week’s pay
- Newspaper delivery person: $15 to $25
- Parking attendant: $15 to $25
- Personal trainer: $20 to $50 (tip discreetly)
Some points regarding tipping etiquette:
- If you use a coupon or gift certificate, calculate your tip based on the total before discount.
- Tip above the norm if:
- Service is exceptional,
- You’ve been a burden, or
- You are a regular client.
- Don’t tip if it’s not deserved. Poor service should not be rewarded.
- In some circumstances, if you offer an initial tip — especially a large initial tip — you’ll get better service.
- If you take up a restaurant table for a long time, tip extra.
- Tip discreetly.
- When in doubt, tip.
What about public officials? When is a tip a tip, and when is a tip a bribe? My wife and I tipped the judge who married us, but even then we had trouble deciding how much to give him. (We gave him $50.)
I suspect that tipping practices vary widely from region-to-region and, especially based upon the size of the city. As always, do what works for you.
Other articles about tipping:
- How to tip in a foreign country
- International tipping etiquette
- Is it better to tip with cash or with credit?
- Tipping at weddings
- Tipping relieves guilt more than it provides incentive
- Tipping etiquette (which is actually the best guide I found)
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I worked as a grocery bagger for 4 years, most of high school and part of college. We never expected a tip but generally received them for taking groceries to customers’ cars or homes if they lived withing walking distance. It was usually $1 but some gave $2-3 and on a rare occation $5-10. This was a locally owned store and had no tipping policy so we never reported them. Other larger stores generally have a no tippping policy and associates caught accepting tips usually face disciplinary action.
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Tipping is tipping. It is a measure of the service you were provided. If it is to be factored into my decision of whether I eat out or not then it should be listed next to the item I order. My decision to eat out is based entirely on the what I can afford on the menu and I am making a deal with the owner to pay the price he lists on menu. If as the waiter you want me to give you a raise then you need to give more than the bare minimum. If you are not able to do more than the “Are you ready to order” then you need to at least explain “sorry if I am a little slow tonight but blah blah blah blah” But if you mess up our orders or I get up to refill my own coffee after waiting 15 minutes while you chat on the phone or lean on the counter talking to another waiter then maybe you should get a job doesn’t care if you do a good job. You are there to provide a service and your boss is paying you for that. Now lest you think I am just griping and never tip (which you would be wrong) I generally tip 15-25% but if the service isn’t good I make a point to let the waiter or the manager know and if that has no effect I take my hunger elsewhere. I spent a lot of years working in restaurants and I did it because I enjoyed the work. I did get good tips but that was because I made a point to do what I could to enhance the customers experience. I great waiter can make up for average food but rarely will the food make up for a bad waiter.
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I can’t say much that hasn’t already been covered here but… I am a server and I just want to take the opportunity to stick up for my fellow industry folks… Waiting tables is one of the most intense and stressful jobs out there and people who haven’t ever done it need to recognize that…
Also, your server does a lot more in the restaurant than carry a plate from the kitchen to your table… I work for two hours before and after my shift every day setting up my workplace and doing side work… That translates into four to six hours of labor I provide to ensure the restaurant runs smoothly so my guests have a good experience that I’m not even getting paid for…
Another point, while everyone knows that servers don’t pay taxes on everything they make this has become an almost mute point as a good 80% of the payments I receive a day come from credit and debt cards and therefore are automatically tracked and claimed by computer…
Sure, shitty service shouldn’t be rewarded but, and this is a big but, so much of what patrons think of as service has to do with factors beyond our control… You can’t order ten mojitos during happy hour when the bar is crushed and expect them to be on your table in five minutes…
You may be of the opinion that it shouldn’t be your responsibility to make up for your server makes two dollars an hour but if you don’t want to do your part to make up for that injustice then you shouldn’t be supporting and taking advantage of it…
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Let me see if I have all this percentage stuff right. My church encourages 10-10-80% (that’s 10% tithe, 10% savings, 80% living expense). My state demands at least 9.5% after deductions and credits; the feds take 19% after deductions and credits; the state charges 6% for every dollar spent on everything including food, clothing and medicine. After all that I don’t think I have even 1% left to go out to eat let alone pay my mailman, garbage man, and cable guy! I tip fairly within the guidelines for my hairdresser, mainicurist, spa services, luggage handlers, hotel services, food, wine and tip jars. If I can’t, I stay home and use my paltry 100th of .5% to make a gourmet meal. Get real people! Tipping began for people who made NO wages, only tips. How did it get so out of control? No wonder America uses so much credit!
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Tipping makes me uncomfortable in just about any situation except for restaurants. I would really like to see it done away with like the Europeans and Asians mostly do. Pay people a living wage and make tips an optional thing at restaurants, like to give a dollar or two if they gave especially good service and not be having to pay part of their salary or feel guilty about it.
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I used to work as a grocery store bagger and the store had a policy of not allowing us to accept tips. Though it wasn’t much of a problem as 99.9999999999999% of the people never tipped anyway. Though about twice in 7 years or so, I did get a a tip around Christmas time when I was loading groceries into people’s cars.
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Food service persons:
If you want a good tip, keep my water glass full. If you can’t accomplish this simple task, you can expect a tip of less than 10% (or nothing in extreme cases). If that upsets you… well I guess you should have kept my water glass full.
If you are too busy to keep it full, just leave a pitcher of water at the freakin’ table.
If you remember to bring everything I ask for, and keep my water glass full, then I will tip at least 20% — 25% if my kids leave a mess.
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[...] Get Rich Slowly » Basic Tips on Tipping: How Much and To Whom? (tags: Finance HowTo Travel) [...]
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Back when I first left high school, I worked in food service (fast food) and I admit it is a pretty hard job. It is truly up there with hard labor and there were obviously people good at it and others who just sucked or plain didn’t care – either way it showed.
Anyway, as long as I have no complaints about the service, I usually tip 20% on the after-tax amount at restaurants because it is just easy to calculate (take 10% by moving a decimal place and double it).
I will give 10% or less (but never nothing) is I get sub-par service, which to me is when I:
1. I have wait 5-10 minutes before I am even greeted by the server. By itself this is pretty bad but forgiveable as long as you apologize and explain what is going on. I don’t care if the place is ultra busy and you have 6 tables. You can take 30 seconds to at least stop by and make sure I know that you’ve seen us.
2. Once you deliver the food, I never see you again until you offer dessert or bring the check. I like servers who check-in to make sure everything is alright (sometimes it’s not) or to make sure I have enough to drink. If I’m drinking cocktails with dinner, I like to always have one. Keep em coming and your tip only gets higher!
Bottom line though, you know going into the wait staff profession that your income is largely dependent on tips and in most cases, is a pretty minimal education job. You have to expect that sometimes you are going to get the shaft, whether it is under your control or not.
If you don’t like it, get a different job that pays better or at least has a better pay structure, start your own business, etc.
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I worked as a bagger (at Harris Teeter) and we were obligated to ask people if we could carry out their groceries for them. Even then, we were supposed to remind people that it was a free service before taking a tip. 1-3 dollars actually is a good estimate, IF you want to tip.
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I remembering delivering pizzas. those days were interesting, to say the least.
One thing that gets me regarding the tipping professions is that some of them have the “entitlement” mentality. The attitude of “I deserve tips”. I found out when driving pizzas that if you think about impending tips, they usually seem to be lower. I discovered early on that it’s best to focus solely on providing the best service possible, and not even THINK about the tip until AFTER the job is done.
Maybe it’s the Law of Attraction, I’m not sure.
Regarding the “working for tips” thing, I think it’s a crock that restaurants pay service staff (like in the Pizza Hut I was at), much less than minimum wage, expecting tips to cover it. I have heard tell of several places that, even if the tips earned for the night didn’t cover the rest of the hourly requirement for minimum wage, they still required the servers to claim an amount that would make it exactly minimum wage. So, are these servers being taxed on wages and tips that weren’t actually earned?
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I think tipping is a stupid system and I hate it especially outside the restaurant situation where the amount you are supposed to pay is uncertain. Waiters should simply be paid on comission based on their sales and the service charge built into the bill. But in the US you must pay waiters a tip as the Federal minimum wage for waiting is $2 something an hour. Only a few states like California have higher minimums for waiters. For all other areas it is somewhat more optional but expected in a lot of service areas. In Britain 10% is normal in restaurants unless the service was included on the bill. I also gave a tip to a taxi driver but wouldn’t think of ever giving one to anyone else there. In Australia there are no tips, though you can round up the restaurant bill for good service, In Sweden I saw rounding up of restaurant bills too.
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I just moved to Australia from Canada and I wish we tipped here.
Service in restaurants is absolutely awful here in Sydney. They just drop your meal on the table, don’t come and check if it’s OK and will let your drinks go dry. Why? Because there’s no incentive for them to do better as they get $25 an hour either way.
Good service here is a rarity.
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I know there are a lot of comments and I’m not going to read all of them before I say this, but tip 20% and/or a minimum of $3 to waitresses on the total of the bill, including tax. Waiting tables is a really, really difficult job and most people have absolutely no idea, which is why waiters say that everyone should be required to wait tables at some point. An extra fifty cents on a tab in a restaurant is no big deal to the customer, but it adds up and can make a big difference to your server. If you have a ten dollar meal in a restaurant (say you’re eating by yourself and drinking water), $1.50 is almost just a waste of time. Throw her a couple of extra bucks. Waiters also say that if you can’t afford to tip, you can’t afford to eat out. Just my $.02.
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[...] Basic Tips on Tipping: How Much and To Whom? [...]
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To the person who wondered about tipping at buffets. I used to wonder the same thing once until a friend of mine asked worker at a buffet place whether we should tip. He said, “If you want to.” Not helpful. then she asked what his salary was. He said $2 per hour. So now I know that yes, you should tip.
It may be okay to tip less than for regular service, because surely they can service more tables at one time, right? But I don’t know how they are taxed.
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To the people who say that waiting is one of the most difficult and stressful jobs: are you kidding? Do you honestly, seriously believe that? I’ve had quite a bit of experience waiting and I’ll tell you, no one is going to die if I stuff up, people are going to be inconvenienced and probably pissed, but to say that it’s a high stress job is laughable.
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Just returned from teaching English in China for two months – many tips were refused! Bell hops, taxi drivers (Be ready for the thrill of a lifetime! Often passing in the oncoming lane!) Quite an experience to EXPECT to give a tip and have it REFUSED!
Happened to me in NYC in ’91 when I dropped a Company Service diamond tie tac down the drain in a hotel, and the plumber refused a $20. tip saying he was well paid and wanted their guests to be happy!
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[...] Get Rich Slowly » Basic Tips on Tipping: How Much and To Whom? (tags: money) [...]
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When deciding how to tip a hairdresser/stylist, ask this questions:
Does this individual set his/her own prices? If yes, then you don’t really need to tip at all…unless they did an excellent job and you want to show them your appreciation.
If no, tip anywhere between 10%-20%, depending on how good of a job they did and how much they did (shampoo, color, cut + style warrants a little more $$ than a bowl cut)
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Most people have no idea that most servers still make $2.13 an hour. They pay their bills with tips not a paycheck. I have worked in several restaraunts serving – not because I am uneducated, but because the hours are flexible. I have seen all kinds of people and there is a general rule. Most older people tip lousy – they think $1-$2 is sufficient even though the bill can be upwards of $50.00. Business people are typically low tippers, and I have seen how they look down on servers thinking they are beneath them. I am in no way racist, but black people tend to be terrible tippers as well. Although, sometimes you can be surprised, the general rule is that these types do not tip good.
The general rule of thumb is to tip a minimum of 15% for good service. For exceptional service, the tip should be 20% or above. Larger groups should tip higher than 15%.
I currently work in an upscale restaraunt and generally, tips are 20% or above. Being a server, I understand how hard a server works and I tip according to my experience. I usually tip a minimum of 15%. I do understand, however, that there are times that a server doesn’t earn a decent tip. Food quality should have no bearing on the server. The server takes the order and gives it to the kitchen – they do not cook it for you. Sometimes a server can be busy and can forget things. I have done it. Excuses do not work – honesty does. If I forget to bring a table extra lemons, I won’t give an excuse, I will tell them I forgot and immediately get the lemons for them. I find that customers understand mistakes can be made, and will overlook them if the server doesn’t make too many and tries to rectify the situation immediately. I have no control over the way the food tastes, but if you have a problem and let me know, I can try to fix it. I like to keep my cistomers informaed – if we have a large party and I know the kitchen is backed up, I let my customer know this at the time the order is placed. That way, they don’t think I have forgotten about them. I will bring out bread to tied them over until their meal arrives. I have had good results with this. I also never use a food runner – I carry my own food out. That way, I never have to ask “who got the ribeye?”. I think this is rude. Depending on the type of restaraunt you are dining at, you can tell a lot about your food by the temperature of the plate. At a restaraunt like Applebees, of your plate feels hot to the touch, more than likely, it has been sitting under a heat lamp for a long time. This shows me that the server is not paying attention to my order. At a finer dining place, this does not apply because we heat the plates up prior to placing the food onto the plate.
Servers are also required to tip out to several people. In some restaraunts, the server must tip out a percentage of their sales (not their tips) to a busser, expo, host, food runner and bartender. Currently, I must tip out 5% of my total sales to a server assistant (who helps us run out food, bus tables and set up tables) and 5% of my bar sales to the bartender. So a bad tip means I have to fork over my own money to these people which in essence means I am paying for you to sit at my table. So if you tip me $5, I don’t really get the entire $5.
Also, servers are not just responsible for waiting on you. We have to set up and close down the restaraunt. We have side work for whioch we still get paid $2.13 an hour. For instance, this is the work I must perform for my shift. When I arrive at work, I have to set up all the tables in the retaraunt. I make sure silverware is aligned, the tables are clean and candles are lit. I make the tea, coffee and set up the drink machine. I make sure there are plenty of cups, saucers,table cloths, napkins etc… I cut lemons for the evening. Set up is easy. Throughout the shift, I must keep all of the counters clean, and everything stocked while waiting on my tables. I must prebus tables while the customers are sitting there. I must crumb the tables. After the customer leaves, I must clean the table a set it up again with a new table cloth, napkins, silverware, etc. This is relatively easy, although when you are busy it can take up some time. Then comes closing time. I must clean all of the chairs, tables, booths, and woodwork. I polish the brass. I sweep under the tables. I wipe down the coolers, counters, trays and tray stands in the kitchen. I break down the coffee, tea and drink machines and wash all of the urns. I restock all of the boxes, straws, cocktail napkins, etc… I portion sauces, pour olive oil, refill pepper grinders. I polish all of the silverware used for the night. I fold and iron 50 napkins on the weekdays and 80 on the weekends. I pull all of the candle holders off the tables and wash them. I wash the salt and pepper shakers. I wash the walls in the kitchen. Finally, I vacuum the dining room. We close at 11:00 PM and it is now 12:45 AM and I am finally able to clock out and go home. While doing this, I am still making $2.13 an hour. And believe it or not, this is one of the easier server jobs I’ve had as far as side work goes.
I hope this enlightens some of you who think that a servers job is a breeze. We work hard for the tips you give us and a lot of the time, it isn’t worth our time. Being rude to your server won’t get you better service. In fact, I have a tendency to remember to rude people I have waited on and the bad tippers and when they come in again, they get the kind of service they paid for the last time they came in.
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I am a cheapskate but a generous tipper. I myself used to be a waitor at Denny’s and know how it feels to get a lousy tip. Most of the time, poor service isn’t intentional. If your dinner takes 30 minutes because of the cook, why take it out on the server?
When it comes to barbers, I stick to a favorite so lousy service doesn’t usually happen.
Sometimes I won’t know what to tip. For example, what do I tip the car wash guy for cleaning the interior of my car? Sometimes 3 employees clean my car. Do I tip all three?
Anyways, my rule is double the tax equals the tip.
Oh yeah, holiday tipping doesn’t happen. I know from experience. People have the holiday spirit, but their wallets are empty.
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In response to #94 :
“Do people (wait staff) not realize that there are other jobs available where you don’t have to make 2 bucks an hour and rely on the charity of others?
Seriously. Quit whining. ”
What a pile of crap! Anyone with an ounce of intelligence knows that most servers are college students working as servers because the potential pay is good and the hours are flexible. Others work part time as servers to make ends meet. Although there are some uneducated servers out there that cannot obtain another job, most servers ARE educated.
I myself am currently employed at a fine dining establishment. I am not uneducated and could get a 9-5 job anywhere. I chose to server because I needed flexible hours making better than minimum wage. I am a mother and wife who has supported he family in the past as a manager. I made an exceptional salary, but had to work 60+ hours a week. This meant not spending any time with my family. Unlike most people, my children are not in daycare – in fact, I am homeschooling them. My husband has a good paying 8-5 job with a large corporation. He has the headaches that come along with it. He works Monday through Friday every week. It is monotonous. On the other hand, I work whatever hours I set for myself (usually 4 nights a week at around 5 hours a night) and still bring home a substantial amount.
I have a friend that feels about the same way you do. She works 40 hours a weeks to bring home a $400 paycheck. I work about half the time and bring home around $650 – $800 a week in tips alone!
Why would I get a “REAL JOB” when I work part time and make more than some people do in a full time job!
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You should add, people who work at a boarding kennel or dog resort.
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when we go out to eat, i usually leave a tip based upon the befor tax amount. i think to tip on the after tax amount is to give a tip on the tax and not based upon the degree of service rendered.
i also think that when you are being served by the owner of the restaurant, you are not obligated to tip. the are in the busines to make a profit. that is their reward. the non owner server is dependent on the tip and is being paid an hourly rate below other hourly worker. the assumed tip is thought to bring the non owner up to an average decent pay.
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should you tip the AAA tow truck guy?
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http://www.dol.gov/esa/programs/whd/state/tipped.htm
This government site lists the minimum hourly wages for tipped employees, by state. This gives some perspective the issue of how much to tip. While the minimum wage for tipped employees is certainly low in many states, in my state of Washington, it appears that servers make the full minimum wage of $7.63 (the highest minimum wage in the country).
So does this mean that servers with a larger hourly wage (as in Washington) should be tipped less than those whose wage is just a couple bucks an hour? (as if these constructed tipping “rules” could get any more complicated).
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To all tip beggars: quit whining indeed. You make a conscious choice of working for $2 per hour. If you get a tip, that is good, if you do not – you know it was your decision to take that job, especially if you were looking for flexible hours as many of you indicated. That is a price to pay for your flexible hours. And do not talk about stress, extra hours and so forth. We all have stressful jobs, we all have bosses, we all have responsibilities.
The person from #122 wrote: “Most people have no idea that most servers still make $2.13 an hour”. I had no idea. But should I? Why U.S. service industry problems should be shifted upon me? If it is a $25 dish, make it $28.
From #17, RKmase Says:
October 12th, 2006 at 8:19 am
“First of all, if you can’t tip your server at least 15%, you have no business eating out.”
This is fascism, or tip police at best. I just cannot believe what that person wrote! It shows such hatred toward customers, what really is hidden behind that rubber smile. If RKmase writes things like that he has no business working in service industry. He needs to work in a watch repair shop where he is by himself all day. Next time I go to a restaurant, I know I will be looking at a waiter while he/she is explaining to me the special in a super fast pace so nobody can understand it, maybe he/she is now thinking that I have no business being here…
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to Cony #129: I want to thank you for having enlightened all of us out here who have mistakenly been tipping way too much. I mean, you’re right, the people who decide to take low-paying jobs should pay the price, regardless of any extenuating circumstances that may have forced them into that position. Who cares if waiting tables is demeaning, degrading, and down right disgusting at times. Why should you care? They’re just there to bring you food, drinks, and no doubt, for you, some hot towels to wash your face with, right?
I tip %20 for good service. More if it’s exceptional. It’s New York, it’s expected, and it’s right.
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I believe in tipping but we should tip whatever amount we want and not be told how much in percentage we should pay. It bothers me when my husband wants to leave a large tip, I reply by saying, what for? They make more money than I do ! It has really gotten out of hand…..If it was up to me I would not go by the percentage system…………
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I do not see how I should be responsible as a customer for some states poor labour laws. We generally tip 15% in Canada where min. wage is given to servers plus tips.
Tipping where no tip is deserved because of a greedy labour practice just perpetuates a criminal policy of downloading the cost of business on to employees rather than the business owner.
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I would like to comment on the “take out” tip advice. that is a relative statement. You say no tip is required. I am aware every place is different. For pizza places and burger joints, that is one thing. But, I am a bartender and waitress at a high end restaurant that does take out. When we get calls for take-out, rather a waitress or bartender prepares it all. If I am bartending on a busy day, and you call in and get a soup, salad, entree, drink, and desert. I have to prepare your salad, wrap the dressing, soup, still garnish the entree and desert. and figure out a way to gather it in a bag in a nice and neat fashion and have it be spill and mess free. I also have to time out the order(putting it in the computer to send to the kitchen to begin cooking) in within the time period you said that you would be arriving at. So your food is warm and fresh. (So if you say you will be picking it up iin 20 mins, be there in 20 mins. if you are 45 mins late, your food will not be adequate) No, people skills and table promptness is not required. but time and care is still put into it. Maybe 20% is not expected, but something is appreciated.
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i want to say that housekeepers are not tipped very offten .and when you plan to stay over i feel you should tip every day . to make her feel like her job to is important or when you leave the hotel leave a bigger tip instead of everyday. it’s hard work cleaning rooms . making beds ,scrubing floors and polishing and cleaning up after people .it’s long hours duruing the buzy time of year and during the slow time no hours so tip would be greatly acepted thanks
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if your going to comment on this site please write in english . as far as waiters and waitress i do tip i try and leave 10-20 % when it allows me , as far as tipping mail carries and newpaper person and ect i don’t and the hairdress i tip $5 -. no matter what. and since i am a housekepper and when i stay at a hotel i do tip $2-$5 a day cause i know it’s hard work. so when has tipping gone to far. i really don’t know . i guess in reality of all the tipping comments use what you think is fair . and doesn’t make you feel guity.thnaks and god bless.
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i want to comment on #73 and #94 i think if your going out and can afford a $300. meal then you can afford a 10-20 % tip come on get real .they do alot of work for you so you should be nice in return , and for . #94 people take waitstaff jobs not for the $2.00 an hour or for the tips cause it has flexiable hours . come on why would some want to break there but for so little money . if there wasn’t anincentive in for them so # 94 qit whinning yourself.
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Who tips more? The student are much more likely to tip the pizza guy $5 than the dual income family. The student will aslo remember to tip the barber, the hotel maid, even the lady at the laundry mat.
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I make 2.38 an hour. My checks say “This is not a check” across the front b/c after taxes, none of that gets to me.
I find it interesting that the cheapos saying not to tip servers suggest that they find another job. Who’s going to bring you your refill if the servers go somewhere else?
tipping your server is not something new and not something that is likely to change soon, so just do it or cook at home or go to burger king.
I’ve seen a lot of comments averaging servers making 20/hr and such. The average server shift is about 4 hours — we’re not talking about your standard 40 hr work week. In the past 5 years I’ve been serving I’ve done that once during a week where most of my town didn’t have power and there was nothing to do BUT go out to eat.
As for tipping other people, I have only tipped below 20% once and the service was so bad I tell everyone I know never to go into that place again (Loredo’s in White Plains, MD). My steak had been on the floor, i could taste it.
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For those who do not believe they should be paying a tip at a restaurant, please keep this in mind:
Servers are often paid $2.13/hr ( And because of this it is easy to overhire and overschedule because there is little labor cost involved).
Because of this your food prices are most likely LOWER. If you think “it’s between them and their employer” and “it’s not my fault they don;t get paid decent wages”..
Well, what do you think would happen if restaurants forbid tips and/or had to pay all servers a competitive hourly wage?
You can bet the menu prices are going to rise a lot more than 15% if restaurants start paying servers $15-20+ per hour rather than $2-3.
So you should take advantage of the wage controlled low menu prices, tip the 15% and shut up.
Let’s say your dinner is $20 and the waiter makes $2.13/hr. You tip $3. If that waiter made a competive hourly wage, you can bet your dinner will be at least $23 if not more.
This economic system may be strange, but the cheapskates are taking advantage of it to recieve value for nothing exchanged.
The customer ALWAYS pays. One way or another. Thats how business works. Why not take advantage of the option to determine the final cost and build some good will at the same time.
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Ok I am from Canada and tipping hear sounds pretty much the same but I have never tipped a person working at MacDonald’s or any fast food establishment. When I go out I usually tip 20-25% but I don’t feel compelled to tip, I do it because I get good service, the better service the better the tip I have even went as high as 50% but the service I received was the best I have ever had in my life my drink was never less than an 1/8th empty. So I agree that tipping for good services though it not is outstanding service just keep my drink full and check in on me to see how things are. The amount people get paid does not play a factor in how much I tip because in Manitoba min wage is $7.60 an hour. But I have a Question I used to work as a service plumber who cleaned sewer drains for a living and I would charge about $160.00 for my hours worth of work my wage was $10.00 an hour so if I did a good job should I get a $24.00 tip? Now I am not complaining about my wage I did my job because it was my job! I was not looking for a tip nor am I complaining that 99.9% of the time I did not get one but when I did get one it was nice. so do you tip your service people who come into your home and fix broken things?
p.s. at the very least offer a drink of water or something warm in the winter.
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i want to say that housekeepers should be tipped everyday and not at the end of your stay cause you never hae the same girl . and if someone else did the work and not getting credit for it it’s not fair. and tiopping should be $2- $5- a day. thanks
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Two comments:
No one has answered my question. Should health care workers be tipped? Two therapists and a nurse come to my home to help with my husband. If so, how much?
I do not tip the UPS delivery man. He drops my packages in the driveway and doesn’t even bother bringing them to the door. Complaining to the company has not solved this problem.
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as a pizza delivery driver i find that many people think that I get the delivery fee. not true. I get nothing and in fact it costs me money to bring your food if i dont get a tip.
the general rule is that if you are being serviced for something that you yourself did not wish to do (laziness) then you leave a tip.
at a restaurant, the food is brang to you because you didnt want to make it yourself… so tip
when you have food delivered, you didnt want to go get it… so tip
if you are having your car or bags checked, you didnt want to park/carry it… so tip
tips are to say thanks for allowing me to be lazy.
stevo
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just wanted to say house keepers should get tipped everyday cause you never know who your house keeper is cause you might get a diffrentr one everyday and it’s not fair when people leaver the tip at the end of the stay and someone else gets the tip for your hard work. i know cause i am a housekeeper and we work long hard hours even though it is fun work it can be a pain soemtimes ,so your room is good and clean for the day please tipp everyday or every o ther dayto let the house keeper know she has done a good job but like i said some one else could getr that rewarsd so tipping everydaty seems more better thanks aznd have blessed day
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I’m going to a new salon in a suburb. Facial and pedicure. I really don’t know what to tip.
In Boston, I tip 20% for each service. Is that too much?
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I have been a tour coach driver for 12 years. I find that as an age group that travelled by coach a lot is fading away, they are being replaced by a group that is mostly cheap. People who will go to a Casino for 3 days and spend $500 – 600 or more, feel that 2 or 3 dollars is an appropriate tip to the driver who took them, he’s still away from home and is limited by DOT or company policy as to what he should professionally be involved in or with. Or a couple in a tour group who go on vacation for 5 -10 days and expect and seem to appreciate good professional service from their driver who in many cases may have never been to the location(s) before, then give a $10.00 bill as a tip. Please realize drivers are paid on the lower end of the pay scale because of the probable tips that driver will recieve from the tour group . . . . If you have a great driver the tip is how you let him know, not with hugs and comments. I have found through experience and in talking to other drivers the following: If your driver is just barely acceptable and professional then $1.00 a day per person / If you have a better than average driver make it $1.50 – 2.00 a day per person/ and if your driver has helped to make your trip a pleasant memory then tip that driver $3.00 – 5.00 a day per person. Don’t just give a portion of what you have left over – plan on your tip and make sure you treat your driver as professionally as he treats you . . . .
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I am a barista at a local coffee shop. When I was in training i did not get any tips, now that I do I really appreciate tips and seem to tip higher at restaurants, etc.
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Up above in #115, it is stated that “Waiters also say that if you can’t afford to tip, you can’t afford to eat out.” Other entries have similar comments.
This is an awfully elitist comment from people in an occupation whose members often claim poverty, isn’t it? I mean, on one hand they try to remind us how little they are paid, and on the other hand they say “let them eat cake?” Seems hypocritical.
Seriously — pay them a living wage, build the cost of their livable wage into the cost of a meal at some baseline level, and reserve tipping for truly exceptional service.
I’m not against the money it costs me to help them earn a living. It’s the game playing and guilt-mongering that I’d like to end.
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As a student and working part-time as a gas station attendant myself it is pretty rare to recieve tips, and its not really expected. However as someone else stated above, it is appreciated when the weather is cold or rainy, even if its $1 for a coffee or something.
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