Tips and gratuities?

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Pupik

Pupik

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In the US, it's a standard 15% of your bill in a restaurant.

After a haircut, you may leave a dollar or two.

The pizza driver gets something.

And then the bell-hop.

Taxi-cab drivers.

The supermarket bagger.

There was a bit on the news a few years ago whereby New York (not sure if city or state) wanted to impose a strict 15% rule in restaurants.

Does the person who made me a cappuccino at Starbucks deserve something in the tip jar for doing their job?

What's your opinions on this matter, and what's the "standard" in your area?
 
I always leave a tip after my haircut. I've rarely (if ever) been to a hotel that had a bellhop. Generally I skip that taxi and take the bus (or walk...Exercise!!)

For the most part, the missus and I eat out on a bi- weekly occasion. We try to aim for at least 15 percent. In 99.9% of the times we go, the tip is based on the service.

AO
 
I've had several jobs where I depended on tips: waiter, Starbucks employee (more of a bonus there), pizza driver. That is why I tip well. Twenty percent at resturaunts, at least three dollars at the Supercuts, a buck in the jar at the coffee joint (I don't go to Starbucks... and neither should you!), and at least two bucks to the pizza driver.

But I have to say that if my pizza took an hour, my coffe was served by some snippy b1tch, my haircut was botched (it happened once), or the service at the resturaunt was blatantly indifferent and/or rude, I have no problem stiffing them completely.

So they want to legislate tips now, huh? *pft* Service workers are like companies. The service they provide is their product. If it is superior they will succeed, and some do very well for themsleves. If they suck at it they shouldn't be rewarded. The competition keeps the standards higher.
 
I've been on the receiving end of bad haircut (just two months ago!), no tip there. But I was talking with someone a few days ago, and they said they give $5, no matter what. I say, they are professionals, do a good job, talk with me if I feel like talking, stay mostly quiet if I am, and don't yank my hair out, and you get your $2.

I used to do pizza delivery, so $2-$2.50 if they are prompt and come as promised. $1 if they are more than 5 minutes late, and I've stiffed once or twice if they just didn't seem to care. It's funny, I used to give 50 cents or a dollar at most before I worked for Domino's.

Restaurants: that's a whole other ball of wax. I give 15% for great service, 20% for amazing service and if service/management went out of their way to make darn sure I return and tell friends. On the other hand, I've given 10% if they don't refill drinks and slap down plates, and worse if they just don't give a darn (when you have to beg for orders, food, drinks, bill).

As much as I loved getting the odd tip for taking groceries out to my car, I prefer to take the groceries out to my car myself. If there's a ton of food, then good help is nice...and I'll give a dollar. But just as we weren't allowed to take tips then, usually I play "tempting devil" and offer one just the same. Rarely do they accept it though.

I don't frequent bars much, but I usually give about 10% over the bill. I prefer to drink with a meal or at a private establishment/friend's house

I've only been in a taxi twice and the amount was around 10-15% both times. I've never needed a bell-hop, it was just an example.

Well, I've never given anyone at a coffee shop a tip...it's their job and I know their pay isn't a tip wage. But I was just curious if I'm a mean old coot for not doing so! Now when I went to Spain, my dad told me the standard for food service was around 5-8%, or the 100 peseta coin in your pocket (around $3.30US) for a sandwich.

Well, after going to the Picasso museum, I went to the cafe for a drink, (café con leche) at a counter. I walked up to the counter and seated myself. The fellow who served me the drink walked about 2-3 paces to serve it to me. I gave him the amount in total (about 100 pesetas, or 60 cents) and received the muttered phrase "****ing American" in return.

I don't understand, I'd bought drinks before at a counter in that country, that was the first time I'd been given anything other than a thank you or a smile. I'm sorry, there was no extra work involved, therefore, no tip. (Everywhere else I went in Spain was a wonderful expereince, by the way; never any hostility towards being an American visitor.)

Well, that's my experience. I suppose there were many times I cursed not getting anything when driving to poor areas of Gainesville, pizza in hand...
 
One time I got a fifty cent tip delivering pizza and the lady was acting like she was doing me a big favor. I asked her to hold her hand out and gave it back. She said, aghast, "But that was your tip!" I just left. Maybe the next guy got more. I hope.

I'm so disappointed I never got invited in by a hot girl in her underwear like in the movies.
 
Ah, the movies.

I did have a few scantilly-clad ladies appear. Bathing suits and such. But that was quite rare; nothing quite like the movies...heh heh. I was floored by the number of people who wore next to nothing in their own homes, and invite stangers to their doorstep. Some people have no sense of preparation.

Of course, the movies don't prepare you for the really unusual stuff that happens as a pizza delivery driver. Things Like:

A man showing up to the door in his wife's nightgown. (He tipped well, though!)

Going to an apartment when the cops showed up before you did. (And nobody was left to pay for the pizza at that location.)

Going to a home a finding nothing but a baby and an unlocked door.

Abandoned trailers that got burnt down but had people outside nonetheless.

Delivery to a bustling restaurant table, and nearly getting kicked out my the manager.

Come to think of it, I miss that job, now. Never a dull moment.
 
I don't think that tipping should be something that a customer is made to do. I work in a restaurant and I know for a fact that some of the servers there would not work as hard as they do if tipping were required. There is a tip jar at the counter for the deli workers (that's me!) and in a month or two,we'll get as much as a server gets in a day. I'm very appreciative that people go out of their way to tip us and I make sure I thank them when they do.

As far as me tipping personally, I've always gone out of my way to tip well if I felt the service warranted me to do so. I've never not left a tip; the least I'll leave is 10%. If the service was horrible, I'll speak to a manager and get some kind of discount, but I still leave the tip. It's because I'm too nice not to... I'd feel bad if I didn't, even if they were not doing their best. I give $2-3 dollars for delivery people... more if the weather is bad.

For counter service type places, I'll leave a tip if the person who waited on me was friendly. A smile can make all the difference. I've never tipped at a grocery store, nor have I seen anyone else do it. Around here, no one helps you put your bags in your car, which is just as well for me... I don't really want help unless someone's gonna come home with me to carry the bags up the stairs!
 
Originally posted by TATINEE
I don't think that tipping should be something that a customer is made to do. I work in a restaurant and I know for a fact that some of the servers there would not work as hard as they do if tipping were required. There is a tip jar at the counter for the deli workers (that's me!) and in a month or two,we'll get as much as a server gets in a day.
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But thats just the thing. A waiter/tress handles multiple custuomers and is forced to work for pennies an hour,.. IF they get that.

Not to sound offesive ;) BUT,... when your handling one person at a time, making a normal wage AND charging me 5 bucks for a cup of coffee, you shouldnt expect a tip.
 
We don't tip here in NZ. Some people tell the person to 'Keep the change', but thats only if its crappy change, like $0.20-0.50. I wonder why we don't tip? :confused:
 
Originally posted by Cobraboy
We don't tip here in NZ. Some people tell the person to 'Keep the change', but thats only if its crappy change, like $0.20-0.50. I wonder why we don't tip? :confused:
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probably because you pay you servers a normal wage instead of $1 an hour.

Or,.. a service fee is included in your bill to compesate for the help.
 
Same as Australia - there are minimum hourly rates for serving staff that are half decent.

That said - I do tip, especially if the service is good - usually a round up to the nearest $10 (our bills are generally pretty small). I do tip cab drivers if they're decent (pretty rare in Sydney), those guys do huge hours, don't earn a lot, and it's a pretty dangerous job.
 
Originally posted by Red Eye Racer
But thats just the thing. A waiter/tress handles multiple custuomers and is forced to work for pennies an hour,.. IF they get that.

Not to sound offesive ;) BUT,... when your handling one person at a time, making a normal wage AND charging me 5 bucks for a cup of coffee, you shouldnt expect a tip.
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I think that servers should get paid more. At my job, they get $2.83/hr. It's not bad during the summer, but this has been a sucky winter for them. As far as my tips, I wasn't complaining about getting less than the servers; I was stating a fact. Things can be just as hectic for me as it is for them. We have only one cook to do all of the in house orders and one cook to do all the take out orders. Doing either one of those is no simple task! Everyone's job in a restaurant can be difficult, just in different ways. :)
 
Yeah in Florida, the "tip wage" is around $2.40/hr; about half of minimum wage. They do depend on tips, but I don't reward bad service. That said, I've had crap food that was served attentively...don't take it out on the waitstaff, I ask to see the manager (while reassuring the server that they've done nothing wrong).

A half-decent manager will appreciate it. If you pretend to be a Very Angry Customer With A Health Problem, then you may get a free/reduced meal.
 
I'm a drive through kind of guy, when i go out to eat, i want my food asap. dont want to wait 20 minutes to eat.

But if i go someplace that "requires" tipping i do, generally about 10% (its easier to figure out) or lower if service was bad.
 
Depending on where we eat, I like to tip well as, if I take the family out it's EIGHT of us.
The delivery guy gets at least 3 bucks. Been there, It's worth three bucks. Besides, When I was a driver, I kept a log. I knew who the tippers were. Those who weren't got fed last.
Of course, I usually started with the order furthest away from the restaraunt, and worked my way back to "home base". I also never took more than three orders out at one time unless I was the only driver.
As a Pizza Man, I have to admit that I saw more than my fair share of folks in various states of nekkedity. And tips were mostly okay.
I believe that if you call me to bring you food, you KNOW that I'm coming to your door. I don't wanna see you near nekked. I wanna see some tip money. Please plan ahead.
By the end of the night Cindy Crawford could get overlooked nekked by the average driver, Unless, there was a healthy tip involved.
Of course most of the near naked women look a lot more like Roseanne Barr, and THINK they look like Cindy Crawford.:lol:

I once had a guy tell me (after answering the door in nothing but a towel, No Pockets). "I didn't expect you to show up so quick"
I have a whole "Stand-up" routine r/t pizza delivery. It's pretty funny, I'm told.
 

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