You’re very nice. I work for a car manufacturer and call on dealers. Definitely no tips - not for a free car wash, local shuttle - nope. That’s why you pay big $$ for purchase, for service.
But to @Lindagaf point - that’s why it’s out of control.
We all have different thoughts, actions, etc. and obviously each of us do what we are comfortable with.
Bringing it back to the college confidential - soon kids will be tipping their profs…or their RAs…or the dining hall staff.
I saw a tip jar today in a store specializing in bra fittings. It’s a small boutique so it’s already going to be more expensive than getting bras on sale at macy’s or whatever, and the person who rings up your sales asks who helped you, so I assume they get some kind of commission. I have had bra fittings before at Nordstrom and the sporting goods store for sports bras as well as having bought other clothing from small boutiques where the sales person will look at fit, bring different styles and sizes, etc. This was a new one for me.
One of the stands at our farmers market had a tip box. I brought my own bags, packed the product and simply had them charge me. Nope. no tip.
What?!? A tip jar for BRA fittings? That’s it, there is no question that tipping for everything is out of control! Wow! I’m kind of sorry I asked this question because there are honestly a ton of people who are no longer going to get tips from me. I am done with the charity donation on the check out screen too because it seems clear that the companies who are doing this are the ones getting the tax break.
I’m buying mine online now.
ShawWife and I just spent a few days in SF, where a tip is requested electronically for all takeout. In one coffee place, it was set to 20% until ShawWife complained and they reset the system so she could do a lesser amount.
She took ShawS and our niece to a bra store and the fitting room gave the Venmo ID for the person doing the fitting in case you wanted to tip her. ShawD said that it makes sense – she spent and hour with them and if we thought she was really helpful, it made sense to tip (since no retail person can actually afford to live in SF). But it does seem really out of control.
We had a birthday dinner for one of our kids’ roommates (ShawSon’s friend from middle school) whose parents are good friends of ours. A very nice pre-fixe dinner for 8 people and they automatically tacked on 20% tip, which seemed appropriate. Big bill, of which we paid 1/3. The brother of the birthday boy had an Amex card and offered to pay the whole bill, but he’s a student so it must be going back to his parents. A very big tip, but the restaurant was great and the service was very good.
I’m hopping on here hoping for a few quick responses. We’re finishing a local move today. 2 day job, 3 guys were here the first day and 6 today. How much should I tip the guys? My plan is to give an amount to the owner to distribute to the guys since some worked 2 days and some just today. I trust him to be fair to each man.
It’s been 19 years since we moved so I have no idea what the going rate is.
My husband had to have his car towed today, with an added complication of getting onto a site that required driver give name and be a US citizen so he could be “cleared” ahead of time.
Husband tipped 20 bucks, and I thought that was reasonable.
I had a handyman come today and change a ceiling fan, plus look at two small electrical issues that he tried to fix but could not. At the end of the work, I asked him what I owed him and paid him exactly that.
It seems many folks get a bill for service and then feel the need to add to it and I do not understand why you would do that. If he wanted more, he would have asked and as long as reasonable I would happily pay.
Also remember this, the people you tip also might tip others. My kids work at an ice cream store. One is a manager. They get tips. Most are on a credit card. Some are in cash. Recently, they’ve found that tips are non-existent. Someone tipped .04 cents yesterday on a $50.00 and said keep the change. Yep. Gee thanks.
They think tips are so low since it’s post covid and also high inflation. It’s going to be impossible for this place to open next year if people decide not to tip. The owner was just talking about raising prices and wages if no one tips.
My kid said it’s not possible to tip anymore at the coffee shop as they are no longer really getting tips. Their friends who are working in restaurants and other places said the same. Locally lots of places have raised prices to keep staff. They are desperate after 2 years of shut downs and the Summer season is short.
I usually tip about 10% for take out. A little more if they are delivering. While some of these places are ridiculous to ask for a tip, the restaurant, bar and take out places rely on tips. Even a small amount like $1.00 goes a long way.
I for one would be happy if prices were raised to pay staff.
I think it’s a hard dance right now. We are paying more for gas and food. So are the owners of small businesses. But there is a breaking point.
Went horseback riding today. Spoke with the owner in the morning, no deposit, just put our name on the afternoon reservations list.
We arrived a hour early - since there was only one other party on the register we we offered the option to start our ride right away. So H, I and our private guide headed out.
Our guide was 19. An amazingly engaging young man. He works 12+ hours a day during the season. Ranches and ‘cowboys’ the rest of the year. We got a great history of the area, learned much about the running of this type of business. A totally wonderful experience.
We tipped the guide 50% of the cost of the ride. THAT is the type of effort, care and service which deserves a tip. Slapping a sandwich into a bag…meh…no.
Interesting, my daughter worked at an ice cream shop years ago, she never mentioned receiving any tip. She used to work at a cinema place and I don’t recalled her mentioning receiving tips either. I think it’s more expecting now, it’s a trend.
Another place I think might be expecting tips are the bus drivers, I know the water taxi we used in Boston from Logan Airport to downtown Boston had a tip jar.
Yes. I do think things have changed. I also worked at an ice cream place years ago. We did get tips but not from many people. There was a plastic tip jar.
I do think expectations have changed. Don’t know if it’s a good thing at all. We can’t be expected to tip bra salespeople or the water taxi guy. We’ve gone on trips where they demand a tip. We don’t often oblige (unless it’s a food service and we think they’ll spit in our food :0). There is a burger place that’s take out and they request tips and payment for the kitchen staff. It’s too much.
I do tip in coffee shops and ice cream parlors. Usually it’s high school/ college aged kids so I want to encourage them working. And being a barista is tough. People are demanding!!!
Just curious how do you define “they request tips” - does that mean they tell you something verbally or does this mean they put the screen before you with suggested tip %???
Well the one that stands out the most was in Italy going into the Blue Grotto years ago. Where they held out their hand and said Tip. We speak Italian fluently so had much to add. They also tried this in several places in Rome but were shooed away.
But in general, for me it’s fine if they have a tip on a machine that I can add to or ignore. An obvious protracted wait is also fine (like a porter or the guy bringing the car in a fancy restaurant). The only thing that isn’t fine, IMO is the direct ask.
We tend to tip more rather than less. My husband recently tipped in Ireland and they asked him not to in several places. Don’t know why but he said they were very embarrassed and said it’s not necessary. I think tipping is cultural. It’s not expected in Europe. And the super large tip (over 20%) is purely an American thing, IMO.
Ahhh, I was thinking you were referring to domestic tipping.
We usually tend to tip well esp. since Covid. Have a feel for the struggles of people working low wage jobs. But we tip mainly for restaurants and the standard stuff.
I think Americans tend to tip large and not observing the local culture, almost like lording over them, this is the way we do it in the states, i.e. the American way is better than anyone else, they exporting the tipping culture.
God forbid if they do that in Japan. My relatives went to a university in Japan and he warned me not to do it.
However some French restaurants in England do add 10% tips, I don’t mind that, I just want to make sure I don’t add more tips on top of the 10%.
Yes, they didn’t seem to mind it in the Michelin restaurant in Dublin but I think it was out of place in the pubs. Good to know and absorb. I certainly don’t want to insult anyone and my family is similar. We once left $ for the person cleaning the room who chased us down the hall to return it ( France).