Tipping Myths?
 

I recently overheard a conversation in which some service workers were talking about their customers and how they tip. The talk quickly turned into a discussion about what groups of people tip or don't tip. For any of you who have worked in the service industry, do you really judge how much you're going to be tipped based on the customers racial, ethic, religious, or national origin?

Well, having the part time job at the car wash in the summer, I dry the cars outside and we have a tip box on our stand that holds the tire dressing and cleaning products.

The richest people that come in the newest S classes or 7 series or whatever DO NOT TIP!!!!!!!:mad: A person that comes in a barely running old GM or Ford will tip. :D

It makes me frustrated the most when they ask you to scrub off something and do all this work and they leave with nothing in return and they KNOW that we have a tip box!

When the car is done on the automatic wash, a guy goes in and cleans the inside (dash, console) while drving it outside to 3 guys (including me) that dry the exterior and wipe the windows. The money in the tip box is divided amongst the 4 of us.

HEY, Bill!....I live in an apartment, and I ALWAYS tip! :D Am I an "apartment-type" person? ;)

Mike

At work I carry out boxs of furniture a lot and get offered tips ever once in a while. I usally turn them down but some times people force me to take them. I have been offred tips by people that you would never expect it from. I once was tipped 35 dollars for putting a chair together for someone that did not want to put it together them selfs. I like money and all but I would rather just be told thanks or get a handshake.

I am the type of persont hat always tips, and always tips as well as I can.

When I get a pizza, the minimum tip I give is $3.00

When I go to the car wash, I usually tip $3.00 - $5.00 to the guy that cleans the car after it comes out the wash.

I was brought up to always tip when the service has been given. How much I tip is always decided by me at the time, and I always tip as much as I feel is acceptable.

Alon

I always tip... Pizza, the min. is definitely $3.

Restaurants. Depending on the service. But generally $5 is a minimum for me. Maybe less if I'm really dissatisfied.

Bartenders... depending on the drink. I usually give $2/drink. That is a lot (I don't buy one drink when I go out). That's in a hectic club though... in a bar I usually give $5-10 depending on the quality (more if I drink expensive stuff - Cognacs, etc.)

I think I'm pretty nice when it comes to tipping.

My friend who goes to expensive clubs, rents tables when he goes out, buys expensive champagne, etc. would tip the HOT blonde manager almost $80 or even more...she must make a lot..

MY GOD alot of you on this board tip quite a bit! That is good, not bad.

I guess I'm just an arrogant bugger! I figure people are already getting paid their wages for their job, so I don't tip, except in a restarant where tradition pretty much demands it. I don't get any tip for the job I do, no matter how much out of the way I go to serve the customer, and I accept that. And I have gone for years without a bonus from my boss. I figure that if I don't like the wages I get, I move on. I can see where this is gonna stir up the pot a bit here, but that's the way I see it. Sorry.:)

Tell you a quick story. Few years back we had a seed convention at our hotel. 600 farmers, all big as barn doors. We had them for three nights, 2 B'fast, 2 dinners, lunch on their own which they had at our buffet. The first night, they drank us out of Bud light. Then they proceeded to drink us out of Miller lite, Michelob lite, and MGD. Total receipts at the bar that night was over 8k... total tips the bartenders took home that night $1.30. No mistake with the decimal place. Total tips the waitstaff took home under $1 each. Total lunch receipts each day 2k+.

Kuan

I think thats just something with farmers my Grandparents (farm people all there life) were that way.

What about tipping when you leave a motel room? I tip, but don't know how much to tip or if others do. Two trips ago, I forgot to leave anything and the next time I left about 10%, $15 for two nights. I stay in a very clean, economical motel in Seattle when I'm on business. I certainly appreciate the cleaning staff. I think I'll start to leave at least 15% but I would like to thank the staff personally.

I worked food service in high school and in college. Trust me, the waitresses and waiters are not making minimum wages! They rely on tips to make up for the difference in low pay. The businesses are not required to pay minimum wages for these people because tipping is expected... the law allows for this expectation and businesses only have to pay 50-70% of minimum wage... tips cover the rest. The average waitress is making $3.50/hour plus tips.

When I was working as a bartender (still do on the side) I work for tips only. Most bar owners have one or two regular bartenders on payroll for $5-$8 per hour, and hire 'occasional' help for holidays and special occasions (like Saturday nights). These occasional bartenders work for the tips only so the owners do not have to 'report' payroll... sort of like contract workers. On the bright side, I can usually pull an extra $150 on any given night working for tips only... last New Years I put over $400 in my pocket for 6 hours work!

Haven't you ever wondered why drink prices are $3.25, 4.50, 5.25, 8.25....... they are done this way on purpose so you will pay in whole dollars and leave the change, at the very least. Drink prices like the $3.25 and $8.25 are done so you will pay with a 5 or 10 and leave all the change for the bartender. It is also customary (proper etiquette) to tip a bartender $0.50 minimum per bottle beer, $1.50 per pitcher beer, $1.00 per mixed well drink, and $1.50 per mixed specialty drink.

Here’s a short list of proper tipping etiquette:

Bartender, $.50 minimum per beer, $1.50 per pitcher, and $1-5 per mixed drink. Tip as drinks are served
Barber/hairdresser, 15%, $1.00 minimum
Food delivery, $1-5 depending on distance and load
Hotel room service, 15%
Hotel housekeeping, $5.00 per night (paid on departure)
Restaurant, 15% (20% if large group or better than average service)
Supermarket bag carrier, $1-5 depending on load, $1 per bag if bagger is separate person
Gas station attendant, $1-2 (full service)
Mechanic, $10-20 for jobs up to $500, max $50 tip
Golf/country club, $5.00 minimum tip for any service
Valet parking garage, $1-2 for parking, $5 for luggage assistance
Valet parking (special), $5.00 minimum.
Pet grooming, 15%
Massage, 10% or $5.00 minimum
Taxi driver, 15%, $1.00 minimum
Tow truck driver, $5.00 minimum, $20 max
Auto roadside service (jumpstart, tire change, fuel delivery), $3.00-5.00 depending on service.
Airport Skycap, $1.00 per bag
Furniture delivery (Benzman500 this is for you), $10.00 per person, $20 per person if assembly was required

And the one you all have been waiting for :D
Exotic clubs, $3.00 per song if sitting at stage level, $1.00 per song if seated away from the stage. Waitresses tipped per drink, $1 min.

Many more are listed at http://www.tipping.org

The service industry in this country has gone to hell in a handcart. Workers do not care becasue they are treated like dirt. If we all said a few kind words and tipped appropriately, the service we receive next time will be better for all of us!

I spent 2 summer jobs working as a waitor. You never know how much of a tip to expect from people, but I have noticed a couple of things. European tourists are not always aware that they are supposed to tip in the US, as gratuity is included in most if not all restaurants over there in the bill. This is not necessarily there fault. Also, I had recieved more bad tips from the elderly then the rest of the population, but not always.

That being said, I always tip at least 20% or more in a restaurant.

I have also noticed at my car wash, the elderly do not really like to tip.

Especially this one guy in a Cadillac Catera that always makes me get every corner of his rims wiped and I have been doing this since I have worked there for 2 years and NEVER dropped a single tip.:mad: