Tipping
 

I was watching Reservoir Dogs yesterday, and have been thinking alot about tipping recently. Combine the two, and I was inspired to start this topic.

In Res Dogs, Tarantino makes some excellent points one way or the other. What's your opinions on tipping? Who do you tip besides waitresses?

Maybe someone can tell me why I should give some uneducated highschool kid $10 on a $50 dinner, yet I don't have to tip the garbage men anything. The pizza delivery guy doesn't get that much, even though he's got to drive out to my house to deliver.

On the other hand, there are lots of people out there who deserve to be tipped, but generaly aren't. Who else do you tip?

Do you tip more when on a business meeting (see, sort of a tie in to something on the forum :) to impress people?

Discuss...

I usually tip, unless the the person absolutely doesn't deserve it, even if they expect it. :-))

When I've been to a place that tipping is normal (U.S. and very Few ocassions) I tip cause I just thought that was what you're meant to do! I was under the understanding that people get paid crap wages so live off tips. The thing that pissed me off though was when I was in NY once, leaving the hotel. The dude got my bags for me that I'd left at the desk. I asked him a question about best place to catch taxi to airport and he told me. I said thanks and then proceeded to walk away. About a second later I realised that I'd forgot to tip him, so I said "Opps, sorry forgot this" I then gave him some money and was going to leave and he then said... "Umm did you ask the best ride to catch to the airport?", I said "Err yeah" and so he then told me a different , better place. I should have told him to go *#^$ himself then and there.

We don't tip in New Zealand (unless you really really want and then the service would have to be royalty class). Some places might have jars at the checkout where you pay for your meal and can chuck some coinage in there for the person who served you but that's about it. I think it's a joke that it's called tipping or gratuity for apparently some good service when really it's just a tax. A tax that the collectors (employees) can get pissed off about if you don't pay up, and tell you bullshit or spit in your food the next time you go there :)

In a sense though it makes people honest. We aren't fooled into thinking that people are giving us good service cause they like their jobs. We know it's soley to get something from us. No hidden agendas there.



Aaron

Tipping customs vary quite widely from country to country. For example, in France, restaurant server gratuities are built into the prices of items, just like taxes, but diners commonly leave a token gratuity anyway, usually about the equivalent of a quarter US dollar. When I was in New Zealand I think I quite insulted the hotel baggage porters by trying to tip them each place I stayed in. I should have talked to Aaron before I came to get the skinny!

My mother--usually a font of etiquette--says that airplane curbside baggage handlers should get $5 US a bag. I think that's excessive. (But if a skycap voluntarily boxes up several small bags in order to save you from a $200 per item baggage overage charge, a $20-$50 tip is a bargain.)

In the US, tipping seems to vary widely. A lot of people say that anything over 10% is too generous, while I've heard others say under 20% is miserly. 15% is my base rate when dining. This covers prompt delivery of our meals by the server and an occasional (but not bothersome) checking-on to see how we're doing. Extra-friendly/helpful service merits a better tip; rude service gets no gratuity, and why should it?

Oh, that explains why there are so many Kiwis working in Vancouver restaurants and bars (while the Aussies have taken over our hospitals, the Americans buying property in Whistler). :-))

Living and working in Las Vegas I have seen and experienced all forms of appreciation. (Believe me)
Many visitors have and stick to their own standards; generally the more traveled the guest the better experienced at tipping they are. And usually the more appreciative of personal services.
Those providing the service are frequently very astute in quickly sizing-up their guests; they do it for a living......
Anyway, one indication of a discriminating tipper is a minimum of 20% or $2 - $3. That is; a serious request for service, info, etc. seriously provided. More if it's particularly satisfying. Abuse or ignorance garners NOTHING. More personal services than a cab ride, car valet, or doorman generate more adequate tipping.
Tour guides, golf caddies, and others with more time or effort invested start at $10 and can reach far more; satisfaction is the key. Lap dances also...... Hope this helps....

Never tip a lap dancer unless there is a happy ending...

What would that be?

If you have to ask...

Well, yes, I had to ask. I can think of a few, happy endings. I was just wondering which one.

Perhaps it's like Lord of the Rings where you have multiple endings?

I caught hell the other day, for leaving a $5 tip to the girl who cut my hair. She was very pleasant, even though the cut itself was not the best. Why the big tip then? It was the frindly attitude... and the way she kept bumping into me.

Normally, I will leave a decent tip, unless the service is substandard. A waitress that checks on me frequently will always get a large tip, where a waitress that barely makes an effort to get my food to me will find pennies- the ultimate insult.

The minimum wage for non-exempt employees (varies a little by the state) is $5.15 per hour, or a little over $10,000 per year. This puts you about $1,000 over the Federal Poverty Guideline (you'd be under the guideline in Alaska and Hawaii). Servers and waiters are exempt employees because they make more than half their income from tips. In other words they make $2.57 per hour. They work a 40 hour week and they've made $102.80. But that is before taxes, medical insurance, Social Security, etc. It's easy to see how important tips are to many service workers. In restaurants a step above MacDonalds, I tip 15%, nicer restaurants like a Friday's I tip 20% and 25% for restaurants above. The restaurant trade associations lobby very heavily to keep minimum wage and the current practices in place. Minimum wage has not increased in this country since 1996, over 7 years. Currently WalMart is lobbying very heavily to prevent any increase in the minimum wage law.

Wal Mart is also in the news for hiring illegal immigrants for less, making employees work through breaks, and having students work during school hours... I'm sure they are against raising minimum wage. I bet they would lower wages if they could.

As far as servers go, I won't tip just because it is expected, but because I enjoyed the service. If the service is less than I expect, then so is the tip. If they don't want to put forth the effort, they can always get a job at McDonalds, or become secretaries.

I typically tip 15% to 20% at a restuarant and will tip even more if the service is excellent and the venue upscale.

I typically give the pizza guy between 2 and 4 dollars (although they alwaysmess it up and forget the Coke) and tip the hairdresser chick between 3 and 5 dollars.

I hate doing it but I guess it's part of the deal.

What I hate, is the tip jar you see popping up all over the place at places you would'nt think to tip normally and really hate the fact that Starbucks employees (or any coffee shop for that matter) have the gall to have a tip jar. One already has to spend $3.00 plus on a coffee and they want a TIP ? The service at Starbucks is soooooooooooooooooo slow (yeah, I know they make it fresh) but there is always some ridiculous wait. I agree with Buschemi (Mr. Pink) but can't find it in me NOT to tip.