Inappropriate tipping (?)

Now I know why a lot of Americans think Canadians are bad tippers. A lot of people I know here stick to 15 per cent. I'd only go 20 per cent if service is exceptional and I'm someone who grew up working at a golf course and living on tips. Usually I do 16 (it was my hockey number and I'm an idiot that way) and I may do a bit more if I'm really satisfied. I may do a couple bucks for haircuts, but never really think of it at takeout or coffee shops, and never at hotels. My thought was if you're not getting paid a cheaper wage - like servers — you're paid for your work already.

It's funny, though, you see tip jars more and more places. I think the last place I questioned was when a tip line came up on the debit machine for an oil change. I'm not sure if that's becoming common place now, but I know I sure don't make the coin to be tipping on every service going.

I remember when my wife and I went to New York City a few years back, we couldn't believe how pushy some of the tour bus operators, etc. were about tips and how they had no problem reminding several times they expected it. Some restaurants there also automatically put tips on your bill unless you told them not to. We thought it was in really bad taste, but that seems to be the way of the world.

 

I've always tipped movers and bought them lunch. I've never tipped a delivery person. I feel terrible now. I had no idea I was supposed to tip them.

I made my best tips as a coat check person in a gay bar. Wicked fun job, too.

Worst tips and suckiest place to waitress was a punk rock bar. No one sat at tables so it was hard to find people with their orders, it was freaking crowded to walk through and almost everybody ordered beer in long neck bottles, which are difficult to balance on a tray.

 

People from socialist countries are just less generous than Americans.
It's a fact.

 

At the risk of politicizing a damned good thread, with Obama in the White House and Sanders poised to win in Iowa today, how long can we go without calling America a socialist country too?

 

Except with health care.

 

Nice post, Amy.

I think for delivery, it depends on the type. I helped a friend deliever flowers in and around Mother's Day and Valentine's Day. The pay was terrible, so you were really working for tips.

If it's a delivery they carry into the house and (hopefully) help set up, they get a tip.

But UPS, postal service, FedEx -- no way they would get a tip.

 

I was just trying to make a funny, but I'd say it's too late for the U.S. to claim it is not a socialist nation.

 

I think I gave the movers $100 to split. There were 4 of them, they worked all day and it was a 45-mile drive between houses.

One interesting incident: I got a flat tire on the freeway going to work. I could have changed it myself, but I didn't want to get dirty heading into the office. I called AAA, but the Freeway Service Patrol truck happened by a couple of minutes later. He told me to call AAA back and cancel, he would change the tire. I handed him $5 and said "First beer's on me." He refused it. I said to please take it. He said no, he couldn't accept tips. So I flipped it into the open window on the passenger side of his truck and promised not to tell his boss.

I do remember a case at a former job where tipping was limited to 15 percent on expenses. One time I rounded up to the nearest dollar. It pushed the tip just a few cents more than 15 percent. The accounting dept. deducted that from my reimbursement.

I used to round up on the tip to make the credit card charge even dollars (my dad did it, too), until my wife started teasing me about it. Then I saw the owner/cashier of a restaurant counting out pennies for the waitress, who was getting cash reimbursement from the credit card receipt. I thought that was pretty ridiculous, so now I figure out approximately what 15 percent would be and add a couple of dollars. The tip amount is always in even dollars.

 

We were tipping in Innsbruck, and the bartender apparently was talking about it to her regulars. We didn't speak the language, though, so we kept tipping. She kept giving us shots on the side, and by the time we left, we could barely walk. And it was a mile walk back to the hotel.

 

My wife ran out of gas in a casino parking lot and then killed the battery waiting for me and our son to rescue her. I called AAA and the driver was really cool, even letting me have some gas for free.

I wanted to tip him but had no cash, so I went inside to use an ATM. While waiting in line, my son called and told me to hurry back because the tow truck driver and a patron were about to fight. Seems the customer insisted on driving down and parking in the aisle blocked by my car and the tow truck. This despite the fact there were at least 20 other aisles to park on. The dude, who appeared lubricated, parked and continued to argue with the driver before security broke it up.

The driver apologized profusely for losing his temper as I flipped him a $20.

 

How did I go through life not knowing I was supposed to tip delivery guys? I've had a gazillion things delivered by nice, polite and helpful delivery people who only received heartfelt thank yous from me. Now I'm worried about who else I've failed to properly compensate.

 

We used to give our regular UPS guy a tip around Christmas, but the past couple years with everybody shopping online they hire extra people for the holidays and December is the only month we don't get our regular driver. So we had to adjust that strategy.