A "Tipping" Guide...Just in time for the holidays...

But the restaurants need people to go out to eat regardless of if they tip or not. Economy of scales my friend.

Mr. Obvious wrote:

Do you really thinking to postal workers turn down cash tips?

Do you really typing to messages without proofreading?

Reality checker wrote:

Federal law prohibits postal workers from accepting cash (or checks, etc.).

iamnotconvinced wrote:

Incorrect, sir. Federal law prohibits postal workers from accepting more than $20 in cash as a gift.

'The U.S. Postal Service forbids cash gifts. If you want to reward a mail carrier who really hasn't been deterred by snow, rain, heat or gloom of night, a book of Starbucks coupons or a box of chocolates worth $20 or less would be okay."

I love tipping threads on Letsrun!

Tipping a salaried worker is a joke, unless they are doing something outside the description of there job (a doorman helping you with groceries, for instance).

If the waitress complains about the tip, I truly don't care; I am literally giving them money I don't have to, they should be content with a %10 tip.

I rarely give less than %15, but with a higher bill, I might slide the percentage down since they are getting a larger amount of money. For cheap diners and stuff I usually try to give at least %20. For more expensive places, I wouldn't personally tip more than 12-15%. Sometimes, if we're in a large group and we ordered lots of drinks and sat around for awhile, I'll boost that up, but my baseline is around %15 once I'm paying more than $20 for a meal.

I also never, ever, ever tip at a bar (I never order a drink with more than 2 ingredients). If I am getting served at a table at a bar, I usually do tip a dollar or two for the night.

What did the leper say to the prostitute?

Keep the tip.

Reality checker wrote:

Reality checker wrote:

Federal law prohibits postal workers from accepting cash (or checks, etc.).

iamnotconvinced wrote:

Incorrect, sir. Federal law prohibits postal workers from accepting more than $20 in cash as a gift.

'The U.S. Postal Service forbids cash gifts. If you want to reward a mail carrier who really hasn't been deterred by snow, rain, heat or gloom of night, a book of Starbucks coupons or a box of chocolates worth $20 or less would be okay."

http://www.kiplinger.com/magazine/archives/2006/12/lowdown.html

I make it to my job in snow, rain, heat. Where is my book of Starbucks coupons? Rewarding people for doing the job they are expected to do is strange.

I'm glad I'm currently living in a country where it's considered rude to tip.

errrr wrote:

roughhouse doyle,

the waiter that was just at your beck and call for an hour serving your meal only made 2 dollars in that hour without your tip.

Hey, those waiters ain't starving to death. They make minimum wage. I used to work minimum wage and I wasn't lucky enough to have a job society deemed tip-worthy.

Roughhouse Doyle wrote:

Hey, those waiters ain't starving to death. They make minimum wage. I used to work minimum wage and I wasn't lucky enough to have a job society deemed tip-worthy.

Waitpersons do not make minimum wage.

hey ya wrote:

sorry am, that is just not true, anywhere. some bartenders may make min. wage (which is 7.55 nationally), but that is because they have managerial duties when it comes to the cash drawers and banks at closing.

and yes you are right, that server that makes 2 dollars an hour has to tip out the bartenders, the bus boys, and possibly the expeditor, so be kind.

Yes, that is very true in some places. Oregon for one. My sister is a server who makes minimum wage plus tips, has since she started. Nothing to do with managerial duties.

Living in Oregon, I can say that the waiters (or waitpersons for you PC pussies) do, in fact, make minimum wage (over 8 bucks an hour) in addition to tips. Suck on that.

u r rong wrote:

Roughhouse Doyle wrote:

Hey, those waiters ain't starving to death. They make minimum wage. I used to work minimum wage and I wasn't lucky enough to have a job society deemed tip-worthy.

Waitpersons do not make minimum wage.

Jay Yell wrote:

Living in Oregon, I can say that the waiters (or waitpersons for you PC pussies) do, in fact, make minimum wage (over 8 bucks an hour) in addition to tips. Suck on that.

What do the waitresses make?

first off he is quoting resovior dogs, so dont get too mad. second are you saying they make more or less then minimum wage. I dont think you can make less than minumum wage, thats why it is called minumum wage.

I am working in retail for the first time to get myself through grad school. This is my first holiday season being on the other side of shopping and it sucks. People come in determined to get one specific thing and expect me to go to the end of the world to find it for them.

I've literally had 3 people in the last few days of work ask for something, I've gone through all avenues to find it (searching our website, calling other stores, etc.), I cannot find it, and they still expect me to get it for them.

Now, when I do succeed getting it for them, therefore cutting down their time and money (free shipping when you order in the store and they do not have to drive to nearest store which is 1 hour away) do you think they tip me for going above and beyond for them? HELL NO. The most we get is a half-hearted thank you. Do you think I deserve a tip for going out of my way to help these cranky ass people get exactly what their brat of a kid wants for Christmas when we are already busy with several other customers?

am wrote:

Ontario for one. Maybe only at places that do not serve but it is true.

You live in our hat. This discussion is in regards to us, not our hat.

mr pink wrote:

first off he is quoting resovior dogs, so dont get too mad. second are you saying they make more or less then minimum wage. I dont think you can make less than minumum wage, thats why it is called minumum wage.

It depends on the state. In most states restaurants are allowed to pay the wait staff far less than minimum wage because it's presumed they'll make it up in tips. In Minnesota the average (not minimum) paid at high-gross restaurants is $6.15/hr for high-gross restaurants. Payroll taxes are withheld assuming 10% tips and if the waiter reports less than that, he doesn't get anything back, so if you leave a 0% tip the waiter literally lost money by serving you.

The article the OP linked to is clearly geared towards wealthier people who live in buildings with doormen who carry their groceries and cleaning ladies. So fractions of what is stated would be appropriate for most people, and while it's not necessary civilized people typically like to show their appreciation for those who make our lives easier on a daily basis. For jobs that are not tip-dependent I think of it as this: I agree to pay a certain fee or rate assuming I am going to receive mediocre service. If I receive service that was better than mediocre, I should show my appreciation with a tip. Do you guys seriously not give your child's 3rd-grade teacher a gift at Christmas time?

mr pink wrote:

first off he is quoting resovior dogs, so dont get too mad.

I was wondering how long it would take for someone to get that.

I am cleaning out my parents home. They saved everything.

On recycling day I typically put out 4 or 5 bins of cardboard, cans bottles and other materials.

Trash days are lighter but I have been throwing out all sorts of things from the house.

Not one time have the trash collectors or the folks who pick up the recycling left anything behind. Its been this way for 4 or 5 months now.

Luckily the people on the route have been the same since the start and I will probably give them each a 100 bucks. They saved me from having to make endless trips to the dump or having to spend a grand to rent a dumpster.

mr pink wrote:

first off he is quoting resovior dogs, so dont get too mad.

I was wondering how long it would take for someone to point that out.

Roughhouse Doyle wrote:

I don't tip because society says I have to. Alright, I tip when somebody really deserves a tip. If they really put forth an effort, I'll give them something extra. But I mean, this tipping automatically, that's for the birds. As far as I'm concerned they're just doing their job.

I tip more to make up for people like you