Tipping

[Coyote]

I recently received a haircut and when I was paying by credit card there was a line to add a tip. I have no idea how much to tip so I just added 10% but that got me thinking about who we really should tip.
At restaurants I always tip 20% (unlike some people who spend 20 minutes to figure out 15% when it may only be .75 more)
but also the I will tip the barkeep, taxi driver, and bellhop, but that was all I could come up with.
Anybody tip other workers?

[Brad]

I have always wondered the same thing about the the barber shop?

[the1wags]

When I used to pay for haircuts, I always tipped. 3 or 4 bucks on a $15 haircut. Yes on the taxi, and waiter/waitress, and of course the bar service.

[TechnicalDisaster]

I tip the hair stylist 3 to 4 bucks on a $17 haircut if they do a good job.

I tip 15% at restaurants + $1 per kid for the mess they make.

[joeglow]

I always tip $4 for a $13 haircut.  This last time, the lady acted like I was giving her my leg.  I was wondering if it was too much, but apparently, it is the norm.

[omahastylee459]

What about to-go orders?  Ive always been torn about tipping when picking up food.

[Brad]

What about to-go orders?  Ive always been torn about tipping when picking up food.

Less than half the people do.

[Ingersoll1978]

What about to-go orders?  Ive always been torn about tipping when picking up food.

Me too!  What about Sonic (when they deliver it to the car)?  

For coffee (normally at Starbucks)...I normally tip if I have cash on me.

For haircuts...always tip.  I tip $5 on a $20 haircut.  

Do you guys tip the people at the concession stands (like at the Qwest Center or Rosenblatt)?  When you pay by credit card at our venues, they have a tip line there.  Do you tip?  I usually do if I'm getting beer (even though it's $6)...but not food.

At restaurants, we usually tip 20%.

[Brad]

Me too!  What about Sonic (when they deliver it to the car)?  

I don't, but I have always wondered.
________________________________________

For coffee (normally at Starbucks)...I normally tip if I have cash on me.

Starbucks, yes.

________________________________________

Do you guys tip the people at the concession stands (like at the Qwest Center or Rosenblatt)?  When you pay by credit card at our venues, they have a tip line there.  Do you tip?  I usually do if I'm getting beer (even though it's $6)...but not food.

At the Qwest and the MAC I tip the "Beer Stand" people, but not the concession stand.  But that's because they have a tip collection going and its the same beer stand people at every game and you start to get to know them.

[ThatGuy]

What about to-go orders?  Ive always been torn about tipping when picking up food.

This is something most people don't think about, but it's a no-brainer to me. Someone has to answer the phone and put in the order. Someone has to take the time to put it together. Many times it's a server or bartender who's doing both. The food doesn't somehow magically prepare itself. Why shouldn't they get a few bucks for their time?

[ThatGuy]

To a certain degree Sonic falls in the same category. I always give a minimum of $1.

[ThatGuy]

And to answer your question about tipping others Coyote...the only one I can think of off the top of my head is hotel maids. I always leave a buck or two on the pillow when I leave the room in the morning and maybe a 5 on the morning I check out.

[Ingersoll1978]

What about to-go orders?  Ive always been torn about tipping when picking up food.

This is something most people don't think about, but it's a no-brainer to me. Someone has to answer the phone and put in the order. Someone has to take the time to put it together. Many times it's a server or bartender who's doing both. The food doesn't somehow magically prepare itself. Why shouldn't they get a few bucks for their time?

Are they being paid a servers wage (I'm talking at curbside places)?  I believe they are paid at least minimum wage (which isn't much...but still much more than servers).

[Omababe]

I always tip $4 for a $13 haircut.  This last time, the lady acted like I was giving her my leg.  I was wondering if it was too much, but apparently, it is the norm.

For a stylist that you go to regularly who does a consistently good job, 15-20% is appropriate, and I daresay expected.

My guess is that you don't go to a salon that has an assistant to do your shampoo, but if that's the case, a separate tip is appropriate, $1-2.

[nebugeater]

To a certain degree Sonic falls in the same category. I always give a minimum of $1.

Sonic = Fast Food with a gimmick.   I do not tip there.  If you tip there do you tip at Burger King, McDonald's, Runza, etc?  Didn't think so.

[nebugeater]

At the Qwest and the MAC I tip the "Beer Stand" people, but not the concession stand.  But that's because they have a tip collection going and its the same beer stand people at every game and you start to get to know them.

Maybe there is a hidden message there!

[nebugeater]

I have always wondered the same thing about the the barber shop?

Always tip  $2 - 3 on a haircut.  Maybe spend $12 on that cut to start with at one of the walk in places.

[nebugeater]

And to answer your question about tipping others Coyote...the only one I can think of off the top of my head is hotel maids. I always leave a buck or two on the pillow when I leave the room in the morning and maybe a 5 on the morning I check out.

Do you tip ( or gift at the holidays) the mailman, newspaper delivery person, babysitter, teacher, pastor / priest?

Do you tip at a buffet restaurant ( i.e. Valentino's)

[Uffda]

There has been a lot of articles written in the past few years about tipping getting out of control and all the tip jars that have shown up in places they have never been before like on counters of fast food, dry cleaning, cashier checkouts.

I tip when I eat out and tip $2 for my $13 haircut but I don't see the reason to tip everyone for even minor work. Now I don't usually don't do carry-out from a restaurant but I probably wouldn't tip there any more than I would at BK or McDonalds --- same premise --- some one takes my order and puts it together.

At the Qwest and the MAC I tip the "Beer Stand" people, but not the concession stand.  But that's because they have a tip collection going and its the same beer stand people at every game and you start to get to know them.

Most of the people who work the concession stands aren't Levy employees. They are volunteers for their club/team/organization and Levy donates money to their group for the amount of hours they work. Beer stand are Levy employees.  I also came across something that says you are suppose to tip your Usher if they help you find your seats.... damn I have lost a lot of money there.  :shock:

How about sales people in retail?  I work part time in a store for an hourly wage and no commission. Sometimes I spend an hour or more with a customer helping them get just what they need --- I have never been slipped a couple of bucks --- of course I wouldn't take them anyway.

Do you tip ( or gift at the holidays) the mailman, newspaper delivery person, babysitter, teacher, pastor / priest?

Mailman -- No - dont use paper person or babysitter (but never tipped the babysitter), pastor -- no - they make more than I do. Teacher -- have to say my child's teacher use to receive a little gift at Christmas but as she hit middle/high school that didn't happen as much. Also as a teacher -- i might receive a $5 gift Christmas certificate from 4-5 kids a year.

[Omababe]

How about sales people in retail?

Last time I worked in retail (ca. 1979) we were not allowed to accept gratuities. It may be different now.

When I worked in the hotel, desk people were not allowed to accept tips, although now the "20 dollar trick" is a common practice for room upgrades.

I also remember some restaurants in this area, Kings in particular, which had a no-tipping policy.  I haven't seen that for a LONG time.

[UNOstudent]

Before high school, I delivered the OWH in my neighborhood for 3 years. I had a relatively small route, about 35 regular customers, but I got tips pretty often. During Christmas, there were three people that tipped me $20 every year, may others tipped $10, and probably averaged about 300-350 during the holidays. on the Sunday of the 1997 Blizzard, one person tipped me $10 because they didn't even think they'd get a paper that morning. But like Brad said, I got to know my customers because I was walking to every house instead of just tossing the paper out of a car.

During the summer of 2001, I worked at Sonic with a friend. When you'd work, you wanted to be a carhop because you got tips. I'd guess about 2/3 of people tipped, most tipped an extra dollar or a dollar plus the change, but when you can deliver 20 times an hour, it begins to add up. On a busy dinner rush, I'd walk out with 75-100+ plus I was making 6 an hour.

[SarahEatsOmaha]

I dated a girl who's dad was a Mailman.... He made serious tips during the holidays.  He also had been on the same route in a good, established neighborhood for over a decade.  He would get tons of cash, Booze, Food, Cookies, Cards, huge tins of popcorn, gift cards, and on and on.... It was amazing.

It's that loyalty thing.. I for one really love tipping people I know and probably do so to excess.  The three I can think of are a waitress, bartender and my hairdresser.  Tipping the cleaning staff at a hotel is nice too, but make sure to put it in an obvious location or with a note - having worked in a hotel it was always a thought process when someone left cash out.  I didn't want them to have just left it and me steal it accidentally.  :lol:

I also tip the Sonic people if I have cash because I usually forget to ask for something and then they have to make a couple trips.

[Ingersoll1978]

We always tip the paper carrier during the holidays.  We send him $20.  He leaves us a card with our paper as a "reminder".  He did upset me off one time by calling me at 5 AM to tell me to call him, not the Register, if my paper was missing (I'm assuming he gets penalized somehow for it).  

This is a great topic by the way!  :)

[TitosBuritoBarn]

At Target we used to have a drive-up service where we would load your purchases into your car for you. We were not allowed to accept gratitude but I always did anyway. However, rarely did we ever get tips. I would say only 1 out of every 100 customers who came and had us load things into their cars for them gave a tip, even if it was a big grill or patio set which they obviously couldn't lift themselves. It seems like such things would fall into Dwight Schrute's rule for tipping:

Why tip someone for a job I’m capable of doing myself? I can deliver food. I can drive a taxi. I can, and do, cut my own hair. I did however, tip my urologist, because I am unable to pulverize my own kidney stones.

[SarahEatsOmaha]

Why tip someone for a job I’m capable of doing myself? I can deliver food. I can drive a taxi. I can, and do, cut my own hair. I did however, tip my urologist, because I am unable to pulverize my own kidney stones.

 that's a great office quote!

[Uffda]

After i pay the contractor/builder $4000 to build my deck i don't think he will also be getting a $50 tip.

A friend of mine noticed something at the QWEST during the Trials. He said the waitresses/waiter weren't making much in tips from the VIP boxes. The food and drink was free so people weren't taking money out to tip either.

[joeglow]

I don't drink coffee, but I remember the first time I went to Starbucks.  When I saw the tip jar, I just about crapped my pants at how presumptuous that is.  No one has every deemed you tip a fast food worker.  Same thing with an ice cream shop preparing you a dessert.  Yet, if you charge someone $5 for fifty cent cup of coffee, you should get a tip?  Sorry, but that is one I do NOT agree with.

Now, in college I delivered pizza and would get ticked at the number of people who did not tip (about 50%).  I figure, I take the order, make your pizza, drive my car to your house so you do not even need to get your arse off the couch, the least someone could do was give me a dollar and the change.  Overall, I did alright because those that did tip were usually pretty generous.

[OmahaJaysCU]

Back when I was a bag boy at HyVee, people would tip me all the time.  I technically wasn't suppose to accept them, but I did.  Most of the time I would pretend I didn't want to accept it but 9/10 people would give it to me anyways.  I wished that people followed the 15-20% rule at the grocery store.  For as much money as people spend there, I would have been pretty rich.  :D

I have also noticed that a lot more concession stands at stadiums have tip jars.  I have seen them at Miller Park, Bradley Center, Qwest, Rosenblatt, and Kauffman.  Most of them are just cups that some employee pry made up in attempt to get a few extra cents.  I consider arenas fast food, therefore, no tip.  

What I absolutely cant stand is the automatic tip added to your bill at China Buffet.  Why in the heck should I pay the server 18% when the filled my water glass once?  Half the time I don't even know what server is mine at that place.  Sure they are friendly but is that 18% worthy?  No way.

[OmahaBen]

I tip my barber a buck or two.
I tip 15% at sit-down restarants, +/- 5% depending on the service. Only ever stiffed a waitress once, when she saw 4 college kids sitting at her table and predetermined in her own head we were going to be lousy tippers.
Bartenders get a buck per round, in general, depending on the cost of the round.
Food delivery gets a buck+any coins.
Rarely take taxis, though they'll get a couple bucks since I normally have luggage with me when I do.
Will tip casino dealers by placing bets for them when I'm winning. it's not a consistent tip (since you lose more often than you win), but I've had it end up being a couple hundred bucks tip during one hot streak at a craps table that started with me making a single $5 pass line for the crew.

That's about it. I never tip at fast-food places, coffee shops, ice cream parlors, hotels, airlines, ballparks, the zoo, or whatnot. Frankly I think we tip too much as is.

[ModestMouse]

And to answer your question about tipping others Coyote...the only one I can think of off the top of my head is hotel maids. I always leave a buck or two on the pillow when I leave the room in the morning and maybe a 5 on the morning I check out.

Do you tip ( or gift at the holidays) the mailman, newspaper delivery person, babysitter, teacher, pastor / priest?

Do you tip at a buffet restaurant ( i.e. Valentino's)

I'm sorry but you are starting to sound like a bit of a jerk here, it's just that vibe I am getting.


I tip people who I feel should be, i.e. the people who are doing under appreciated work, maids don't get paid well and it makes their day if they get some money. Restaurant people? Of course I tip the people at the buffet, i leave money on the table when I leave. In fact, as someone who used to waiter alot, we'd used to talk about the people who didn't leave us tips, as a movie once said, you do not jerk around with the people who handle your food.

As for the mailman, I always try to give him/her a nice box of cookies etc, I do it for the newspaper people as well.

at the buddhist temple I never try to give him anything, but I make it known I'll help my local monk out if he needs it.

I do it for this reason, alot of these people probably never get enough people to appreciate what they do, or i understand they are doing this to support themselves and others, so why not let them know you appreciate them, and make them be able to handle the abuse they probably will get from other people who probably don't show their appreciation enough.

[nebugeater]

And to answer your question about tipping others Coyote...the only one I can think of off the top of my head is hotel maids. I always leave a buck or two on the pillow when I leave the room in the morning and maybe a 5 on the morning I check out.

Do you tip ( or gift at the holidays) the mailman, newspaper delivery person, babysitter, teacher, pastor / priest?

Do you tip at a buffet restaurant ( i.e. Valentino's)

I'm sorry but you are starting to sound like a bit of a jerk here, it's just that vibe I am getting.


I tip people who I feel should be, i.e. the people who are doing under appreciated work, maids don't get paid well and it makes their day if they get some money. Restaurant people? Of course I tip the people at the buffet, i leave money on the table when I leave. In fact, as someone who used to waiter alot, we'd used to talk about the people who didn't leave us tips, as a movie once said, you do not jerk around with the people who handle your food.

As for the mailman, I always try to give him/her a nice box of cookies etc, I do it for the newspaper people as well.

at the buddhist temple I never try to give him anything, but I make it known I'll help my local monk out if he needs it.

I do it for this reason, alot of these people probably never get enough people to appreciate what they do, or i understand they are doing this to support themselves and others, so why not let them know you appreciate them, and make them be able to handle the abuse they probably will get from other people who probably don't show their appreciation enough.

So mouse, was that directed at me?  Help me understand what comes off like a jerk.  I went back through my posts and don't see it.  I stated I do not tip at Sonic, I view it as fast food.  What I didn't say is that I go there once every 10 - 12 months.   The rest of my posts were in response to "where else d you tip.  I was tossing out some for consideration. Didn't comment on any other tan Sonic.

For the record

mailman,   NO
newspaper delivery person,   YES
babysitter,  YES - Holiday 9or maybe it is just considered a gift)
teacher,  YES
pastor / priest?   YES, for special or privet services and at Christmas holiday


buffet restaurant ( i.e. Valentino's)  yes, but less than a full service place.  

Cab - YES
Bellhop - Stay at places where I carry my own bag, guess I work for the wrong company and am not spending my $$ at those places either.
Airport curb side checking - I check in at the counter.

Need any more< just ask.  Now help me understand where I an coming off wrong so I can avoid it since it it my post that you replied to.



Overall I think I tip better than average as far as % goes and as far as people I tip.

[bbinks]

Not a tipping comment per-se, but one pizza delivery.   Who gets the "Delivery Fee"?  Papa Johns is $1.50, and Domino's and Valentinos are $2.00 for me.    If the driver in fact gets this delivery fee, which I assume they get a portion of it, that makes me inclined to tip less.   $2.00 Delivery fee and $2.00 tip for $4.00 total is a a bit much, considering they do several deliveries in one trip from the pizza place.  Ssince the onset of delivery fees,  I have dropped what I tip from $2-3 to $1-2.  

I don't drink coffee, but I remember the first time I went to Starbucks.  When I saw the tip jar, I just about crapped my pants at how presumptuous that is.  No one has every deemed you tip a fast food worker.  Same thing with an ice cream shop preparing you a dessert.  Yet, if you charge someone $5 for fifty cent cup of coffee, you should get a tip?  Sorry, but that is one I do NOT agree with.

Now, in college I delivered pizza and would get ticked at the number of people who did not tip (about 50%).  I figure, I take the order, make your pizza, drive my car to your house so you do not even need to get your arse off the couch, the least someone could do was give me a dollar and the change.  Overall, I did alright because those that did tip were usually pretty generous.

[Uffda]

Interestingly enough since this thread was started I have come across two what I would consider fast food places -- pancheros and a blimpies with a tip cup on the counter.... neither one did I contribute to.

[nebugeater]

Tipping question so I will bring this tread back to life

When We have Pizza delivered I always tip and tip well I believe.  What about a call in  or on line carry out order?  Do you tip on this type of pizza order?  Situation specifically is order on line, pick up and pay with CC and the Tip line is on the receipt as it always is.  Never sure what is the "proper" thing to do in this situation.  What does everyone do here.

[Midtown Gal]

One time the pizza delivery guy came to our house and my sister really wanted to pay for the pizza by herself - she's mentally challenged.  Problem was, my mom was upstairs and dad was in the basement when he arrived.  So when the doorbell rang, she grabbed $60 out of my dad's wallet and gave it to the pizza guy (It was a $20 order) and he took it & left!  I thought my dad was going to pop a vein, but my sister was so proud that she had made the transaction herself that he couldn't stay mad for long.

Very long story short, my parents called the pizza place and they returned their change, sans tip.

[Big E]

Tipping on delivery depends entirely on two things: time and attitude.  I'll tip $5 on a $15 delivery if the stuff gets there quick (or at least as promised), hot (when applicable) and I don't have some squirmy-mouthed toolshed reeking of cigarettes standing in my door.  You'd be surprised how quickly places make note of addresses that tip well.

As an aside, I've never understood these places that hire delivery drivers that they wouldn't let within 50 yards of a customer in the actual restaurant.  As if my home isn't up to the high standards of the (insert fast food delivery name here) dining room.

[nebport5]

Tipping question so I will bring this tread back to life

When We have Pizza delivered I always tip and tip well I believe.  What about a call in  or on line carry out order?  Do you tip on this type of pizza order?  Situation specifically is order on line, pick up and pay with CC and the Tip line is on the receipt as it always is.  Never sure what is the "proper" thing to do in this situation.  What does everyone do here.

I've worked in the service industry a number of years and even delivered pizza.  I say no.  I don't tip on carry out orders.  Remember that if you pay by credit card online or over the phone for a delivery there's going to be a line for a tip.  I don't know how difficult it is to alter the slip so that it doesn't have a tip line for carry outs, by why would they want to?  Though I don't think it's expected, it's always appreciated.  There are situations where the type of restaurant makes a difference.  I currently work in a polished causual restaurant and to go tipping is frequent but not expected.  Our host staff typically helps assemble the order and insure the accuracy which I believe leaves guest more inclined to tip.  But for carry out pizza, probably not.

[TechnicalDisaster]

Tipping question so I will bring this tread back to life

When We have Pizza delivered I always tip and tip well I believe.  What about a call in  or on line carry out order?  Do you tip on this type of pizza order?  Situation specifically is order on line, pick up and pay with CC and the Tip line is on the receipt as it always is.  Never sure what is the "proper" thing to do in this situation.  What does everyone do here.

I almost never tip on carry out.  The only time I can remember is Oscar's Pizza when I have a crazy large order and they help me carry the order to my car.  I'm talkinga  5+ pizzas, 50 charbuff wings, & 4 orders of breadsticks size order.

[Brad]

I tip on carryout orders if its a restaurant and the bartender gets your to go order.

[OmahaBen]

I tip on carryout orders if its a restaurant and the bartender gets your to go order.

Why? They didn't wait on you or serve you drinks, they were nothing more than a cashier for that specific transaction.