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?

We don't tip in New ZealandOh, 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.

i don't quit understand the tipping of SKYCAPS at the airport.
i walk up to the curb with my luggage. stand in line. carry my baggage to the skycap counter. they give me a baggage receipt and a security boarding document, and sometimes seating and i give them $1-2 per bag tip ?? lets see the skycaps are UNION at SF airport so they make very good $ with fringes.

now if i go inside to the ticket line i again carry my luggage to counter. the ticket persons checks in luggage , gives me a seat. sercurity document .. NO tipping is expected and i see no body tipping at check in counter. some are union some aren't ( southwest) .. in the end they do same job as skycap ... so why do we tip the skycap and not the ticket check in person ??

and why do we tip the hotel peron out front that just waves a cab ( from long line of cabs) 20-30 feet away ( as in las vegas ) .. i could just walk the 20 ft and talk direstly to the cab ??

Its a ridiculous expectation that no longer is rewarded on merit but by fiat.

Protocol at most better hotels (LV ESPECIALLY) to avoid cabbie and guest bloodshed is that ONLY a doorman can summon a cab.
Wait your turn. If your on hotel property, guests will USUALLY be directed to the doorman.
Unfortunately, when you ask the doorman's advice or directions, tipping provides more accurate info. Same with most personal service staff.....YMMV!!!!!

>They work a 40 hour week and they've made $102.80. But that >is before taxes, medical insurance, Social Security, etc.

If they're making $102.80/week, there are no taxes. At $5200/year, they're getting a fantastic return on Social Security benefits compared to what the average worker pays.
You can be sure they don't earn *only* $5200 / year. I worked in
the restaurant business for two summers during college.
There is a lot of money flying around off the books. The only tips that are documented properly are those included on credit card statements.

Having been a server during college, I can tell you that the tip is the only thing that keeps you from starvation. As a server you are paid WAY below minimum wage because it's expected that the tips will pay your salary. I don't know if restaurants lobbied for this exemption, but if you don't pay a tip, then you're essentially stealing the service from the person serving you. At that point it borders on slave labor.

NOW, if the server is rude, incompetent, or is otherwise the cause of you not enjoying your meal, then you are, by all means, free to reduce the quality of the tip. But here, in America, if you don't ever tip at least 10%, you are one stingy s.o.b. and should stop going out to eat.

Think of it this way - there is no other service in the world like this where you get to pay as much as is your satisfaction with the service.

Ultimately though, it's not the servers that have imposed this on you - it's the restaurants, who choose to pay employees with salaries FAR below the poverty demarkation.

wait
wait
wait....

In the US they pay waiters/waitresses BELOW minimum wage?!?!?!

What the ****?!? I'm sorry, that's absolutely f-ed up.
If restaurants can talk your government into letting them pay slave wages, y'all have some very serious problems. When did it chang to "...for the corporations, by the corporations" instead of "for the people, by the people"?

Sorry, I don't mean to rant, but now I realize why its such an issue in the States. I had no idea it worked that way there. Servers here get paid $8 an hour (minimum wage here), plus on average make about $20 an hour in tips for a medium range restaurant. Waitresses in bars or trendy places make a killing, everyone I know pulls in about $150-200 for a 4-6 hour shift. Nightclub waitresses can easily take in $400 a night for a 6 hour shift.
(all prices in Canadian $$). Part of the reason it bothers me is that these (mostly) college kids are pulling in more cash than people with jobs that require skill and education (like videographers...)

Oh, my fiancee used to work at a Starbucks a while back. Yes they have tip jars, but they don't ask or expect you to tip. They collect all the tips and split it up among the staff. SHe'd only average about an extra $0.50 an hour.

Anyway, please continue...

NOW, if the server is rude, incompetent, or is otherwise the cause of you not enjoying your meal, then you are, by all means, free to reduce the quality of the tip.Reduce the tip? You got to be kidding. I'd give 'em a piece of my mind, and I have resorted with a simple knuckle sandwish a few times. I recall one waiter being so darn rude, and then he actually attacked me. So I sent him flying about 20 feet. I just don't under stand how these types get hired in the first place. I've been a waiter and doorman in my younger years, and I have never, ever had a problem with anyone. You're there to serve and put up with it, and with a smile. It's comes with the job, and I enjoyed those jobs (and the tips).

It is unbelivable that they make less than minimum wage. Whos fault but the employees? There is no union Im aware of for servers.

And it is true, when Iwas younger, I bussed, served and bartended and you are only required to claim 10% (if I remember correctly). They are getting alot better deal than is apparent.

John, the IRS stepped in a few years back and forced stricter accounting of tips. The 10% rule was changed in the mid to late '90's.

>I don't know if restaurants lobbied for this exemption, but if you >don't pay a tip, then you're essentially stealing the service from >the person serving you. At that point it borders on slave labor.

There is so much under the table money at small shops and
restaurants that I don't even know why we're having this
discussion. If the payoff were less than minimum wage, college kids would be looking for work at minimum wage jobs instead of
the restaurant industry. The proof is in the pudding.

If the tip is mandatory, as it is when gratuity is already included in the bill or when a particular tip % is expected, then it's no longer a pay per service option. It's just a service tax on the backend.

Washington is one of a number of states that have a minimum wage higher the higher then the federal minimum and they also don't have laws that allow for paying below the minimum wage because of tips.

All my friends that have worked as servers back in Alaska (college students at the time) have been paid well, over $14 an hour after tips. One girl was getting this working at a drive through coffee stand, preying on caffeine addicts!

Cheers,
Huey

Some states have lower minimum wage. If the business does less than $500,000 a year they can set a lower wage than Federal Minimum Wage. Minnesota minimum wage is $4.90 hour for business grossing less than $500,000 a year.

Edit Seven states have wages below minimum wage, 10 states have wages above minimum wage (ranging from $5.25 to the just increased Washington State minimum wage of $7.16).

In Las Vegas (Nevada, as a state) cab drivers are employees ONLY and work on a commission compensation basis. That; and other employment classifications, are EXEMPT from minimum wage laws. They, waiters, waitresses, and casino dealers for example are taxed based on an assumption of income from tips by the IRS. That is, you are taxed on 110%-115%120% of your ACTUAL paycheck. Automatically calculated and withheld. Whatever your actual tips. You may get a 25% tip, or you may get nothing. But you're paying a fixed % in every case. BTW, each industry (dealers, waiters, cabbies) each have their own % standard.
(Why????? actually interesting story there. Awhile back, the IRS threatened the employers (casinos) with HUUUUGEE fines and penalties for not accurately reporting their employees incomes; and "negotiated" a standard to tax their employees on. No involvement of said employees; can be changed on them anytime.
There is currently fear and lothing the IRS is planning to increase the tax rate by "upping" the % of reported tips.......)

Weird, there is no tipping structure here at all.

Our mini wage is around 25-27k AUD a year, and a lot is based on that as well, like the price of an average family car and so on.

When i am in the states i find tipping an utterly bizzare situation, i followed the %15 rule as my friend in NYC said that just makes like easier, and always tip people who like take your bags and stuff $5, i kept a wad of $5 notes ready in my pocket to be quick.

But here is a strange story, when i was in BALI, they don't have a strict tipping policy by any means, it is not customary but so many tourists go there, it is becoming more frequent.

I went to dinner, with 15 people, we had this huge meal and were there for hours and only had a single waitress, who was taking care of almost the entire place.

Anyways, when the bill came it was around $50 AUD ($40 USD), this was with beer, and around 27 dishs (pretty cheap) so we thought, what the hell, and everybody through in about $2 AUD as a tip, so in the end we gave her $30.

Well she came out crying, and kissing people and screaming her head off in Balinese.

We found out, we had paid the equiv of 3 months rent with food for her and two kids, and more than she earns in a few months.

Ever since then, when i travel i do tip as heavily as my pocket will allow, and just goes to show, the people who need the tips the most are the ones usually suffering.

Ohh biggest tip i have ever seen given was $2500, this was at a breakfast cafe my dad and i had been frequenting for 10 years together every friday morning with a select crew of people we always catch up with, we are kind of part of the place now.

One of the waiters had fallen in love and was working there to afford to be able to fly back to Italy to marry his fiance' and bring her back to australia, so all the regulars tipped in and got him the ticket.

i still smile when i think about it, (i put in $100).

Zac

Tipping happens here as well, but it's starting to decline.
Especially with the fact that most people here are using electronic
(or "plastic") money these days. It would also be illegal to pay
below minimum wage here. People in restaurants get paid pretty
okay here.

I remember getting horrible service one time, so my friends and I left the exact amount and didn't tip. (Keep in mind, we'd all done our time in the service industry before, so we're sympathetic to things like working long hours, too many tables, slow kitchen, etc...even with that in mind, the service was BAD.)

As we walked out into the parking lot, the waitress ran out in a rage, demanding to know why we didn't tip. We tried to blow her off, but she persisted. About that time, the manager saw what was happening and came out and we explained the situation to him. She was fired on the spot. Hopefully, she learned something from that.

As a rule, in the U.S. I tip a flat 15%...but if someone doesn't deserve it, I don't pay that much...or at all. But if they've gone out of their way, I'll pay more. In some cases, a LOT more. An example of that...I was at a chain restaurant once and ordered a bratwurst plate. The waiter brought it my order with plain yellow mustard on the side. I kind of joked about it saying I needed spicy mustard, not your run-of-the-mill yellow stuff. He told me to hold on...ran out of the restaurant...we watched him run into a supermarket across the parking lot, then return with some spicy yellow mustard. I couldn't believe it...especially since I was just kidding. His tip turned out to be more than the food order for all four of us.

Here in Japan, though, there's no tipping. That certainly makes things easier.

Interesting discussion. I, too, have been in the service industry, so I know what it is like to work for tips. Knowing what I know about tips on credit cards having to be reported, whenever possible, when I pay using credit, I tip in cash. Cash goes straight to the pocket and can be used immediately. Also, it allows the server the "flexibility" to report whatever they want to report.

I tip between 15% and 20% normally, but if the service is horrible with no apologies from the waiters, I go to zilch. If, on the other hand, the service is excellent, I go above that. Yes, I am well aware that they earn less than minimum wage, and depending on where they work, they may be taxed on 110% of their pay, but that does not excuse poor service. In one restaurant we frequent, Armando brings us our normal drinks and appetizer right after we sit down. Armando is tipped very well.

When travelling, I try to carry a stock of $2 bills, and I tip with those. If I'm staying at the same hotel for more than a couple of days, people remember you when you tip with $2 bills.

$2 bills, that's a new one to me.

Zac

Zac,

I have some $3 bills I'll exchange for Aussie dollars before your next trip to the States.

$2 bill tips...that's a good tip, James. ;)

Another thing to remember...leave a tip in the room for housecleaning at hotels.

John if all goes to plan, i will have a 2 week shoot in april or may, i will know next month for sure... would love you to come down for it. :)

But that is for another thread.

John, if you want to be nice can you lend me some of those $1000 bills you guys have.... i'll buy ya a beer.


Zac

Jack Buck, the well known sports announcer, was well known among taxi drivers because he always tipped them $50, no matter how short the ride.

Yeah, $2 bills make great tips. Same with Sacagawea dollars and Kennedy 50-cent pieces. They're worth no more than regular currency but are perceived as being "special." Just ask for them the next time you're at the bank. You'll get smiles and hugs from your waitresses, etc.

We used to have $1 and $2 bills, but now we have coins. Not as good for tipping.

i'm staring to notice more TAXES on the bill when i travel around.
so are we supposed to tip 15% of total bill including tax or tip on the amount before taxes ..

and how about some of those airport car rental taxes !!!!
can sometimes add up to 40% of the car rental ..

Post-tax.

Don't tip your car rental clerk.

Are you sure Robert (did you check with your Mom)? I think the tip is on the total bill, so add the drinks, bar tab etc. but the tip is before tax.

I'll ask her (http://www.robertks.com/showpicture.php?picture=932_medium). Whatever she tells me, it'll be the opposite. :-)

In the overall scheme of things, the tip on the tax portion is pretty small so it really doesn't matter. Even on a large tab, say $400, and the tax is 10%, the tip on $40 is not that bag a deal, if you're buying $400 meals.

That's pizza and a beer here in Tokyo, Jeff. ;)

Things have changed.
I used to have to travel with 13 -plus cases to do a show in another city. If I didn't give the skycap at least $80, I'd have a case show up somewhere in another state. It was expected. Here in Atlanta, the skycaps are used to (or..were that is) seeing video gear and spotting a crew. They knew they'd get tipped $30 to cart stuff out to the curb and load it.

Now you pay big bucks to ship every single extra case. Bellhops are still making out pretty good moving gear for shows in hotels. Depending on how much and the distance- about $20 is the norm from the "security room" to loading a van.

Now if I could just get the company to factor that into the expense reports...

my two cents...
Jeff Patnaude

A friend of mine quit his job managing a medium sized retail store (15 employees) with a salary of about $35,000 a year, to take a job as a bellhop in a hotel. With his tips, he makes about the same money. Doesn't seem right.

I kind of felt bad the other day, but not really. I got my car washed and the guy walks up and hands me my keys, and I say "Hey thanks, Man, I appreciate it." He says, "No I appreciate it, I enjoyed working on your car." And, all I could think was, you enjoyed detailing my car? That is the most fake thing I have ever heard, and I didn't tip him. I know, I know, that's wrong, but I hate it when people obviously kiss my a$$ to get my money. I just like it when they kiss my a$$ and don't expect anything. That's when the big bucks roll out! People who are genuine get much bigger tips with me. People who try to make it obvious that they should be tipped now will get little to nothing. Crappy service gets the same, little to nothing. Exceptional service warrants 25% to 50% tip, and I don't have a problem with that. Treat me right and I'll treat you right. What's that saying....do unto others....

<<<-- Originally posted by Jeff Donald : John, the IRS stepped in a few years back and forced stricter accounting of tips. The 10% rule was changed in the mid to late '90's. -->>>

Guess that shows my age? lol