Has tipping gotten out of hand?

[Deleted]

www.thestar.com/travel/article/1248066--travel-etiquette-has-tipping-got-out-of-hand


Kitty Bean Yancey
USA Today
0 Comments
Has travel tipping gotten out of hand?

Consultant Keith Anderson of Atlanta thinks so. “I’m 51 years old and I grew up when it was pretty black and white who you tipped. It’s grayed tremendously in the last decade or so.”

Nowadays, it seems everyone has his or her hand or tip jar out, travelers say, and tipping guidelines can be 50 shades—or more—of gray.

A July USA TODAY online travel survey drew 4,700 respondents, with 79% saying “too many people expect something extra.” Seventeen percent said “hard-working people deserve tips,” while 4% said they never or rarely tip.

“The rage you encounter over tipping is incredible,” says Steve Dublanica, a former waiter and author of Keep the Change: A Clueless Tipper’s Quest to Become the Guru of the Gratuity. What to give whom causes confusion, guilt and anger that is heightened by what he calls “tip creep”—the expanding number of workers seeking extra bucks for their services. He even saw a tip jar at a newsstand in a Pennsylvania mall.

Anderson, who also has worked in the service industry, is not averse to laying down 20% for a competent server or a couple of dollars daily for a hotel housekeeper. But now “I see people tipping stewards and stewardesses,” he says. “I don’t know if it’s unsophisticated fliers or what.” (Veteran flight attendant Sara Keagle, author of theflyingpinto.com blog, confirms that “passengers try to tip on occasion. Flight attendants are generally not allowed to accept gratuities, but if the passenger insists, then it is OK to accept” to avoid a scene or embarrassment.)

Retiree Phil Matthews of Goodyear, Ariz., is one of many USA TODAY survey respondents who say that in days past, “tipping was for service beyond minimal. The greater the effort, the greater the tip. Now, even terrible service expects a tip. It’s more people expecting tips, and people you used to tip expecting more.”

Anyone who has drawn glares from an inattentive server for daring to leave 5% can relate, as can those who travel light and play tug-of-war with roll-aboards with bill-seeking bellmen. Consider some tipping trends:

•More U.S. restaurants include a service charge, even for small parties. The stated reason may be so that international visitors know something extra is the custom, but many customers “don’t see this inclusion in the menu’s fine print and actually tip another 15% to 20%,” says traveler Ken Perry, 67, of Columbia, Tenn. Ditto with that blank line for tips on hotel room service bills, which typically already include a gratuity and delivery charge. Whether to tip on a restaurant bill before or after tax is much debated. “I tip on the tax, but you don’t have to,” says Dublanica, who also has a blog called waiterrant.net. “But everyone would like you to.”

•More cruise ships automatically put gratuities (sometimes $12 a person per day) on bills instead of relying on passengers to hand out tip envelopes. Cruisers such as George Matey, 67, of Arvada, Colo., and Tony Ellis, 55, of Pflugerville, Texas, are among those who dislike set tips. They don’t think that encourages better service, and “a mandatory tip is no longer really a tip, is it?” Matey says.

Ellis, a computer-support technician who in the past has driven limos and worked for tips, says they do drive customer service in his experience. And he doesn’t want someone “to tell me what I need to give,” especially if a waiter messes up an order or his luggage wasn’t handled properly.

•Staffers at all-inclusives might solicit tips, though such resorts sell themselves as “everything covered” getaways. TripAdvisor’s Negril, Jamaica forum has a heated discussion about tipping at Sandals resorts, which have a no-gratuity policy. Some found tips expected, others say tips were refused. Some travelers can’t help handing out extra, especially to those who live in poverty. Donna Mussotter, 58, of Royse City, Texas, saves $5 bills to reward low-paid workers, because “while I am by no means wealthy ... sharing my good fortune gives me pleasure.”

•Drivers of some airport rental-car shuttles seek bills via theatrical patter and by racing to help passengers who don’t need aid. That drives Fort Worth sales manager Azor Phelps crazy when “I just have a briefcase and a little bag” and the driver is looking at him “like a hungry dog.”

[Deleted]

In related news, Quebecers are lousy tippers

“Queeb tax”: Why French-speaking Canadians pay more in Vermont
WENCY LEUNG
The Globe and Mail
Published Tuesday, Aug. 28 2012, 2:04 PM EDT
Last updated Tuesday, Aug. 28 2012, 2:14 PM EDT

We’ve heard about restaurants automatically adding gratuity fees to foreigners’ bills before. But sometimes, it turns out, the stingy foreigners are … us.

According to ABC News, some restaurants in Burlington, Vt., are tacking on at least 18 per cent to the food bills of diners who speak a foreign language – and by foreign language, they mean French. As the broadcaster points out, the Vermont town is less than 160 kilometres from Montreal and attracts plenty of Canadian visitors each summer. And it appears we Canadians are considered lousy tippers.


“But some Canadians come in, they spend like $100 or $150 and they leave the wait staff maybe a $1 tip,” she said. “It happens pretty often. I realize the Canadians think it’s discrimination, but on all the receipts it’s printed out on bottom – ‘we suggest an 18 or 20 per cent tip.’”

Ms. Kong, who is from Hong Kong, explained that Canadians aren’t the only ones cheaping out on tips. “Asians do it also. But it seems that Canadians tip the worst.”

One waitress told the broadcaster that a group of Québécois diners left a measly five-cent tip on a $40 bill. Ouch.

It seems customers from other nationalities – even foreign-language-speaking Americans – are getting caught in the mix. A France-born U.S. resident says she was automatically charged for gratuity at different restaurants because she had been speaking French.

Restaurant staff “explained to us that they get pretty bad tips from people from Quebec and Europe, and that they had a policy to add gratuity to get what they needed,” Anne-Marie Humbert said.

As ABC News notes, servers in Vermont earn a paltry $4.10 (U.S.) an hour and rely on tips for a living. In Quebec, servers make a minimum of $8.35 (Canadian) an hour.

According to the Vermont publication Seven Days, servers in the state even have a name for the automatic gratuity charge: the “Queeb tax.”

Is it fair to impose an automatic tip? If it meant avoiding discrimination, would you be prepared to accept a universal surcharge for service?

[Knight]

Oh no, you said the magic word.

[Deleted]

Aug 29, 2012 8:29:48 GMT -5 Knight said:

Oh no, you said the magic word.

to be fair there was no inclusion of the "r word" (ie something you might put on a salad) so maybe this won't trigger anything.................

[Deleted]

And as to the actual article, I tend to agree. I feel like I am tipping a lot more than I was even 5 years ago and sometimes I don't get it. I've had people try to tip me when I was working retail. I was like, ummm, that's really not necessary. Not every situation where someone helps me requires a tip in my opinion, but I think it becomes a hazy line between who gets a tip and who doesn't. Servers, yes. Hair stylist, manicurists,etc - yes. Beyond that it gets hazy to me.

[Deleted]

I feel like I'm supposed to tip too much. I find it very overwhelming especially in foreign countries. Am I tipping too much or not enough.

[wawa]

The debate on tipping at Sandals is hilarious. That's where MH and I ended up for our honeymoon and the first day we had a frantic whispered debate about whether we were supposed to tip the bellhop. They say there's no tipping, but he sure looked like he expected a tip...I don't remember whether we tipped him.

i haven't noticed new people expecting tips - but perhaps I'm oblivious and have been leaving a wake of angry service industry people behind me with empty hands. What kinds of people are expecting tips that weren't before?

I have noticed a sharp increase in restaurants automatically adding tip. Which I hate. Unless the service is awesome, you're just shooting yourself in the foot adding an automatic 15% or 18%, because then I'm just going to pay the tab, but left to my own devices I'm a default 20% tipper because the math is easier.

If the service is really good I will add the extra money to bring the tip to 20%. But it has to be great. Not just ok.

ETA: I guess to be accurate the management is shooting the staff in the foot...but I'm still lazy enough that if you add a tip I'll just pay what you tell me to, regardless of whether I woudl have paid more otherwise.

[msmerymac]

I thought it was weird when places like Subway started putting out tip jars for their "sandwich artists." And I'm someone who tips baristas. But I think that's more appropriate than tipping someone who basically just made a fast food sandwich. In fast food (again, not coffee, although I know fast food and gourmet coffee lines have been blurred) tips were never traditionally expected, so... it was odd.

[Deleted]

i do like when we go on the QM2 that they automatically charge $13/day per person for tipping. We usually end up giving our waiter and room steward something extra but they are the only staff who we really see regularly throughout our stay

[AJL]

I'm surprised how much this issue can really make people hot under the collar. I'm usually confused about who gets a tip and who doesn't. I tip restaurant servers and my hair stylist. I tip the bell man at hotels. Beyond that, I'm at a loss. I'm also bad about holiday bonus tips for services like the lawn cutters and the cleaning lady (we don't have a cleaning lady). What's the protocol, usually?

I do get irritated with tip expectations. I know that servers are paid a very low base wage here, and make up a large part of that in the tip, but a tip is subjective. One persons idea of good service meriting an 18-20% tip may not be good enough for another person who will only tip 15% or less. I would much prefer that servers were paid a higher base pay, but then I suspect if that happens, patrons would be even less likely to tip.

I do appreciate that this is a part of our culture. In Japan, tipping is anathema.

[dochas]

Aug 29, 2012 8:44:28 GMT -5 msmerymac said:

I thought it was weird when places like Subway started putting out tip jars for their "sandwich artists." And I'm someone who tips baristas. But I think that's more appropriate than tipping someone who basically just made a fast food sandwich. In fast food (again, not coffee, although I know fast food and gourmet coffee lines have been blurred) tips were never traditionally expected, so... it was odd.

I don't think pouring coffee is any more special than making a sandwich and I don't think either place needs a tip jar. And I guess the cash paying minority are the only ones who are expected to tip? Because I've never seen debit card users put a little something extra on for Starbucks guy.

Someone tried to tip my husband at work recently - my husband is an X-Ray Tech!!!

[laurenpetro]

you should see the tipping threads on the cruise board i lurk on. they're krazy. and kind of disgustnig.

i don't remember the actual wording but one person said something about carrying an envelope full of "lucky bucks" (i never got clarification on what a lucky buck is, exactly. i assume a $5?) and would give them out. i got the "DANCE FOR ME!!!!" vibe from that post. blech.

[Deleted]

Aug 29, 2012 8:45:12 GMT -5 @septimus said:

i do like when we go on the QM2 that they automatically charge $13/day per person for tipping. We usually end up giving our waiter and room steward something extra but they are the only staff who we really see regularly throughout our stay

i have always received exceptional service on cruises so im happy to tip.

but a cabbies who dont speak to you and then hold their hand out? grrr!

[pixy0stix]

I had read somewhere that Starbucks prohibits tip jars, etc.

Anyway, the only people I tip are actual servers.

[mominatrix]

Aug 29, 2012 8:50:16 GMT -5 dochas said:

I don't think pouring coffee is any more special than making a sandwich and I don't think either place needs a tip jar. And I guess the cash paying minority are the only ones who are expected to tip? Because I've never seen debit card users put a little something extra on for Starbucks guy.

As a resident of Seattle, let me defend the art of Barista-ism.

And, I don't tip at Starbucks - I think Pixy is right, that they dont' allow tip jars there.

But I do tip at independents. I don't tip if somebody just "pours" a coffee.

But when I used to work downtown and visited the same coffee stand every day and they knew me and my order had it waiting for me by the time I got to the front of the line, then, yeah, they got a tip.

And I paid by debit card... I'd either ask them to overcharge me by $5 periodically, or their receipt had a tip line, back in the day when you had to sign everything.


IMHO, Baristas are like morning Bartenders. You tip them if you want to maintain a good relationship and keep the juices flowing happily. You'd never not tip a bartender because they just "pour" your drinks.

/wanting a coffee right now and not feeling like hauling my lazy ass to the pot to make it, so a barista sounds like a god to me right now.

[bqbride]

I even see tip jars at some fast food drive thrus around here. Give me a break!

We own a plumbing company, and people sometimes try to tip dh for service calls. We own the business and charge $104.75/ hour. No tip necessary!

[heightsyankee]

I worked in the service industry for years. I am a heavy tipper- around 30% for great service, 20% standard and never less than 15% even if the waiter sucked. the reason for this is that the tip is just not his- a waiter tips out to many other members of the staff, including the bus boys, food runners, bartender and hostesses (depending on the restaurant of course).

I throw change or singles in the jar at the coffee shop or the sandwich shop. At the risk of sounding totally pompous, a few extra bucks is not a lot to me. I am very fortunate at this point in my life but have worked a lot of low paying, service oriented jobs. I am happy to have the folks living on $7 an hour at the Subway have a few extra bucks at the end of the day. I'm a socialist like that.

I way overtip my hairdresser. In turn, she cuts my kids' hair for free 9 times out of 10. I know if she does charge me, she's got a need for the cash at that time.

All this being said, I do have tip fatigue. It's too much. It's everywhere. The standard is tipping for a service, but do we really have to tip people who are just doing their job? I am fine with them putting jars out, I guess. What I can't stand is when it says "TIPS GO HERE" on thr front or some such shit. That makes me feel guilty and I am less likely to leave money if they try to guilt me in to it.

One time I stuck $2 in a jar next to cash register at a local bakery. The girl looked at me so confused and then said "that's where I keep my pens." LOL.

And all the Starbucks around me have tip jars except for the ones at Target or the supermarket.

[meshaliuknits]

Aug 29, 2012 9:35:26 GMT -5 mominatrix said:

Aug 29, 2012 8:50:16 GMT -5 dochas said:

I don't think pouring coffee is any more special than making a sandwich and I don't think either place needs a tip jar. And I guess the cash paying minority are the only ones who are expected to tip? Because I've never seen debit card users put a little something extra on for Starbucks guy.

As a resident of Seattle, let me defend the art of Barista-ism.

And, I don't tip at Starbucks - I think Pixy is right, that they dont' allow tip jars there.

But I do tip at independents. I don't tip if somebody just "pours" a coffee.

But when I used to work downtown and visited the same coffee stand every day and they knew me and my order had it waiting for me by the time I got to the front of the line, then, yeah, they got a tip.

And I paid by debit card... I'd either ask them to overcharge me by $5 periodically, or their receipt had a tip line, back in the day when you had to sign everything.


IMHO, Baristas are like morning Bartenders. You tip them if you want to maintain a good relationship and keep the juices flowing happily. You'd never not tip a bartender because they just "pour" your drinks.

/wanting a coffee right now and not feeling like hauling my lazy ass to the pot to make it, so a barista sounds like a god to me right now.

I agree with momi. They guy I see at Peets every Friday morning is awesome.

The starbucks in Lebec totally had a tip jar, though. I remember because I had to sign my receipt on top of it. I kind of feel that anyone working/living in Lebec deserves a tip. I didn't even want to get out of the car. The devil's wind blows over those hills.

[pixy0stix]

I'm now trying to find where I read about starbuck's tip policy, and I'm not finding.

I did find where they were sued because someone claimed the tip jar at the drive-thru window was inviting crime, or something.

[laurenpetro]

i can't remember the last time i went to a starbucks that DIDN'T have a tip jar.

[Knight]

I tip servers and my hairdresser. I also tip the guy at Subway but I wouldn't normally. He's just really nice and gets a lot of thinly veiled racism around here (he's Indian) plus he always gives J a free cookie or two when I bring him in.

[dochas]

Aug 29, 2012 9:35:26 GMT -5 mominatrix said:

As a resident of Seattle, let me defend the art of Barista-ism.

I have no experience with the actual art - so it may very well be tip-worthy! My experience is with the jackass coffee jockeys at NYC Starbucks (every single location I ever went to before refusing to enter them under any circumstances). A customer's desire for milk is not their problem. So the cup is filled to the rim and you are waived disdainfully over to the milk bar. Where there are signs instructing you NOT to pour liquids into the garbage slot. Do I pour it in my pocket, drink it black? No tip for you!

I love the plain old coffee cart guys but they do not take credit cards and they hold the attitude!

I see someone mentioned the dip jar! I came back to this thread because I JUST saw it in the paper. How funny!! www.nypost.com/p/news/local/tip_the_morning_to_you_AvAoD3qobp2z1yVPuCXNEN

[ttt]

We were on vacation once in the Caribbean, and the cab driver tried to rip us off (blatantly) by claiming some nonsense about the exchange rate. When we pointed it out to her, she argued and then finally conceded. Then she got mad at us for not tipping her!

I hate the "tip creep" too because it seems like more of an excuse for employers to pay their employees less while keeping prices the same.

I also kind of hate the argument "well servers don't get minimum wage, they only make $2 an hour!" That's not really true. That's their base pay but the employer is legally required to make up the difference between that and minimum wage if they don't get it in tips.

I tend to hate mandatory gratuities because then the service usually sucks big time (witness our recent GTG, Mer & KA!).

[ttt]

Aug 29, 2012 10:23:03 GMT -5 @majorwife said:

I don't like that we get christmas cards from the paper boy, the garbage men, the recycler and they all want a tip.

I do tip our mail lady since she is super nice.

My rule is that if I've never spoken to you personally, you've never done anything above and beyond your job, and you send me a card with your name and address in it, you are not getting a tip from me. Ever.

We tipped the UPS lady every year back in VA because she was awesome. But guy who delivers our newspapers, sporadically and poorly, who sent me a card with nothing but his name and address in it? No.

[mominatrix]

Aug 29, 2012 10:15:21 GMT -5 dochas said:

Aug 29, 2012 9:35:26 GMT -5 mominatrix said:

As a resident of Seattle, let me defend the art of Barista-ism.

I have no experience with the actual art - so it may very well be tip-worthy! My experience is with the jackass coffee jockeys at NYC Starbucks (every single location I ever went to before refusing to enter them under any circumstances). A customer's desire for milk is not their problem. So the cup is filled to the rim and you are waived disdainfully over to the milk bar. Where there are signs instructing you NOT to pour liquids into the garbage slot. Do I pour it in my pocket, drink it black? No tip for you!

No.
I'm talking about people who give a coffee order that includes what temperature they want their steamed milk to be. This goes way beyond "room or no room?"

As for art, I'm talking about places where your latte comes to you like this:


It's nice. It makes you feel a bit special.

As much as Starbucks is OK, it's not what I'm talking about. Their machines that don't require a barista to actually touch coffee makes the whole thing a bit suspect in my book.




(when I was looking for that image I came across this, and decided I had to share, because, yes, he looks like 80% of male baristas here:

[dochas]

MMMmmm. I would like that latte. And I would tip for it. (I can't see your barista image though)

Wow. I just remembered that my brother in law was talking about someone who is a barista. And has all sorts of equipment even at home. Temperature of the water is just so and everyone has said it is the best coffee they have ever had. I wonder if they get tired of making coffee. lol

[osulori]

I tip servers, my stylist, and my nail/eyebrow person...that's it, I think.

The most recent place that had made me raise an eyebrow a little over the presence of the tip jar has been the self-serve yogurt place by my house.

[ttt]

Aug 29, 2012 10:52:47 GMT -5 osulori said:

I tip servers, my stylist, and my nail/eyebrow person...that's it, I think.

The most recent place that had made me raise an eyebrow a little over the presence of the tip jar has been the self-serve yogurt place by my house.

lolol what is the rationale behind this??? Because they spent ten whole seconds taking your money and giving you change, possibly?

[osulori]

Exactly. I mean, I'm sure there are the occasional yucky parts associated with the job (I worked at a Dairy Queen in HS, and still have nightmares about the yuck associated with that place) but really?

Almost forgot-we do tip pizza delivery guys. A friend's H delivered pizzas as a side job for a while, and thanks to her we know 1. approximately how little they get paid between hourly wage and % of delivery fee and 2. a lot of the BS the delivery guys have to put up with. I can't NOT tip now.

[Deleted]

I read somewhere once that historically 7% was the appropriate tip, but since only half of people tip, it was raised to 15%. Has anyone heard this? Now, your cheap if it's only 15%.