There is plenty of grey area when considering the etiquette of tipping. When to tip, how much and who are all questions that we are faced with from time to time. For example, my friend and I were playing golf the other day and when we finished a kid started cleaning our clubs. Now, this was a standard public golf course. In the many times that I have played this golf course, never has anyone cleaned my clubs after a round. So, as the kid is cleaning the clubs, my friend and I made some small talk with another guy who was working. My friends clubs were cleaned first and he walked over to get them from the cart. As he approached, the kid was actually holding out his hand. Being a nice guy, he gave the kid a tip of two dollars. I noticed he was doing this and was quite shocked. I mean come on, we didn't ask for our clubs to be cleaned. And what's more, the clubs were still pretty damn dirty. Why should I have to give this kid a tip? I decided that I didn't. When I went to get my clubs I made an Oscar nominated effort to not make any eye contact with the crappy club cleaner and pretended I was ignorant to the fact that he was asking for a tip. Needless to say I got out of there without opening my wallet. Now I am sure that you, like my friend, might be thinking that I am quite the cheap asshole for this move. But I have my reasons for the non-tip. First, I didn't ask for the service. Second, this kid is not making all or most of his earning based on his tips. And third, there is no way for me to know an acceptable amount to tip. Hence since these three key issues were working against the tipee, I don't have to tip. However, I think that if any of these three issues are working for the tipee they should then be tipped accordingly. And finally, here is a fun game when confronted with your most common tipping situation: restaurants. A friend presented this idea to me at dinner a short while back and I think that it is fantastic. Instead of figuring the tip at the end of the meal, place a generous tip on the table as soon as you sit down. Then take away some of the tip every time that you feel that you were short changed in your eating experience. This will make for great dinner conversation and the whole dinning escapade will be far more fun.
dHowe
d_howe posted on Jun 07, 2006
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Comments
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varada said on Jun 07, 2006....
That is a good idea and worth trying. Leave a big tip on the table before you order for food. Everytime you feel you are not being serviced well, reduce the tip proportionately. Nice way to get good service in the restaurants. -
puma17 said on Jun 07, 2006....
It's a cute idea, but you'll probably just piss your waiter off. I've worked in lots of coffee shops, and those tips are important - food/service jobs are boring, the hours are long, and the customers are bitches. So if I go out of my way to be nice, make a conversation, look pretty and flirt a little, then I usually expect some tip. I've made you a little happier, and you if you tip me, I'll be a little happier, too. But at the same time, holding out money and expecting someone to treat you well is insulting. The system works to the customer's benifit in more than one way. Repeat customers (who are friendly and tip well) usually get very good service. I learn my regulars' names, ask them about things going on their life, and slip them a free coffee when they're having a bad day. -
girlstuff said on Jun 07, 2006....
You sound really cheap, d_howe. When you're in Europe or Asia, you don't need to tip in most places, but in the U.S., we tip for just about everything. You don't need to tip an arm and a leg, just anything between 10-20% is appreciated by most people. You're paying for their time and service and attitude, in addition to the basic gesture. How many times have you asked for extra sauce or refills or napkins at a restaurant? It's a hard job and unfortunately, you'll never understand if you've never worked in the service industry. -
Tappa said on Jun 08, 2006....
Well thank teh lawd I live in NZ - Tipping is Not customary here in any line of work. NZers have always hald the opinion that we earn a good wage/they are paid a good wage to for the job we're paying the employer for. Sub-optimal customer service is no service at all. Employers here train their staff in good customer setrvoice/relations - hell, we even have secondary and tertiary level plus hospitality industry qualifications in customer service! If you get poor service - you complain to the company/floor manager. You get good service - you thank the worker, thank everyone in the house, recommend the place to friends, and pay you (sometimes exorbitant) bill. End of story Many hospitality workers here are Insulted when tourists tip. Only workers immigrated from Europe or the US take the tip. In many restaurants here, the tip is accepted and placed Directly into a charity jar, that's paid out to a charity chosen by the staff. Thought you'd like to see another side of the issue. (PS, staff who feel underpaid are entitled to negotiate a modification to their employment contract, or to take industrial action if required. Most employers here appreciate their good quality staff and pay as well as they can afford.) -
Tappa said on Jun 08, 2006....
OOPS - poor typing skills, sorry. That's "thank the lawd", "always held the opinion", "a good wage to do the job", "train ... customer service/relations", "and pay your bill".
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