Page 1 of 4 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 40

Thread: Tipping, so how does it work over there then?

  1. #1
    Senior Member Gazzak's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Posts
    448
    vCash
    500
    Points
    564,776
    Bank
    0
    Total Points
    564,776
    Donate

    Tipping, so how does it work over there then?

    Flying in to NYC tomorrow and totally looking forward to it, except one thing. Tipping.

    A couple of people here tell me that tipping people in the U.S. is expected rather than for good service. I'm shocked if that's true. My own thoughts on tipping are that if you provide over and above what I was expecting then I'll tip you as a thank you. Over here if a taxi driver is a grumpy git and doesn't want to talk in any way = no tip. If I have a meal and it's as expected then no tip. I've been told today that everyone expects tips.

    Reality please guys?

  2. #2
    forum fool 3fingersalute's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Posts
    545
    vCash
    0
    Points
    136,565
    Bank
    0
    Total Points
    136,565
    Donate
    I tip for meals - 15% for average service, more if they do better. As far as I know, wait staff are the only employees who don't even make minimum wage so that's why I still go around 15% even if the service was only so-so.

    Other than that, I only tip if something was above and beyond what was expected. I figure they're getting paid already to do their job so I'm only going to give them extra if they did something extra to earn it.
    "Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free." - Jim Morrison

  3. #3
    Senior Member Gazzak's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Posts
    448
    vCash
    500
    Points
    564,776
    Bank
    0
    Total Points
    564,776
    Donate
    Quote Originally Posted by 3fingersalute View Post
    I tip for meals - 15% for average service, more if they do better.
    Wow, really? If that's how it works then fair enough, it's just so different to what I'm used to if you tip expected service. Over here for great service then 10-15%, but that's got to be really good attentive staff and great food.

    I understand how it works in the casino's in Vegas where you tip for bringing you a free drink, no issue with that.

  4. #4
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Posts
    725
    vCash
    0
    Points
    131,838
    Bank
    0
    Total Points
    131,838
    Donate
    Yeah, most servers / wait staff make almost NOTHING hourly (the federal minimum cash wage is $2.13 / hour) Now the caveat is that if that amount + tips don't equal the federal minimum wage (which I think is $7.75 / hour) then the employer is supposed to make up the difference. But I doubt that happens as much as it should because I doubt that the employers ever divulge that little nugget to their employees and I'm sure that if one of the employees knew this (to be honest I didn't until just now) they would be let go for "performance issues" or something similarly bogus.

    I usually tip around 15% for standard service and then adjust accordingly. The worse or better the service the lower or higher the tip goes. I don't typically go over 20% though because really that's pretty exceptional service and a nice tip. Anyone who says that 20% should be standard has either been a waiter / waitress or has far more money to throw around than me.

    The one I'll never understand is tipping the mail carrier. They probably make as much or more than me, have government benefits, a great pension plan etc and I'm supposed to tip $50 or $100 at the end of the year because you did your job and brought me mail?...ummmm...NO.

  5. #5
    Senior Member Mobile PC's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Cleveland, Ohio
    Posts
    526
    vCash
    501
    Points
    362,363
    Bank
    0
    Total Points
    362,363
    Donate
    If you have a car, or van take you to your hotel, you tip them. You tip the person who brings your bags to the room. You leave a tip for the maid on your final day. Tip your servers. Tip the taxi drivers.

  6. #6
    forum fool 3fingersalute's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Posts
    545
    vCash
    0
    Points
    136,565
    Bank
    0
    Total Points
    136,565
    Donate
    Quote Originally Posted by 74AD View Post
    Yeah, most servers / wait staff make almost NOTHING hourly (the federal minimum cash wage is $2.13 / hour) Now the caveat is that if that amount + tips don't equal the federal minimum wage (which I think is $7.75 / hour) then the employer is supposed to make up the difference. But I doubt that happens as much as it should because I doubt that the employers ever divulge that little nugget to their employees and I'm sure that if one of the employees knew this (to be honest I didn't until just now) they would be let go for "performance issues" or something similarly bogus.

    I usually tip around 15% for standard service and then adjust accordingly. The worse or better the service the lower or higher the tip goes. I don't typically go over 20% though because really that's pretty exceptional service and a nice tip. Anyone who says that 20% should be standard has either been a waiter / waitress or has far more money to throw around than me.

    The one I'll never understand is tipping the mail carrier. They probably make as much or more than me, have government benefits, a great pension plan etc and I'm supposed to tip $50 or $100 at the end of the year because you did your job and brought me mail?...ummmm...NO.
    Agreed. My daughter waited tables last summer and was paid 2 something an hour and then tips made up the difference. There were a few nights where they put her in the back making pizzas or something when somebody would call off and on those nights she was paid $8 an hour or something.

    I've never not left a tip when eating out, even when it was crappy service, in that case I just left a very small tip. Normally I figure out what 15% is and round that to the next even dollar unless I had very nice service, then I go up to around 20%. Personally I think the whole deal needs re-done. Restaurants should pay their wait staff normal wages and if they "earn" more themselves via form of a tip, so be it.

    And I agree on the mail carrier. I don't tip mine at all but I will leave a nice card for him or maybe a bag full of cookies. I give very small tips to the pizza delivery drivers, they're already making normal wages. I also get annoyed with these "tip jars" that are starting to pop up everywhere I go like Dunkin Donuts, etc. So I'm supposed to tip somebody for turning around and putting a donut in a bag and maybe pouring me a cup of coffee?
    "Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free." - Jim Morrison

  7. #7
    forum fool 3fingersalute's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Posts
    545
    vCash
    0
    Points
    136,565
    Bank
    0
    Total Points
    136,565
    Donate
    Quote Originally Posted by 74AD View Post
    I doubt that the employers ever divulge that little nugget to their employees and I'm sure that if one of the employees knew this (to be honest I didn't until just now)
    My wife waited tables for years and was paid under $2 an hour by the employer. She was aware of this but there was never even one day where she didn't make out more than minimum wage anyhow. In fact, most days she averaged $20 - $25 an hour and that was 15 years or so ago.
    "Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free." - Jim Morrison

  8. #8
    Senior Member Gazzak's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Posts
    448
    vCash
    500
    Points
    564,776
    Bank
    0
    Total Points
    564,776
    Donate
    Quote Originally Posted by 74AD View Post
    Yeah, most servers / wait staff make almost NOTHING hourly (the federal minimum cash wage is $2.13 / hour) Now the caveat is that if that amount + tips don't equal the federal minimum wage (which I think is $7.75 / hour) then the employer is supposed to make up the difference. But I doubt that happens as much as it should because I doubt that the employers ever divulge that little nugget to their employees and I'm sure that if one of the employees knew this (to be honest I didn't until just now) they would be let go for "performance issues" or something similarly bogus.

    I usually tip around 15% for standard service and then adjust accordingly. The worse or better the service the lower or higher the tip goes. I don't typically go over 20% though because really that's pretty exceptional service and a nice tip. Anyone who says that 20% should be standard has either been a waiter / waitress or has far more money to throw around than me.

    The one I'll never understand is tipping the mail carrier. They probably make as much or more than me, have government benefits, a great pension plan etc and I'm supposed to tip $50 or $100 at the end of the year because you did your job and brought me mail?...ummmm...NO.
    Quote Originally Posted by 3fingersalute View Post
    Agreed. My daughter waited tables last summer and was paid 2 something an hour and then tips made up the difference. There were a few nights where they put her in the back making pizzas or something when somebody would call off and on those nights she was paid $8 an hour or something.

    I've never not left a tip when eating out, even when it was crappy service, in that case I just left a very small tip. Normally I figure out what 15% is and round that to the next even dollar unless I had very nice service, then I go up to around 20%. Personally I think the whole deal needs re-done. Restaurants should pay their wait staff normal wages and if they "earn" more themselves via form of a tip, so be it.

    And I agree on the mail carrier. I don't tip mine at all but I will leave a nice card for him or maybe a bag full of cookies. I give very small tips to the pizza delivery drivers, they're already making normal wages. I also get annoyed with these "tip jars" that are starting to pop up everywhere I go like Dunkin Donuts, etc. So I'm supposed to tip somebody for turning around and putting a donut in a bag and maybe pouring me a cup of coffee?
    Great explanations, I totally get that now. 15% and adjust up or down accordingly.

    Quote Originally Posted by Mobile PC View Post
    If you have a car, or van take you to your hotel, you tip them. You tip the person who brings your bags to the room. You leave a tip for the maid on your final day. Tip the taxi drivers.
    Why? Really, why? I don't get this. Why would I tip a taxi driver who doesn't say a word to me the whole journey or someone who pulls my light case that's on wheels that I'm happy to pull myself?

  9. #9
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Posts
    725
    vCash
    0
    Points
    131,838
    Bank
    0
    Total Points
    131,838
    Donate
    Quote Originally Posted by Gazzak View Post
    Great explanations, I totally get that now. 15% and adjust up or down accordingly.



    Why? Really, why? I don't get this. Why would I tip a taxi driver who doesn't say a word to me the whole journey or someone who pulls my light case that's on wheels that I'm happy to pull myself?
    the answer is that there is no logical explanation other then "that's just how it's done"

    it's never made sense to me either. I'd rather carry my own damn bag than pay someone $5 to do it, who by the way is already getting paid to do it anyway.....

    As far as when to tip service people (like maids etc) my sister has always employed the reverse strategy to mobile. Tip well early to ensure spectacular service during your stay. Kind like how you tip a bartender at a crowded bar well early in the night to ensure you get served promptly and not watered down drinks.

  10. #10
    forum fool 3fingersalute's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Posts
    545
    vCash
    0
    Points
    136,565
    Bank
    0
    Total Points
    136,565
    Donate
    Agreed, it's a stupid system. I don't understand why a tip is "expected' for somebody who is already getting paid to do a job. A tip should only be given when the person goes above and beyond and you feel it's something you want to do to thank them.
    "Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free." - Jim Morrison

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •