While we all may make tipping choices a little differently, it seems overall that people here are tipping pretty fairly. There is no contest for who tips the most or least.
So let’s hope things “average” out! If most consumers tip the majority of fair tipping places - well, maybe it all irons out to fair tipping to those providing above average to excellent service.
I’m a tutor. No one tips me. Why?
Because I have an hourly rate.
I have once or twice been offered a tip, but wouldn’t accept. I have had some students give me token gifts, such as a mug or candy.
But why not tip me? Am I doing anything different to the hair stylist, who expects a tip? I typically work with students for two months to a year. That’s a lot of time to spend with a child.
The bus driver, teacher, teachers aide, mailman, hair dresser, cab driver, waitress, music teacher, sports coach, etc…all seem to get gifts or tips these days. So why not me? I work hard, I personalize every lesson plan, I spend hours of unpaid time communicating with parents.
I don’t want tips though, and no one NEEDS to send their child to me. I charge the price I charge and that’s it. Frankly, that’s the way is should be. When tips are expected, the price is not the price.
None of us should have to wonder if we can actually afford to get the electrical outlet fixed, despite the potential hazard, if we are expected to add a tip to a needed service.
I would not tip a skilled worker, or typically don’t but for some reason I do tip the hair dresser and she owns the salon, but is less expensive than most. I would like everyone to be paid a fair wage so they can get health insurance and live their life but for whatever reason, that doesn’t work in this country. I am very seriously considering tip % reduction if no tax on tips does pass into law. I also see the no tax on overtime absolutely rife for time fraud by employees.
If there is any instance of a tip not being 100% voluntary, it is not a tip, it’s a service charge.
I worked in child care with infants during college. No one ever tipped me, though I made minimum wage and changed their children’s diapers! That really colors my thinking on tipping, and I don’t do it for anything except dining. Even there I’m pretty resentful because my state doesn’t have a “tipped wage”. If I hired someone to do something and they were a worker bee, not the person setting the rates, and they went above and beyond the parameters of the job, I might, might that is, offer a tip.
Edited to add – I will write a Google review and let their bosses know if I am particularly pleased with a service I receive.
I know people talk about how nice Europe is (or at least Italy?) because people don’t expect tips, but I felt like when we were there, they actually DID expect tips, maybe especially when we were in Venice.
We were in Venice last year and didn’t tip anywhere.
Portugal as well. Not expected but if you asked they lit up and told you about minimum wage being $700 a month.
It’s been a while since I priced out any home repairs etc, but I’ll have to remember to say, if tips are expected, please add that to the estimate!
In Prague, the waiters were very happy for a 10% tip!
My DIL told me not to tip the Uber drivers in Poland, but I did. They did show tips in the app you could select - the choices ranged from 50 cents to $2 or so. Or you could give a custom amount.
Wait, is this true? We’re going soon and I read a lot of blogs/columns and it seemed to imply yes to tipping [in Italy].
Before our trip to Yellowstone last year I read all the small print about what was included. Meals were included as were gratuities for the wait staff. We were with a small group and another person mentioned they’d left a 20% tip for the wait staff on what the full price of their meal for 6 would have been (not inexpensive - appetizer, entree and desert). I showed them the small print but then felt bad at our next meal so double checked with the waiter. He confirmed the tip was included.
In general, I’m tired of prices being jacked up and essentially being charged twice for the same thing. The wait staff at Yellowstone for the others in the party could have mentioned to them they’d already paid. Similar things can happen with room service orders in hotels - gratuity for the service is already included in the bill but the deliverer hangs around waiting for an additional tip. Apparently I’m grumpy this morning.
Is that not perhaps creating an expectation that putting tips on service estimates is normal?
@Onetogo2 , not grumpy. You’re fed up with being taken advantage of. When a tip is included and someone adds it on top, the wait staff or whoever should say clearly that the tip is in the bill.
I’m with you. What really annoys me, and it came up quite a bit on my recent visit to California, is the double hickey of the “service fee” and the credit card fee with a further suggested tip line. If the restaurant needs to cover higher wages and benefits for all employees, it should be reflected in the menu pricing not hidden in an after the fact service fee. You think you are getting a chicken plate at $20, but it’s really $24 before we even add the other extras that we are used to (tax/tip).
While I am griping, in my last stay in the Bay Area, we were staying at a hotel at the Berkeley Marina. It cost $40/day to park in their outdoor crappily maintained lot. I can see paying a hefty daily parking fee in an urban setting but this was like picking a hotel on Hotels.com that you thought was $150, but really was $190.
I’m heading to Europe next week and have been many times to many countries, where tips are generally not expected as people are paid a standard living wage. Sure, everyone loves to be given money. Americans are indeed famous for tipping. Unless there is some exceptional service, I am not giving tips where they are not expected. I’m not tipping at the pub. I’m not tipping for a cup of tea and a pastry, not tipping for a sandwich. Yes, I’ll tip at the fancy restaurant, but probably not at the small cafe, except for small change from rounding up the bill. I’m not giving our boat trip pilot anything more than the generally expected tip.
I don’t care if I sound stingy. Whether it’s a holiday destination that relies on tourism, or the local plumber, if everyone starts tipping, those who can’t afford to will be penalized. The waitress is earning $2.50 an hour and absolutely should be tipped. The plumber? Heck no. They charge at least $150 an hour. No.
People who are on the edge of being able to afford a vacation will reconsider until they have saved enough to cover the expected tips. If they can barely afford to pay to upgrade some outdated plumbing they will put it off if they think they have to pay tips on top. It’s not just about what I can afford. I just think we should all consider that our actions, even when well intentioned, can have unforeseen consequences. Like @BKSquared said, you think it’s one price, until you add on the thing that really should be included. My plumber gets a “tip” every time I pay the bill.
I certainly would not tip skilled labor as they do charge a fair price for the business.
Try Dr. Google and then see what you think. We tipped often, but not as much as we would have tipped in the US.
I am surprised by the ranking of states that spent the most on tips.
Fellow Californian here. We are wrapping up a week of vacation with our D’s family. D + SIL + 2 grandkids, DH and I. We stayed at a condo. We ate out once! And that was only because we needed to move to a hotel close to the airport the night before our flight home.
We decided the cost of any meal out just wasn’t worth it. Between a Costco run and TJ’s we ate in and we ate well. Even when it was just H and I for an afternoon we decided to grab some TJ’s salads and eat them back at the condo. I am done supporting the restaurant industry. Sorry mom and pop places. I know you’re just trying to survive but it is no longer fun. We are not foodies. Don’t care about a small piece of artisanal foam sitting on top of an even smaller piece of shaved something or other with purple dollops of unknown origin Picassoed onto the plate rim…We like healthy and simple.
I also don’t particularly care for dining out because I feel it’s more fun to have people around for dinner. Mealtimes with others are all about conversation and restaurants aren’t great places for that. But I have no issue tipping for fancy food, or any type of restaurant food. I have a big problem with ubiquitous tipping for no reason at all and I hate tip screens.