topic Tipping madness in Among Friends

Tipping madness

Bookplate — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 16:29:22 GMT

I just picked up a lamp from a hardware store that they re-wired for me. While paying the bill (higher than I expected) I was asked if I would like to leave a tip for the repair person. You can probably guess my answer.

Re: Tipping madness

ahoymate — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 16:32:28 GMT

Tipping has gotten out of hand! Pay your employees more!!

Re: Tipping madness

Marp — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 16:33:53 GMT

Although it would be a bit snarky I would be highly tempted to ask why, don't you pay him a living wage.

Re: Tipping madness

I am still oxox — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 16:50:30 GMT

It has gotten way out of control.

Re: Tipping madness

KittySoftPaws — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 16:51:13 GMT

@Bookplate It's a nice gesture to tip IMO and it can go both ways. As someone who has once waitressed for example, I can tell you it's hard work for the money and you run into some real cheapskates and some that just don't plain tip at all (rare) so it goes both ways. I would have tipped him myself. It's not always about the monetary amount, as much as a show of appreciation. My new wonderful mechanic that I just found, as I just moved here, spent several hours on my car recently installing what he thought was the problem. It turned out it wasn't, and at P/U he said no charge. I said you have to be kidding! He said no, that's how we do it. I said your time is valuable too. I had a $50 on me and I said here then, at least take a tip. He smiled and took it and I could tell he was appreciative. It was a show of gratitue and respect for a job well done, and also for his honesty. Rest assured, this tip and show of gratitude will go well beyong my next visit.

Re: Tipping madness

Love my grandkids — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 17:05:23 GMT

Times being as hard as they are for some, I would have tipped.

Re: Tipping madness

Mom2Dogs — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 17:07:40 GMT

@Marp Who knows if they are getting or not getting a living wage....tipping is out of hand.

It never dawned on me to tip the woman that grooms our dog. We go faithfully roughly every 6 weeks - pay what she charges and do not tip. A friend told me she tips the woman the grooms her dogs. I am not starting that.

Re: Tipping madness

kaydee50 — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 17:09:26 GMT

I would not have left a tip especially since the cost of the repair was higher than expected. I was always under the impression that skilled personnel, e.g, an electrician is pretty well paid as opposed to a service person in a restaurant. Should we be tipping doctors and dentists next??? Good grief!

Re: Tipping madness

Sooner — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 17:09:44 GMT

I tip grocery delivery people on the apps 15 percent for a small order or 20 percent if there are lot of heavy items like milk or canned goods. I do it because I am able to and thankful that I am. I don't much think about it other than that.

Re: Tipping madness

Bookplate — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 17:19:28 GMT

@KittySoftPaws wrote:
@Bookplate It's a nice gesture to tip IMO and it can go both ways. As someone who has once waitressed for example, I can tell you it's hard work for the money and you run into some real cheapskates and some that just don't plain tip at all (rare) so it goes both ways. I would have tipped him myself. It's not always about the monetary amount, as much as a show of appreciation. My new wonderful mechanic that I just found, as I just moved here, spent several hours on my car recently installing what he thought was the problem. It turned out it wasn't, and at P/U he said no charge. I said you have to be kidding! He said no, that's how we do it. I said your time is valuable too. I had a $50 on me and I said here then, at least take a tip. He smiled and took it and I could tell he was appreciative. It was a show of gratitue and respect for a job well done, and also for his honesty. Rest assured, this tip and show of gratitude will go well beyong my next visit.

@KittySoftPaws I have always tipped wait staff, taxi drivers, hair dressers, hotel workers and anyone who delivers anything to my home or services it here. I also would have tipped your mechanic in the circumstances you describe.

However, I draw the line at tipping in a hardware store, particularly when it has been solicited.

Re: Tipping madness

tansy — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 17:28:57 GMT

@Mom2Dogs wrote:
@Marp Who knows if they are getting or not getting a living wage....tipping is out of hand.

It never dawned on me to tip the woman that grooms our dog. We go faithfully roughly every 6 weeks - pay what she charges and do not tip. A friend told me she tips the woman the grooms her dogs. I am not starting that.

I tip my hairdresser; I tip the dog's groomer🤷‍♀️

I agree that tipping in general has gone overboard.

Re: Tipping madness

on the bay — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 17:29:49 GMT

Service people like waitresses, grocery deliveries, hairdressers all these are usually tipped and I think most do.

It's all the other ones where it seems there is confusion or doubt amoung customers and those that do a job if tips are welcome, expected or not necessary at all!

I agree, we could tip everyone for everything but it does seem out of control.

I would have been really surprised if too if they asked for a tip for an electrical repair!

And sometimes it is nice to just show appreciation. It's a spur of the moment special thing sometimes that makes both feel good. Not asked for, not required, just because you are grateful. And neither a right or wrong answer, just up to that person.

Re: Tipping madness

kitty60 — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 17:33:18 GMT

I agree, this has become ridiculous. I do find myself being more concious when I hae someone at my house to do work for me. Recently I had a tree taken down, 2 quotes were $1,500, 2 at $750 (one had no insurance!) and one quote $450. Then the last one I got lived just down the road and quoted $250 , yes he was insured. He showed up the next day with his helper, truck and some piece of equipment with a backhoe on it. It was down in no time, perfect job. I saw the little backhoe and asked him if he would dig up a small area in the front of my house I needed done. No problem, done in less than half an hour. When I asked what he wanted he didn't want anything. When I insisted he said whatever I would like so I gave him another $100 and $50 to go into his infant daughters college fund.

Re: Tipping madness

Puppy Lips — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 17:35:32 GMT

I personally don't think ANYONE should be tipped. Charge what you need to charge to pay your employees their worth and let it be. That goes for waitresses, hair stylists, lawn care people, newspaper boys, etc. What really bugs me is a tip jar for a food place where I pick up my items and all they do is ring the register. What did you do that is worthy of a tip? Not to mention, it is unfair. One waitress gets a table with a big tipper and another gets a cheapskate, and they both provided the same service. I provide a service at my job. Who is tipping me? No one.

We do tip at restaurants, but to be frank, I think my DH tips too much. I tip my hair stylists, but I only go maybe 2 or 3 times a year. We went to a new dog boarder and my DH picked them up when we got back. The checkout screen asked for a tip and he tipped them. I scolded him about it. We did not tip the next time we went there.

Re: Tipping madness

Beacon girl — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 17:37:04 GMT

When I go to my favorite hair salon I always get my stylist I have had for yrs. For some reason she had an emergency so they gave me the owner . I’m sitting there -thinking do I tip him -he owns the place . I did bc I really didn t know what to do . I always tip other service helpers.

Re: Tipping madness

on the bay — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 17:44:52 GMT

Isn't that incredible @kitty60!

And what a welcome surprise and such a difference in price!

It's a treasure to find someone like that in the neighborhood for sure.

And nice that you could show him

how much you appreciated it

Re: Tipping madness

SaveTheTurtles — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 17:53:28 GMT

I have NEVER heard of tipping the hardware repair guy. We have a couple of leaf blowers in our hardware store right now to be repaired. I would be shocked if when we pick them up they ask for a tip. Maybe it is the state you live in? I don't know....it's become out of control, IMO.

Re: Tipping madness

SamBrown — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 18:02:52 GMT

I do tip hairdressers, but to be honest, since haircuts are now $50.00 at a minimum I don't think we should be tipping anymore. I wish I had the nerve to stop tipping completely. If restaurants can't afford employees then they shouldn't be open.

Re: Tipping madness

chrystaltree — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 18:30:27 GMT

It is crazy. Tip jars at the bakery and at my dry cleaners. Nope. Not tipping either one.

Re: Tipping madness

RoughDraft — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 18:45:48 GMT

@ahoymate wrote:
Tipping has gotten out of hand! Pay your employees more!!

That's all well and good, however if the employer pays his/her help more, you will wind up paying the difference one way or another.

There are some things we might be capable of doing ourselves. For instance, a lamp rewiring kit goes for about $10 an it's not hard to do.