Tipping & Christians

[Mike]

I'm well aware that people who take care of me at a restaurant make less than minimum wage, and that's the reason I always tip well when I'm out. If I knew others did as well, I'd probably be more mindful with them. Anytime I tip, I try to do a little extra, because it can make cheer them up if only for a moment.

I love the look on a manager's face when I ask to see them. Better yet is the look on the staff when I ask to see them. When I compliment the service we receive, I can tell they don't hear kind words often enough. I can see them go from extremely hesitant to completely disarmed. People need to compliment others more often! :yes

But the thought of people in a group known to be coming from church who get all nasty, well what a blight on our witness. I can't imagine doing that to anyone!

 

[EricTheBaptist]

Me and my family tip 15% at all the restaurants we go to, unless it's bad service then we leave a face down penny.

Here's where we tip at:
Pizza delivery
Hair Cutters
Restaurants

 

[Gazelle]

Oh really? A face down penny...so they didn't bring your food or drinks or anything?

I had a similar tip given to me once...once only. It was in a 24 hour donut shop (yeah, I was young) and late at night but busy... and this guy sat at the counter and wanted this and that and that and this coffee donut donut coffee chat chat chat... and then before he left he called me over and pushed two pennies at me saying here's your tip... I smiled, picked them up and dropped them into his last sip of coffee. Told him if he was that broke he should keep them. He never gave me trouble again. :toofunny

Generally, whenever I had to work wait service anywhere my tips were over the top... in the 70s man and I was pulling 20% tips from other Christians. It was such a blessing.

 

[Christ_empowered]

2 pennies?!?! That's hardcore.

 

[WIP]

My wife has been in the restraunt service business for nearly 35 years. I kid you not, she thinks I tip too much most of the time and I usually use 15% as my benchmark.

I can't tell you how many times we've gone out to eat and she is dissatisfied with the service. In her opinion, most places are overstaffed and those that are working do a poor job. She says, "A customer should NEVER have to verbally get a server's attention." One of her greatest pet peeves has been when we have to call to a server for service when they are passing in and out of the room. In her opinion they should be scanning the tables constantly, looking for opportunity to provide service but instead she sees them running around with a one-track mind and blinders on. I've seen her in action and it is nothing for her to manage over 150 customers over a 4 hours period by herself and that includes managing drinks from the bar as well as food from the kitchen. It is rare that she will feel a server has earned more than a 10% tip. She says that tipping is supposed to be extra for a job well done and not mandatory but unfortunately our government has interferred and forced it to be mandatory and as a result the business owners don't pay the servers enough to get by without tips.

Personally, I'd like to see tips done away with and the business owners not allowed to pay their help lower wages. Raise the cost of the meal and pay them a decent wage.

The other problem with tipping is how do we know which services should be tipped or rely on tips and which ones don't? Does a barber? What if the barber is the business owner? Taxi driver? Gas station attendent? Porter? Fishing guide even if he is the owner? Bartender? Bar owner? The guy that checks in your luggage at the airport? Hotel shuttle driver? Bus driver that gives you a ride to the airport from off site parking garage? Too confusing.

 

[Gazelle]

Hmmm the only confusion I see is within the heart of the person. Will they tell someone they appreciate their service or not. As for owners, no, you don't tip owners. They pay themselves salary.

The tips are to help keep good staff....and so if the staff don't make the good tips others make, they will probably complain and then everyone will know they aren't appreciated because ??? they don't do good work.

The only time I might not tip even 15% for bad service is if the meal or service ends up being free (because of the problems of the situation.) I have been known to have a free service and still tipped the person who did a decent job though.

As I said, 18% is the proper going rate for adequate service.

Everyone who helps you should be considered for a tip...unless it's posted not to (such as certain grocery stores say not to tip.) When the guy puts air in my tires for me, I give him money for coffee or such, yeah. If he makes me wait or gives me an attitude, I tell him thanks but don't give him money. If someone is new, such as wait staff, and they aren't good but they're trying, I'll go ahead and tip 20% to encourage them.

When I was a young professional I would put the "tip" out on the table before I ordered (knowing what I was ordering and the cost etc.) sometimes the person with me felt the same way and increased the tip... then we explained that that was the tip for good service, however, we would take from it if and as service disappointed us. Reverse psychology I guess LOL but it always worked, and was a reminder each time they came to the table to take good care of us. Seeing a $5 or $10 bill on the table before beginning would have encouraged me too! :yes

 

[handy]

Personally, I'd like to see tips done away with and the business owners not allowed to pay their help lower wages. Raise the cost of the meal and pay them a decent wage.

I feel the same way. I really wish we'd just do away with the system. There are too many people doing the same kinds of jobs...and with some, tips are considered a vital part of the person's wage and others...couldn't accept the tip if it was offered, but usually one isn't offered because it's "not that type of job".

The other problem with tipping is how do we know which services should be tipped or rely on tips and which ones don't? Does a barber? What if the barber is the business owner? Taxi driver? Gas station attendent? Porter? Fishing guide even if he is the owner? Bartender? Bar owner? The guy that checks in your luggage at the airport? Hotel shuttle driver? Bus driver that gives you a ride to the airport from off site parking garage? Too confusing.

Exactly. When I worked at the ice cream parlor, I made the customer's order for them. Often I carried it to their table. I certainly washed their tables off and cleaned up after them. I feel in many ways I did more than your average waitress because I had to fill the order, bring the order out (many times) and clean up the table afterwards...but no tipping allowed because it really wasn't a restaurant. Any tips that kind customers left were put in a common jar. Keeping a tip was grounds for being fired.

Owners of certain companies are really the hardest. I mentioned that I get my hair done by a woman who owns her shop...now, tipping one's stylist is considered one of the most basic tips that one does. But, she's the owner, so I'm not supposed to tip her. I do...because she always gives a great hair cut and she keeps her prices very low. But, many times one walks into a franchise salon and you know the owner is probably around somewhere...but who? Is the person working on you an owner or just a stylist? It can get confusing.

So much easier to just charge the proper cost of providing the service in the first place and pay your employees decent wages.

 

[bigllama]

Back home in Canada, I usually tip 10% in restaurants, because that's the standard and I'm pretty sure waiters/waitresses don't get below minimum wage, but I'd retract part of my tip for bad service. It seems like most teenagers are jerks and don't tip 'cause most waiters seem pretty happy with the 10% me and my friends tip when we eat out. But here in Ireland, no one tips so I don't either.