Tipping - For? Against? How Much? Yes To Waitstaff, But No To...?

[CantALoop]

That's a nice gesture...but actually the owner pays, right?

An extra shot of espresso or a few more ounces of milk really is nothing compared to the markup of the drink itself. Additionally, a customer who really goes out of their way to be nice is a rare bird.

He/she should. Good customer relations. Besides, it's not like she is upgrading every other drink...

Exactly. It's not only about showing appreciation, but it helps bring people back for repeat business. The business is going to make a profit off every drink even if there's a small extra added in, so establishing a loyal clientele pays off in the long term.

[Habs]

You have to put up with some sh*t and attitude from customers who think they can yank your chain just because you're working a low-wage job.

I do agree with you, but I have to say, even in my corporate job , I still put up with a lot of sh*t and attitude from a lot of people. I don't think that's exclusive to the service industry.

[Japanfan]

I consider tipping in restaurants mandatory but can never remember how much is standard here - I think it's 15%. That said, it just adds on to the cost of eating out, which I find to be really expensive in comparison to cooking at home, especially since I like to have a drink as well. For me it's a cost I prefer to avoid, so I don't eat out much.

There are so many people you have to tip: the pizza delivery man, the cab driver, the hotel maid, the hairdresser. I can't say these people don't deserve tips, but I don't always want to pay them - for that reason, I've refused hotel cleaning service service.

I do have a bit of an issue tipping a hairdresser who is already more money than me (which is the case with my hairdresser). I find it really confrontational when the debit machine asks me whether to tip and to avoid that, have paid in cash.

[CantALoop]

Starbucks is one of the best jobs you can get these days if you don't have a college degree -- around here, they start above minimum wage, provide regular, scheduled raises and even offer health insurance. Starbucks would still do a pretty good job taking care of their employees even if they didn't have a tip jar.

I agree that Starbucks seems to treat its associates well on the mainland, but it was a bit different in Hawai'i. Even though we're a part of the United States, somehow stores here fall under Starbucks International (no stock benefits, boo). They did pay a dollar above minimum wage, and IIRC I got a $0.15/hour increase every 3 months which was the maximum based on performance. Hawai'i state law requires employers to provide insurance for any worker who works part time (i.e. >= 20 hours) - Starbucks avoided that by scheduling us for a maximum of 19 hours a week.
Like I said before, the monetary value of tips weren't important to me because they ended up being barely 1% of my paycheck. Personally, I appreciated the gesture more than anything, so that's why I usually drop a few cents in the jar (unless the service was really horrible).

I do agree with you, but I have to say, even in my corporate job , I still put up with a lot of sh*t and attitude from a lot of people. I don't think that's exclusive to the service industry.

Oh definitely, there are d*ckheads in every industry, not just the service industry. That's why if I get excellent treatment or customer service from a non-service industry person, I make sure to thank and compliment them, especially if there's a chance it might be a recorded call.

[gladiatorqueen]

I generally aim for around 18-19%, unless the experience is really horrendous. We had one once when the service was so bad that my friend refused to leave more than $1 in tip to make his point. I think I convinced him to bring it up to $3 or so, on a $20 meal... not spectacular, but oy, it was bad service.

I'm quite a generous tipper, but I refuse to leave any tip if the service is that terrible or the server is rude. A tip is for good, not crappy, service. I will also let the server/manager know why I am not leaving a tip. That rarely ever happens though, thank god.

Oh, one case in point. I frequent a local pub and one of the bartenders (a young smart ass) would not quit calling me "Mrs. SO" (even though my guy and are not married). I asked him, politely, to please stop referring to me in that manner and he refused. So, I let him know I wouldn't be tipping him much or at all if he continued. He continued until he realized how much I was tipping all the other bartenders. Now he is very nice to me and I tip him well.

[julieann]

I'm quite a generous tipper, but I refuse to leave any tip if the service is that terrible or the server is rude. A tip is for good, not crappy, service. I will also let the server/manager know why I am not leaving a tip. That rarely ever happens though, thank god.

Well said, ITA!