Do you think this practice is rude?

Question

Every now and then my husband and I go out for dessert and get and ice or an icecream at a snack shop, and they have a box that says tips on it please tip. I find that very rude because these people are getting paid to serve, they are not doing all that much but scooping icecream or ice and they expect a tip for doing what they are supposed to do in the first place. They are not going above and beyond the call of duty. I just find this very rude.

Answer 1

I agree with you on it being rude. I see this attempt at collecting additional monies more and more. I personally feel tipping isn't right for most of the things people expect to get tipped for to begin with. Like a shampoo girl, then the hair-cutter. Haircuts and salon services are expensive as it is. Then on top of that you have to tip? That is their job. Same for delivery services such as furniture delivery. Why should I tip them, when that is their job. I do believe some people, such as waiters and waitresses should possibly get tipped but only in a diner where they may not be that experienced and are not planing on it being a career for them. These fancy expensive restaurants are expensive enough and the waiters/waitresses shouldn't be tipped. They usually are more professional at these establishments and therefore they should get paid from the business not the people who they serve. I recently had an experience where I took my children on a little vacation at an all inclusive dude ranch. At this place all the guests were assigned a table for which they would eat all their meals. You had the same servers all through your stay. Well, after we were there two days, a little note appeared on our table facing right where I would normally sit which said something to the effect of - generally tipping for each meal served is 1.50 per person. There where 5 of us totaling 7.50 for which I was expected to leave as a tip! At EACH meal. That's 22.50 for each day we were there! We where there for 5 days which would have been over a hundred bucks! Anyway, I didn't tip for each meal, and out of GUILT only, I tipped for 1 meal a day for the rest of our stay. When I got home my husband said I was ripped off. We looked through the brouchure and right there it stated that EVERYTHING was included, even tips for your servers and maid service. It did however state that "If you feel that the services rendered to you were above and beyond your expectations an additional tip would greatly be appreciated! " I felt very uncomfortable after that sign appeared on my table. I could go on and on but yes it is rude for that or any snack shop to put a tip box out. FYI - my brother goes to the Island of Jersey in England from time to time and he told me that tipping isn't customary there - Hum.........

Answer 2

If I get a friendly smile, addressed in English, and a warm feeling I may drop some change in their jar. I have never had a choke hold applied and my wallet emptied into their tip jar by someone with arms to their knees and no neck.

Is the practice rude? Perhaps,
Is the practice something to get upset over? Never.

Life is way too short for me to get upset over something like a tip jar.

BTW, before I was diagnosed with diabetes I would pick up some donuts on the weekend. I always bought from the same small family operation and I can't remember a time I didn't leave an extra dollar. I was always treated like a member of the family (I'm not Asian). And guess what, I am still welcome there if all I get is a cup of coffee.

Answer 3

I'm not sure if it's rude. It doesn't normally offend me but in a case like that I wouldn't tip. The reason is that if we provide tips, the empoyer will claim that the wages he/she pays are adequate -- because they also get tips! I believe that employers should pay fair, regular wages and not expect their customers to top them up through this back-door method. I'd rather pay a little extra for what I buy in the knowledge that the employer is then able to pay better wages to his/her employees than be made to feel guilty by not tipping.

Look at department stores for example. You buy your products, the business makes a profit, and the workers (hopefully) get a fair wage. I've been to stores where I got tremendous help from the employees -- far better service than I've had in some restaurants, for example -- and do they put their hands out for a tip? No way!

In reference to my first point, if I have had really good service in a restaurant or bar/cafe, I'll tip the prson who served me. But I don't usually put it in a tips jar. Whenever possible, I quietly pass it to the person direct when the boss isn't looking and say "This is for you. Just for you," so that s/he knows it's out of genuine appreciation and not because I feel I have to.

Lenky

Answer 4

Ice cream scoop people are paid a very, very little pittance of an hourly wage for which they are to pay taxes on. They do more than just scoop ice cream. They work the register, do paperwork sometimes, have to clean up, have to put up with obnoxious customers graciously at times, and ice cream scooping is not easy. Especially scooping out the chocolate flavor. I am not joking. The consistancy of chocolate is different and it is a b***tch to scoop out. It hurts the muscles, even on the young. You haven't worked in one of those shops. If you did, you'd know what I'm talking about. I'm serious.
I don't think it is rude. It is OPTIONAL. I don't know why you take such offense at it.

Answer 5

This depends on situation.

I don't find it rude at all to see a tip jar or box. Sometimes people really do go out of the way to give exceptional service. It becomes more rare as each day comes, but it happens.

I do find it a bit rude, however, when tip jars are labelled with remarks that beg for tips. They're the kind that say, "Please tip."

I like to see tip jars with no labelling at all. Ones with no labels show the message, "Tip me if you feel like I deserve a tip," without using any words at all.
I'm more inclined to tip in establishments like that.

This is sort of like restaurant credit authorization slips. All of them have a section in which to write in a tip. But there are some places that actually list tip calculations by percentage. While I normally don't tip less than 15% (unless the service actually was unsatisfactory), I do feel less inclined to tip more at a restaurant that lists tip calculations on their slips, because it's like they're begging for it.
I got rude and horrible service from an unsanitary sushi shop on Melrose a month ago. My friends and I decided that leaving just one dollar as a tip is more insulting that leaving no tip at all. So I left a dollar bill. The waitress chased after us and asked us why we only gave her a dollar, and even begged us for at least 10%. We are definitely not eating there again.

As consumers, and in the type of society we have today, we want to feel as if people are offering excellent service out of the goodness of their own hearts, not because they know they will be rewarded with a good tip. That's why tip calculators are more common amongst business class cell phones and PDAs. But on the other side, the tip (in establishments that allow the receiving of tips) is what motivates those working in customer service to do a better job, and those who usually rely on tips usually give bad service when they're in bad moods.

Answer 6

I don't know that I find it rude as much as an opportunity to thank that one person who dose go above and beyond the call of duty - i will gladly tip the scooper that gives my little girl a sticker because he just made her day.

Answer 7

It is not rude. It is there for customers who appreciate the ministry that they serve, as well as the ice cream.

Some customers are more than pleased and want to give to the servers themselves. The cost of an ice cream goes to the owner to pay his costs, which include minimum wage salaries, but he/she receives much more than the workers who serve, clean, ring up, create, dispose, etc.

If you don't want to tip someone, you don't have to. I assume that you tip your waitress, waiter, barber, stylist, bartender, etc., so I won't even go there.

Answer 8

it's nice to leave a tip if a person is really helpful. I wish that we had different standards of tipping though. I would much rather seek someone out who did a wonderful job and give them all the money that I had to give the people who did a poor job over the month, then spread it out over the mediocraty of our service industires.

Answer 9

Personally I do not care if there is a tip box or dish at the cashier or on the counter. I only tip if I feel that the waitstaff deserve it. If they do not as far as I am concerned they do not deserve any type of reward for inadequate service

Answer 10

no, its not rude of them. most are high school and collage kids trying to get some extra money. you don't have to tip them if you don't want to. most times i don't my self. there are times i do, like when i have a little bit extra. you don't have to tip much. just a quarter is fine. it all adds up for them at the end of the day. if you truly don't like the tip jar than speak to the manager of the shop. or just don't tip them.