Homeowners-do you tip the mail carrier during the holiday season? If so, how much?

Question

First time homeowner here. I know some people tip the mail carriers, I was wondering how much is appropriate.

Answer 1

While it is against the ethics code for mail carriers to accept cash tips or their equivalents (gift cards) many carriers do. Carriers can get fired if the level of service they give a customer is linked to tips they recieve.

I've been a carrier for 30+ years. As nice as homebaked cookies are at Christmas, we are totally overwhelmed by sweets especially in the week before Christmas.

If you want to reward your mail carrier for good service the things that you might consider are:

Letters of appreciation addressed to the the postmaster of your town .

Ice packed beverages left in your mailbox on hot days. Pocket warmers left on cold days.

Snacks left in the mailbox. An occasional bag of peanuts or chips will go a long way.

Notes and cards from your kids thanking the mail carrier make us grin all day.

We love cookies in the fall, but in late December we are sick on sweets. Salty is always preferred.

I once got in trouble for asking my customers to donate new underwear to the Women's shelter in lieu of tips. The headline of the local newspaper read, "Mail Carrier Wants Underpants". I'll never do that again but you might ask your carrier if there is a special charity that you might donate to.

Answer 2

I work in a restaurant, and here's some general pointers: For people actually conducting the service, 20-25% of the total bill for GOOD service is appropriate. If the service isn't great, less is just fine. The servers understand when they take the job that their salary consists of tips, so undertipping for bad service is never considered rude. For the person who seats you, $5 would make a person's day where I work (the host isn't usually tipped and it's a very casual restaurant). For bartenders, $1-2 per drink is a good rule. I generally apply the 20% criteria to everyone else I tip, and many have acted as if this is above average. Of course, if you want to tip extra during the holidays, it's always gratefully appreciated and the server will remember you the next time you're in. There are a lot of people that tip less due to finances, and when you're used to making a certain amount it really affects your holiday budget. As always, "tipping" the manager that the employee did an above average job is always a great way to give more without going broke.

Answer 3

I don't think we're allowed to tip our mail carrier either. But that is a good idea since we order so much more during the holidays. I would give them a few dollars for heavy packages that they are nice enough to bring up to my door.

Answer 4

My mom use to leave a little package of homemade goodies in the mailbox for the mail carrier and the paper delivery man. (-:

Answer 5

By law they aren't allowed to accept money, but I still give my regular carrier $5.00 and a small tin of home baked cookies.

Answer 6

The mail carriers in this town aren't allowed to accept gifts or tips

Answer 7

when i had mail delivered to my house i would tip $20-$40 depending on the service. One year they got $50! i'd moved and three years later - they still knew my name and forwarded the mail from my old address! another time i sent a package out for Christmas and well, dork, I didn't take my address off the bottom so - it got sent back to me - while they all got a good chuckle they resent it for free! this was not a small town either - we had 3 zip codes so.... now i get it delivered to a 15 slot box in the middle of the street. there is always someone different so i don't tip.

Answer 8

We have a different one eveyday, and most of the time it is late. I never tip them.

Answer 9

Mail carriers are not allowed to except money. So I make a tray of homemade cookies.

Answer 10

i leave a gift in the mail box. I gave her a purse one year which had postage stamp designs on it. She collects "mail" items and she loved it.