Tipping - why?

Question

Why do we think we have to tip? I work in the public sector and no-one, but no-one would think of tipping me. I am polite, helpful and accommodating, oh and underpaid but am happy with a thank you! Let's get a campaign going - please say thank you to someone who has been pleasant and has tried to their best. I have family who work in jobs where tips get given but their employers keep them. Don't let's go down the insidious route of the Americans with their 'tipping etiquette'

Answer 1

I agree with you 100%. My husband and i always feel obligated to tip, but we only do when the service is excellent, not good but excellent. I also render a service..(im a bookkeeper) and not once did i ever get a tip as thank you...
Very good question..

Answer 2

I too work in the public sector, its totally thankless and way more important than making sure some guy in a cafe has his coffee cup filled. You could train chimps do wait on tables.

Seriously, they get a wage dont they? Why should I pay extra for something their employer gives them money to do?

I'm going to new york soon and I'm a little shocked about the tipping culture. 20% tip to sit in a sinking cab? What for? They all drive like nutters anyway.

A $1 tip for each drink a barman serves? I drink bottled beer, thats nothing. $1 for a flick of the wrist.

Im very much with the "Mr Pink" school of tipping, if the service is exceptional then yes, give a tip but if some rude old scrubber with a cigartette hanging in the corner of her mouth spills coffe on my lap and gets ash in my hair then why should I pay her extra?

Answer 3

I tip, usually too much. I figure if I can afford to use a service industry, then I should tip accordingly. Most people in the service industry are underpaid. I also do not hesitate to ask for a manager, just to tell them what a great employee someone is (when they aren't a tip able employee).

Answer 4

Tipping is for service provided. Public sector workers are excempt in my book. Their tip as far as i'm concerned is a decent pension.
And i always say thank you if someone has been helpful or at least tried their best. Good luck with your campaign.

Answer 5

I agree with you. Tipping is just plain wrong to me unless the job pays a minimum amount (like waitressing). I've served in several service jobs myself.

I don't get why people think we're supposed to tip 20% now. They say "prices have gone up. so should the tip." I say THAT'S WHY IT'S A PERCENTAGE! It takes into account any fluctuation in the economy and inflation.

Why would I pay a man to put my suitcase on a cart and bring it to my room? The hotel pays him for that! Why would I pay a cabby a tip? I pay him for his time at an exhorbant rate already!

Why should I reward monetarily that which should be a human trait? Kindness?!?

Answer 6

If people don't want to tip they don't have to go to places that tipping is accepted. They can stay home and cool/serve their own food and wash their own dishes. It is different than going to a store to buy clothes. All you are doing is basically cashiering. I hardly ever have anyone ever help me actually pick out clothes. They just stand around waiting to collect the money. In a restaurant the servers are running their butts off to serve as many customers as they can because these people are too lazy to cook for themselves. I don't know about the rest of the states, but in Washington state the minimum wage was just raised to $7.93 an hour, but it is still too low. I think minimum wage for 18 and older should be $10...especially if they want to get people off of welfare.

Answer 7

In this state, food servers only get paid half of minimum wage. You genuinely rely on tips for your pay. If you don't like it, eat at home. If I were somewhere where servers got paid the same as other comperable workers,llike California, I think, I would feel less inclined to tip them. I don't tip people who make a normal hourly wage, just the ones whose pay is below the normal.

Answer 8

I don't tip, if I paid for a meal, then that's enough, I don't tip Taxi drivers either,

Most restaurants charge a service charge, so why pay out the extra.

totally against tipping. also don't have the money, as you say a pleasant thank you should be quite enough.

Good luck with your campaign, I'm behind you all the way.

Answer 9

I came back from a holiday in the USA where tipping is almost compulsory (yes taxi drivers will stand there and stare until you give a reasonable tip!) and still in the spirit of tipping, I gave the taxi driver that picked me up from the airport an 'American sized' tip and he gave me a hug because he was so happy! Quite sweet but also a bit creepy.

Answer 10

I think it is nice to tip, it shows appreciation, but I think it can get out of hand, I think tipping is and should be a personal choice and not expected, and, should always be appreciated by what is given.

I too work in the public sector and do not get tips or anything under the policies of ethical behaviour. I used to work as a hairdresser and appreciated anything that was given to me, it's quite a satisfaction receiving a tip.