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I am going to rant a little bit. I can’t stand the fact that in our society today we have to tip for everything. That basically tipping at restaurants went from nothing to 10%, to 15% and now the “standard” tip is 20%+. And if you don’t tip that much you are CHEAP! I don’t get where all this “new protocol” is coming from.
Also bugging me is the fact that we have to tip for EVERYTHING and ANYTHING. Someone does something for you? Tip. There are tip jars everywhere for the dumbest things. Basically doing your job as a cashier at a service station, 7-11, convience mart, etc you need a tip! Come on.
Basically in the US you tip for everything. It seems no one is going to charge the “going” rate instead they expect tips. We tip for haircuts, cab rides, delivery services of mail, food, etc. We tip for maid service, playing music at the table (though you didn’t ask for it), and providing service. You have to tip your postman (not money but food usually), your newspaper person, your gardner, your housekeeper, your preschool teacher, dog groomer, basically anyone who does anything for you not only deserves their salary but a tip too boot.
I am not upset over the tip itself but the fact you can get crummy service and people still expect a tip. Like going out to eat and the waitress never comes back to check on us. Or the dog groomer who cut your dog, they stand there like they should be tipped? How is that fair?
Tipping used to be for extraordinary service. Now it seems like substandard treatment deserves a tip. I’d just prefer it if they raised the price of their services and no tip, so then I wouldn’t go or use them. That way their shoddy treatment is not “tipped” as deserving but just part of the “package”.
I wonder where tipping is going?
11 responses so far ↓
1 Erin // Aug 10, 2008 at 4:25 pm
In Costa Rica, we hardly tip. Tip and tax is included on all restaurant menus (the price you see is the price you get), and you don’t tip taxi drivers or the house cleaner or anyone else, really. (You do tips tour guides or extraordinary service, though.)
I like this much better than the American way (I’m American, and lived in the U.S. for 23 years) – here, if I don’t want to tip, I don’t. I’m not stingy, I’m normal. This gives me the freedom to be generous when deserved, instead of begrudgingly tipping anyone and everyone the same, standard amount.
2 Another Personal Finance Blog // Aug 10, 2008 at 7:08 pm
I am not fully against tipping, but I definitely try to tip based on the service provided. If the service was substandard or exceptional, I will tip accordingly.
3 chris // Aug 10, 2008 at 7:21 pm
I tip based on service no matter what. I guess I’m fairly generous, as the places where we eat on a regular basis, the long term servers always let us know they have a table available if we ask for it.
Now, for that insightful post, please leave $5.00!
4 Chaucey // Aug 10, 2008 at 9:07 pm
I’m from New Zealand and it is very uncommon to tip. However, we have minimum wage rates legislated by government, so no one is counting on tips to get by.
I prefer the transparency of paying the stated rate, with an option of tipping if I feel the service was ABOVE average.
But this would be tricky in a culture where tipping for even substandard service is expected.
5 Sense // Aug 11, 2008 at 4:52 am
Funny enough, I’m also writing from NZ, the land of no tipping. It is nice, but is AWKWARD to NOT tip when someone gives you very good wait service. I always feel like I’m stiffing someone!
Although prices are insane here, NZ is sooo nice in terms of price clarity–their tax (Goods and Services Tax, 12.5%) is included in every price you see. So there’s little guessing at the register if you are keeping track carefully!
6 Meg // Aug 11, 2008 at 12:29 pm
After my recent trip abroad, I have a newfound love and appreciation for our tipping culture. In France there is NO tipping at restaurants, in cabs, or anywhere else – and the service is TERRIBLE in comparison with what we are used to in the US. [And no it' s not just because I'm American and was treated with bias. We dined with French people a lot, and they verified the standards of service - which seemed ridiculously low to me].
What bugged me most about the slow and inattentive level of service in France was that I felt powerless – the service-people and I both knew there would be no gratuity, so they have basically NO incentive to be friendly, quick, or accurate.
Plus I enjoy tipping well when someone goes above and beyond and really impresses me. I found a new pedicurist (is that a word?) who was excellent and thouough and explanatory, and I happily gave her a tip over 20%. Same thing when my conceirge recently offered to change my air filter – I not only left him a $10 top but baked him cookies as well.
On the flip side, I take comfort in knowing my tip will NOT be very generous when service is sub-standard. It’s actually kind of a relief and takes the bite out of the bad service. Perhaps I’m a bit vindictive, though, or maybe I’m just really gung-ho about our system after spending time in socialist Europe.
7 LivingAlmostLarge // Aug 11, 2008 at 3:09 pm
In most Asian cultures the service is impeccable and they don’t tip. I would also say the same in Switzerland, Germany, Greece, etc. France might be the exception, I’ve never heard a good thing even from French people about the service.
So perhaps it’s not all European countries.
8 cla // Aug 15, 2008 at 8:25 am
Well I agree there’s a lot of tipping opportunities available but you don’t HAVE to do it either.
At a restaurant you do of course, but if I receive bad service I do NOT tip 20%! On the other hand if I receive great service I often tip more.
Those tip jars at 7-11 etc? Ignore them if you like – but when the young gal at coldstone sits and give my kids a million tastes to decide and lets them change their mind fifty times and spends forever with us making a few small ice cream cups you’d better believe I put something in that tip jar LOL.
I agree there’s too many folks with their hand out – but you don’t need to to tip in many situations where the opportunity is ‘available’
9 Livingalmostlarge // Aug 15, 2008 at 9:09 am
Tipping is a very strange thing in the US. It seems to be expected even with bad service. Might as well add it in already if people want it without working for it and make it “salary” instead of tip.
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