I wonder why we tip some but not others.

After having a lovely meal with Dorrie at The Cricketers Clavering (Jamie Olivers parents restaurant) I wondered why one feels obliged to tip the waitress even though the meal wasn't cheap.
One also feels a duty to tip hairdressers, taxi drivers, and hotel porters, Yet we never think to tip other staff who give us personal care like.... shoe shop assistances, nurses, Pharmacists, librarians etc.

Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 10:19 pm Post subject:

It's a culture that takes a while to get used to. Coming from here ,(where we tip nobody) to Europe where it's the accepted thing takes some adjustment! We either forget or give too much. I had a Portuguese taxi driver tell me a 6Euro tip was too much on a 20 euro trip. He was right but I appreciated his comment so much that I insisted he keep it.

Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 11:54 pm Post subject:

I don't feel obliged to tip. We usually only use pub chain restaurants and I don't think they expect it... Hard luck if they do.
On our last coach holiday I could see everybody tipping the driver when they got off, if I'd been on my own I would probably have tipped him too but I was with Tony and he just got off, said 'Goodbye thanks' and that was it. He NEVER tips if he can help it.

One exception was on a cruise. We gave something to the waiter and chalet maid. We'd been told it was appropriate to put the tip in an envelope and give it them. he though the could get away with a paltry amount but I slipped a £10 note in the envelope before it was given to them, he's only put loose change in it. Talk about mean... well he always says 'Nobody tips me' which is true of course, he's a salesman and is doing a service but he NEVER gets a tip...

Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 5:10 pm Post subject:

I agree with Tony Carol. I wouldn't tip if I could help it, but I usually go out with my sister and she believes in tipping, sometimes far more than she should.

Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 10:40 pm Post subject:

From what I gather, in many parts of the world, tipping is an essential as the wages are so low. What I can't understand is are these tips always tax free?

Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2010 12:42 am Post subject:

I find it very hard indeed to understand when and how much to tip when I am overseas.

When I worked for Qantas, one of the men I worked with had visited Los Angeles and told us the story of what happened when he tipped a cab driver. The cabbie looked at the tip in his hand and said - you sure you can afford it ? My friend said - well, actually no I can't - and he took it back !!!

He didn't tell us what the language was like !

Gender: Age: 67 Joined: 05 Oct 2008 Posts: 1154

We are tippers to those who give us very good service and go the extra mile. Personally I like to give a tip and feel good about it. we stayed in a hotel last week and the gratuities were given on the last day after breakfast and a pot was at the exit of the dining room for those who wanted to leave a token of appreciation for the excellent service we all received. The pot was loaded with notes and coins. the hotel staff are not overly paid and on the minimum wage and it helps noost their wage packet.

In he USA it is customary and statuatory to tip and if you do not it can be quite scary, I have been told. I have not been there and do not intend to

Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 1:15 pm Post subject:

But Toolip we don't tip all of those that give us good service.
As I mentioned the shoe salesgirl. Sometimes they bring out loads of pairs of shoes for their customers to try on, also going into the store room to find out if they have the right size. I don't think they get a tip.
Also the salesgirls in supermarkets who have also gone into the store room to find out if they have the product which I am after. I never think of tipping them.

I think the bosses of those that we are expected to tip, are crafty and tell their staff that the wages are poor but the tips are great.
Just another way of paying their staff poor wages at our expense.

Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 3:32 pm Post subject:

Gender: Age: 63 Joined: 04 May 2005 Posts: 5124

Also I think these people are taxed on 'potential' tips

Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 7:03 pm Post subject:

If you give a tip always give it in cash never add it to a credit card slip. Some unscrupulous bosses keep these added to card payment tips and the intended staff never sees them

Gender: Age: 67 Joined: 14 Mar 2006 Posts: 2201

It's high time that we did away with tipping but those employers who only pay low wages should give their staffs a decent living wage. I even find tipping a bit embarrassing. Its a bit like "Here you are my good man"!

Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 10:17 pm Post subject:

Way back in the 60's, I worked for 4 months in a hotel in Torquay. They had a 10% surcharge for 'service fee' which was supposed to be handed on to staff. I found out what all the staff were getting in total and what the room rate was when full and worked out that only half of the service fee was going to staff. The manager was pocketing the rest. I left soon after! Mr. Green

Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 3:01 pm Post subject:

Good tip ( no pun intended ), VM and Michael. I've added to my credit card in the past, though I mainly tip cash. It'll always be cash from now on.

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