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General => General Discussion => Topic started by: jonnybaxy on February 14, 2017, 08:56:20 AM
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So I just had the greatest experience at Cruise to the Edge 2017,
Fantastic line-up, great performances, decent food, meeting my idols etc.
However there's one thing that was a little annoying, me and my cabin mate returned to our cabin to find an invoice for $27 each, quoting "Gratitudes", we were very interested by this as we had not ordered anything to the room and having paid for our drinks with drink tokens rather than cash/room card. We visited the customer services desk to ask about this as we were sure there must be a mistake, we arrived there and the gentleman said it's a "daily fee of $13.50 per day for each person in each cabin" we couldn't really hear much more than this because there was a band thrashing it out behind us but it would end up being $108 between us. We got told it wasn't optional.
Now i'm aware for some that isn't a great deal of money, but for someone who has spent around 1/5th - 1/6th of his annual wage to get on to this boat, with no prior warning about the charge (this was my main issue), I hadn't thought about this when budgeting.
I've since done research on this subject and still can't see a reason for this compulsory tip to exist for a service they are paid to do, a lot of non arguments though.
"The staff on board work long hours and make very little"
I don't see how that's my problem,it's the cruise line's for not paying their staff a livable wage, forcing them to rely on tips. I don't think it's my responsibility to pay their wages and further enable these big industries. The cost of the cruise should pay for the entertainment, staff and upkeep of the ship.
You might not agree with the way the system is now, but it is what it is, and tipping for a job well done is the right thing to do.
Why should I tip someone for doing their job? If i feel like someone has provided EXCELLENT service or gone out their way to help, I will tip.
But bottom line, TIPPING SHOULD NEVER BE MANDATORY.
TLDR; Being billed a "Tip" is wrong and makes tipping worthless.
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I hate tipping culture. 100% hate it.
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I'm all for tipping service workers (at least here in the U.S., simply because they'd all starve otherwise), but if there's going to be a mandatory gratuity like that, it should be clearly stated upfront. Maybe they buried it in the fine print somewhere, but they should be transparent about that kind of thing.
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I went to a restaurant a few weekends ago with a really shitty cover band blaring in the background that cost $6 a person to see (be deafened by). We get our check, I fill out all the stuff, give it to the waitress, and we get up to leave. On our way out, the manager asks us if there was anything wrong. The meal was shit, the music sucked, and I really didn't enjoy the experience, but I tipped right at 18%. 18% is what you get if I didn't enjoy my experience. I told the manager everything was fine and didn't make a stink about it, but I decided then in there it'd be my last time ever going there. Apparently, the restaurant has a policy where the waitstaff has to report low tips as a way for management to gauge poor performance. My tip was reported as low, which, technically it was. They tacked $24 in cover band charges to our table's final bill and the waitress took it as me shorting her $4+ in tips. I'm not tipping for that shit.
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I went to a restaurant a few weekends ago with a really shitty cover band blaring in the background that cost $6 a person to see (be deafened by). We get our check, I fill out all the stuff, give it to the waitress, and we get up to leave. On our way out, the manager asks us if there was anything wrong. The meal was shit, the music sucked, and I really didn't enjoy the experience, but I tipped right at 18%. 18% is what you get if I didn't enjoy my experience. I told the manager everything was fine and didn't make a stink about it, but I decided then in there it'd be my last time ever going there. Apparently, the restaurant has a policy where the waitstaff has to report low tips as a way for management to gauge poor performance. My tip was reported as low, which, technically it was. They tacked $24 in cover band charges to our table's final bill and the waitress took it as me shorting her $4+ in tips. I'm not tipping for that shit.
The standard restaurant tip in the UK is around 10% as far as i'm aware, if the meal was terrible I'll just round it up to the nearest £5/10.
18% seems very excessive for a poor night out to me.
Restaurants will always get a tip, but bar staff or taxis will have to provide better than standard service to get a tip from most here, hence why I was slightly miffed that I was essentially being charged with employee wages after paying for the services beforehand.
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I always tip, even for bad service, just a personality quirk.
One thing I don't get though are the people who tip for pickup. They just bagged your food, what is the tip for?
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I went to a restaurant a few weekends ago with a really shitty cover band blaring in the background that cost $6 a person to see (be deafened by). We get our check, I fill out all the stuff, give it to the waitress, and we get up to leave. On our way out, the manager asks us if there was anything wrong. The meal was shit, the music sucked, and I really didn't enjoy the experience, but I tipped right at 18%. 18% is what you get if I didn't enjoy my experience. I told the manager everything was fine and didn't make a stink about it, but I decided then in there it'd be my last time ever going there. Apparently, the restaurant has a policy where the waitstaff has to report low tips as a way for management to gauge poor performance. My tip was reported as low, which, technically it was. They tacked $24 in cover band charges to our table's final bill and the waitress took it as me shorting her $4+ in tips. I'm not tipping for that shit.
The standard restaurant tip in the UK is around 10% as far as i'm aware, if the meal was terrible I'll just round it up to the nearest £5/10.
18% seems very excessive for a poor night out to me.
Restaurants will always get a tip, but bar staff or taxis will have to provide better than standard service to get a tip from most here, hence why I was slightly miffed that I was essentially being charged with employee wages after paying for the services beforehand.
18% is the standard in the US, and the point of my story was that I tipped 18% on the meal and service, but refused to tip on the portion of the bill that was for the cover charge for the band. That's ridiculous.
My other huge gripe with tipping is that it's rooted in the cost of the meal. If I went to Chili's and got 4 burgers, the bill would be something like $44. If instead we got 4 steaks, the bill would be something closer to $80. The waiter/waitress did the exact same amount of work, yet I'm supposed to tip them nearly double? It makes no sense.
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I always tip, even for bad service, just a personality quirk.
One thing I don't get though are the people who tip for pickup. They just bagged your food, what is the tip for?
If my food is coming to me over a counter, I'm not tipping. In my mind, that's literally no different than when I worked at the deli counter at the grocery store.
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I actually started a minor ruckus here a few years back (possibly while you were away, Adami) over tipping for carry out. If the place specializes in take-out, a pizza or Chinese place, then there's no problem. If you're ordering from an actual restaurant then it's polite to tip a buck a bag. You're taking a wait-person away from tending to their regular customers (who will tip more). Moreover, it's more than just throwing it in a bag. In a normal restaurant it's the bartender who takes carry-out orders, and he also makes sure you have napkins, plastic-ware, little servings of crappy, fake butter and any other condiments, etc. Maybe some drinks. And it has to be bagged up in such a way that you don't wind up with lobster bisque all over the floorboard of your Toyota corolla.
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I disagree. If you're ordering lobster bisque for takeout, you kinda deserve what you get.
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I'm a habitual over-tipper in general, having worked for them for over a decade. You have to actively fuck up for me not to leave at least 20%. Pickup I might toss a single or two into a tip jar if they have one and I get singles back in my change, but they're not getting more than that.
As far as Cruise to the Edge, it's annoying that they split it out separately from the cost of the cruise since it's fixed and mandatory but I did see it ahead of time in the FAQ section of the website.
I disagree. If you're ordering lobster bisque at all, you kinda deserve what you get.
Fixed :tup
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So is there some hierarchy of soup where some are acceptable for take out and others not? Where does clam chowder fit in there? While I wouldn't get take-out from a place that makes a good bisque, unless they serve it in a bread bowl I'm not going to begrudge somebody who would.
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I don't see how that's my problem,it's the cruise line's for not paying their staff a livable wage, forcing them to rely on tips. I don't think it's my responsibility to pay their wages and further enable these big industries. The cost of the cruise should pay for the entertainment, staff and upkeep of the ship.
Why should I tip someone for doing their job?
I agree but I still tip because it's expected. I almost always tip more than whatever the standard tipping rate is. It was unfair in your case because you didn't know.
My dad and I went on a fishing trip in Alaska. We had no idea about the tipping arrangement. It was expected to tip the boat captain $40 every day. We were also expected to tip for the room and food even though that stuff was included in the price for the trip. I ended up under-tipping the boat captain first day because I didn't have all that cash on me. Since my dad paid several thousand bucks for the trip, I took care of all the tips. And those tips really added up for a 5-day trip.
5 years ago or so I took my car to get the breaks done and there was a sign on the counter stating "Tipping is not a city in China." I never went there again.
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It sounds like this is not so much of a tip, but a "resort fee" type of charge. It's typically a hidden charge at hotels, usually big resort hotels (and maybe cruises too, I haven't been on one since I was little so I can't speak for that). It's a way to nickel and dime consumers. It's a pretty big problem with hotels and driving consumers insane because it often is not advertised in the price and usually in some hidden small font somewhere where most people don't find out until they check in or check out where it's too late to change your mind about booking the room.
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Oh yeah, forgot about casinos. Call me a dick, but I never tip the dealers at the craps or poker tables.
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First off, cruise was amazing. On topic, having been on CTTE before, and ProgNation before that I was well aware of the fee. It was on the site for both cruises on all the various sailings. Not saying I agree with it, but it never caught me by surprise.
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So is there some hierarchy of soup where some are acceptable for take out and others not? Where does clam chowder fit in there? While I wouldn't get take-out from a place that makes a good bisque, unless they serve it in a bread bowl I'm not going to begrudge somebody who would.
No, I was just joking about ordering soup as a takeout item in general. But I have actually ordered soup for takeout.
As far as the gratuity charge on the cruise, in my very limited experience, that is standard on cruise lines. It isn't limited to this one.
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I'm all for tipping service workers (at least here in the U.S., simply because they'd all starve otherwise), but if there's going to be a mandatory gratuity like that, it should be clearly stated upfront. Maybe they buried it in the fine print somewhere, but they should be transparent about that kind of thing.
Definitely agree with this. But then Nick just stated he himself saw it and knew and if NICK saw it...no one has any excuse, really. :heart :police:
On the tipping part, I've always been in the know of the industry and have been in the industry now for over half my working life so I'm biased. But I agree that it shouldn't just be "tip good"; that promotes a bad mindset and environment that's backwards. But if you're not tipping just because of a principal thing or because the restaurant should pay them more...you shouldn't eat there. It's now on you just as much as it is the restaurant if you know about it and then still say "fuck you" (and make no mistake, that's exactly what you're doing if you get good service and don't tip if you know about the wages and restaurant culture of the U.S.; granted, if they do a good job... if they suck then it's moot :lol ). Keep in mind this is for people in the U.S. and know our culture, the VAST majority of the restaurant's that have this structure, their rules, wages, etc. I'm aware other countries do it differently. I have harsher and more expanded opinions on it but I'll stop with that considering people have their own awesome beliefs in something as weirdly simple and seemingly straightforward as tipping in the U.S.
Also agree ten fold with Barto on the take out thing. Normal take-out, yeah, nothing different done. Take-out from a restaurant where a server has to leave their possibly good tippers, yeah, I'd leave a little extra at the very least.
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I don't think I've ever tipped on take out before unless it's one of those spots where you pull into a designated parking spot and someone brings your food to you, then I throw that person a dollar. I typically tip 20% of the final price so I end up tipping over 20% of the normal bill, but typically I don't mind. There's been very few times where service was so poor that I tipped less and maybe just once in my life where service was so bad I did not tip at all. I get it that these people working rely on these tips to live off of. I'd be totally fine if we united and stopped tipping in general for a higher price in the food. Just take all that tipping stuff out of the equation. It's actually a big reason why I like Uber so much, no tipping the driver, it's built into the price... but if the driver did a great job, you are always free to throw the driver some extra cash.
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It's actually a big reason why I like Uber so much, no tipping the driver, it's built into the price...
That's what Uber wants you to think. As a driver, I strongly disagree with that. Uber does not pay any more than the other rideshare services that offer a tip option in their app (Uber excludes that option), they just want to appear as the cheapest option and do not care about the driver.
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I recall one time I was in a local Pho restaurant, back when I was bummed and stressed out about an ongoing school project. I ordered a round of egg rolls and an awesome rice and meat dish (had some veggies, egg quiche, and a shrimp patty). Costed around $15-$16 (tax included). I gave them a $20. After they brought the receipt and change, I was like keep the change, since I had a great meal and the service was solid enough.
Regarding the whole tipping thing, this reminds me of something that WWE wrestler Chris Jericho wrote in his second autobiography regarding tipping. He stated that Eddie Guerrero (deceased wrestler and a great friend of Jericho, may he RIP) told Jericho, after Jericho tipped $1 on a $10 meal, that he should tip 20% always. Guerrero stated, "What's $1 to you? What's $2 to you? You're making great money, but that $1-2 could be the difference whether or not the waitress can pay her bills." Jericho stated that onwards he tipped 20% no matter what.
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It's actually a big reason why I like Uber so much, no tipping the driver, it's built into the price...
That's what Uber wants you to think. As a driver, I strongly disagree with that. Uber does not pay any more than the other rideshare services that offer a tip option in their app (Uber excludes that option), they just want to appear as the cheapest option and do not care about the driver.
I don't get the need or expectation to tip in a case like this. You are choosing to drive other people around for money under a contract with Uber. I enter a contract with Uber to get rides for X number of dollars. The exchange of currency should be dictated by the terms we have both agreed to before the exchange of services.
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It's actually a big reason why I like Uber so much, no tipping the driver, it's built into the price...
That's what Uber wants you to think. As a driver, I strongly disagree with that. Uber does not pay any more than the other rideshare services that offer a tip option in their app (Uber excludes that option), they just want to appear as the cheapest option and do not care about the driver.
I don't get the need or expectation to tip in a case like this. You are choosing to drive other people around for money under a contract with Uber. I enter a contract with Uber to get rides for X number of dollars. The exchange of currency should be dictated by the terms we have both agreed to before the exchange of services.
Sure, but practically speaking, it isn't any different than a taxi service (aside from you getting charged less and the whole process being more convenient), yet everyone tips cab drivers. You get charged based on the time of the trip and the mileage, just as you would in a cab. And Uber drivers pay for all of their own expenses.
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It's actually a big reason why I like Uber so much, no tipping the driver, it's built into the price...
That's what Uber wants you to think. As a driver, I strongly disagree with that. Uber does not pay any more than the other rideshare services that offer a tip option in their app (Uber excludes that option), they just want to appear as the cheapest option and do not care about the driver.
I don't get the need or expectation to tip in a case like this. You are choosing to drive other people around for money under a contract with Uber. I enter a contract with Uber to get rides for X number of dollars. The exchange of currency should be dictated by the terms we have both agreed to before the exchange of services.
Sure, but practically speaking, it isn't any different than a taxi service (aside from you getting charged less and the whole process being more convenient), yet everyone tips cab drivers. You get charged based on the time of the trip and the mileage, just as you would in a cab.
Then why don't you drive for Lyft who allows tipping in app? When I first used Uber, it said you do not need to tip. So I don't tip. Uber has no problem surcharging for busy times where the driver makes a lot more money for riding the same route (taxis don't do this). Lyft does not have surcharges. These are things I take into account when I spend my money. I did just google this and it does seem that Uber is cool with tipping outside the app, but that's not what it was like when I first became a user.
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It's actually a big reason why I like Uber so much, no tipping the driver, it's built into the price...
That's what Uber wants you to think. As a driver, I strongly disagree with that. Uber does not pay any more than the other rideshare services that offer a tip option in their app (Uber excludes that option), they just want to appear as the cheapest option and do not care about the driver.
I don't get the need or expectation to tip in a case like this. You are choosing to drive other people around for money under a contract with Uber. I enter a contract with Uber to get rides for X number of dollars. The exchange of currency should be dictated by the terms we have both agreed to before the exchange of services.
Sure, but practically speaking, it isn't any different than a taxi service (aside from you getting charged less and the whole process being more convenient), yet everyone tips cab drivers. You get charged based on the time of the trip and the mileage, just as you would in a cab. And Uber drivers pay for all of their own expenses.
Same applies to taxi cabs. That's that person's job. They work for a company under an agreement to ferry people around at a certain rate. It's what they're tasked with on a day-to-day basis. I wouldn't tip a bank teller or a cashier even though they're providing a service, why is driving someone around in a car different?
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It's actually a big reason why I like Uber so much, no tipping the driver, it's built into the price...
That's what Uber wants you to think. As a driver, I strongly disagree with that. Uber does not pay any more than the other rideshare services that offer a tip option in their app (Uber excludes that option), they just want to appear as the cheapest option and do not care about the driver.
I don't get the need or expectation to tip in a case like this. You are choosing to drive other people around for money under a contract with Uber. I enter a contract with Uber to get rides for X number of dollars. The exchange of currency should be dictated by the terms we have both agreed to before the exchange of services.
Sure, but practically speaking, it isn't any different than a taxi service (aside from you getting charged less and the whole process being more convenient), yet everyone tips cab drivers. You get charged based on the time of the trip and the mileage, just as you would in a cab. And Uber drivers pay for all of their own expenses.
Same applies to taxi cabs. That's that person's job. They work for a company under an agreement to ferry people around at a certain rate. It's what they're tasked with on a day-to-day basis. I wouldn't tip a bank teller or a cashier even though they're providing a service, why is driving someone around in a car different?
I have always tipped in a traditional cab and never tipped in an uber.
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I'm all for tipping and in fact I am usually a generous tipper but I hate manditory tips. It's supposed to be a courtesy, not a requirement.
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Then why don't you drive for Lyft who allows tipping in app? When I first used Uber, it said you do not need to tip. So I don't tip. Uber has no problem surcharging for busy times where the driver makes a lot more money for riding the same route (taxis don't do this). Lyft does not have surcharges. These are things I take into account when I spend my money. I did just google this and it does seem that Uber is cool with tipping outside the app, but that's not what it was like when I first became a user.
Personally, I don't, because there's not enough of a user base for Lyft where I live. And Lyft absolutely has surcharges like Uber does. But they still offer a tip option in the app. I'm not here to tell you that you have to tip your Uber driver. Most people don't. I'm just telling you the notion Uber pushes that the tip is included is total BS. Most trips barely cover the cost of gas/maintenance for a driver (if it does at all) unless it's a long drive or there's heavy surge pricing (which is rare, especially if you don't drive in a major city like NY/SF).
Same applies to taxi cabs. That's that person's job. They work for a company under an agreement to ferry people around at a certain rate. It's what they're tasked with on a day-to-day basis. I wouldn't tip a bank teller or a cashier even though they're providing a service, why is driving someone around in a car different?
That's fine if you feel that way, but most people tip their cab drivers. I'm just going by what's customary in the U.S.
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Tipping widely varies even within the U.S. I was raised in New York (Long Island). I always tip well. When we bought our first house in California over a decade ago, I tipped the U.S. Mail delivery woman, along with the guys that picked up our trash. My wife (who is a CA native) was bewildered at that. Same when the guys delivered our furniture for said house. She kept arguing with me that you don't tip for those services.
My argument for tipping is -- when you do it, you get even better service. Our mail delivery person (who has remained constant), always makes sure in the rain that if we have a package, it's not tossed over the fence and sitting out in the rain. She bags it, calls me, and tells me exactly where she put it. Our trash guys don't have my number, but unlike the rest of the block, my garbage cans are always neatly next to my driveway, whereas others' are knocked down, moved a bit, etc.
It's the little things that make it worth it. And we're not talking about a lot of money here. $20 at the holidays, a gift card, things of that nature.
At restaurants, I get tired of the tipping percentages. I tip when I receive actual service. I don't tip when someone at Subway makes a sandwich for me. And I tip according to the level of service. If I get average service, with a person doing their job the way it should be done, they get 15 percent. If they are a bit friendlier, and do a good job, 18 percent. And if they go absolutely above and beyond, I'll even go up to 25 percent depending on the place and what was done (but usually 20 percent).
It goes the other way too -- we once went to lunch at CHeesecake Factory. Our waiter knew the people at the table next to us. He spent all his time chatting them up, never refilled our drinks, never asked how we were doing, didn't show up at all except to take the order and give us a bill. That's shitty service, and the tip reflected that (I gave him 5 percent, and left a note for his manager about where his employee was spending his time). I always tip SOMETHING, however, as it isn't the kitchen staff's fault the wait staff sucks (and all those tips are pooled and shared most times). But if you deliver shit service, you're getting a shit tip, plain and simple.
And no, we haven't returned to that Cheesecake Factory...been a decade or longer now...
Suffice it to say, I believe in tipping for service rendered, and to make my own life easier down the road. And to-date, it always pays off. If I spend more than one night in a hotel, I drop a 20 in an envelope every other day. Always come back to find extras of everything in the room, and clearly, more time spent making sure my room is above and beyond. And that means something...
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Same applies to taxi cabs. That's that person's job. They work for a company under an agreement to ferry people around at a certain rate. It's what they're tasked with on a day-to-day basis. I wouldn't tip a bank teller or a cashier even though they're providing a service, why is driving someone around in a car different?
That's fine if you feel that way, but most people tip their cab drivers. I'm just going by what's customary in the U.S.
I'm just trying to figure out why. As much as I disagree with tipping at a restaurant, I can kind of understand why we do it. But someone just driving you around? I don't understand it. I wish people along the coastline would tip me for properly modelling all of their exposures against millions of storm scenarios in order to establish the probability of them losing their home to mother nature.
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So is there some hierarchy of soup where some are acceptable for take out and others not? Where does clam chowder fit in there? While I wouldn't get take-out from a place that makes a good bisque, unless they serve it in a bread bowl I'm not going to begrudge somebody who would.
No, I was just joking about ordering soup as a takeout item in general. But I have actually ordered soup for takeout.
As far as the gratuity charge on the cruise, in my very limited experience, that is standard on cruise lines. It isn't limited to this one.
Between my wife and I, we have been on five cruises, and every one had that charge. It's standard.
I agree with everything Chino has said so far on this thread, with two minor exceptions:
- I use 15% as the standard minimum, and 20% if the wait person is anything more than just plain putting in the time. I have NO problem changing the tip to reflect service, though in my defense, I am just as likely to go to the manager and say "Wow, you should know that Jaimoe just did a wonderful job at our table; really made the meal enjoyable, and you should know you have a keeper there" as I am to say "wow, that blew."
- That's the first time I ever heard of the cover added to the check. 100 times out of 100 I've heard them collect the cash at the door (both to make sure that the Designated Driver's still paid, and to better give a percentage to the band).
I get that tips are a part of the income, but if you're giving me the discretion to put what I feel, what better way than by virtue of the quality of service? The job isn't JUST hauling food. Part of it is making the dining experience something more than it is at home. I'm a talker, and I ask questions. If I'm boring you or keeping you from something else, that's fine, but your tip will reflect that.
Here's something I'd like your opinion on: I am a rather decisive person, but it seems like that goes out the window when it comes to menus. I have been known to ask about "this dish" or "that dish", and I have been also known to say "I can't decide between x dish and y dish. Can you just bring me one of them?" I understand that wait staff HATE that. I tend to tip 20% in those circumstances - it's not their fault if I don't like the meal or it wasn't what I thought it was. Am I unreasonable?
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Then why don't you drive for Lyft who allows tipping in app? When I first used Uber, it said you do not need to tip. So I don't tip. Uber has no problem surcharging for busy times where the driver makes a lot more money for riding the same route (taxis don't do this). Lyft does not have surcharges. These are things I take into account when I spend my money. I did just google this and it does seem that Uber is cool with tipping outside the app, but that's not what it was like when I first became a user.
Personally, I don't, because there's not enough of a user base for Lyft where I live. And Lyft absolutely has surcharges like Uber does. But they still offer a tip option in the app. I'm not here to tell you that you have to tip your Uber driver. Most people don't. I'm just telling you the notion Uber pushes that the tip is included is total BS. Most trips barely cover the cost of gas/maintenance for a driver (if it does at all) unless it's a long drive or there's heavy surge pricing (which is rare, especially if you don't drive in a major city like NY/SF).
Same applies to taxi cabs. That's that person's job. They work for a company under an agreement to ferry people around at a certain rate. It's what they're tasked with on a day-to-day basis. I wouldn't tip a bank teller or a cashier even though they're providing a service, why is driving someone around in a car different?
That's fine if you feel that way, but most people tip their cab drivers. I'm just going by what's customary in the U.S.
I find this interesting and it's cool to speak to a driver about this. I use uber a decent amount because I travel a lot and I almost always have a good experience and a few drivers have opened up to me about their issues and payments and things like that, which for me, is cool to know since like I mentioned before, I think about all these things when I spend my money. I was under the impression lyft didnt have surchages, I've only used them once. I didn't tip either if that makes a difference (I was amazed at the cost of a 2 mile trip, which was 2 miles of road I could not just walk). But yea, lift doesn't have the user base that Uber does, nor does it have the driver base, which is why I don't typically even try to use it, there's usually an uber much closer to me.
But I got to ask then, if the price hardly makes up for the cost to the driver, why do it then? I always figured there's got to be some strategy to make the most money out of Uber. I'd think hanging out around airports would be a good start. Long trips and constant flow of people.
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Here's something I'd like your opinion on: I am a rather decisive person, but it seems like that goes out the window when it comes to menus. I have been known to ask about "this dish" or "that dish", and I have been also known to say "I can't decide between x dish and y dish. Can you just bring me one of them?" I understand that wait staff HATE that. I tend to tip 20% in those circumstances - it's not their fault if I don't like the meal or it wasn't what I thought it was. Am I unreasonable?
I'd say not at all. When I used to work the deli counter, we'd have people come in (some familiar, some not) who weren't picky eaters at all. We had so many combinations, people surprisingly often would just say something like "surprise me, just keep it under $10". I actually used to really like those customers. They made my job easy.
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Here's something I'd like your opinion on: I am a rather decisive person, but it seems like that goes out the window when it comes to menus. I have been known to ask about "this dish" or "that dish", and I have been also known to say "I can't decide between x dish and y dish. Can you just bring me one of them?" I understand that wait staff HATE that. I tend to tip 20% in those circumstances - it's not their fault if I don't like the meal or it wasn't what I thought it was. Am I unreasonable?
Never thought about that. I'm having dinner with my brother tonight and I'll ask him about it.
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I find this interesting and it's cool to speak to a driver about this. I use uber a decent amount because I travel a lot and I almost always have a good experience and a few drivers have opened up to me about their issues and payments and things like that, which for me, is cool to know since like I mentioned before, I think about all these things when I spend my money. I was under the impression lyft didnt have surchages, I've only used them once. I didn't tip either if that makes a difference (I was amazed at the cost of a 2 mile trip, which was 2 miles of road I could not just walk). But yea, lift doesn't have the user base that Uber does, nor does it have the driver base, which is why I don't typically even try to use it, there's usually an uber much closer to me.
But I got to ask then, if the price hardly makes up for the cost to the driver, why do it then? I always figured there's got to be some strategy to make the most money out of Uber. I'd think hanging out around airports would be a good start. Long trips and constant flow of people.
In my case, I started after leaving my "real" job and looking for other work. It's better than nothing, but once you run all the numbers, including taxes that they don't deduct for you, it's hard to make a respectable wage driving. Where I live, the only times that you're guaranteed a decent payout are Friday and Saturday night between about 12AM-4AM. Airports are good in theory, and the trips you do get are usually pretty good, but there are so many drivers at the airport that you can literally wait hours to get a passenger. And when people use the service for 1 or 2 mile trips, they may feel like they're paying a lot, but the driver sees very, very little of it. Uber and Lyft take their flat cut out of it, and the driver will be left with the minimum fair, which in many places is less than $2. When you factor in how much time it took to receive the request, go find the passenger, and take them to their destination, the pay rate is miniscule.
Long story short, don't be a rideshare driver. :lol
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Damn, thanks for sharing. That sucks. When I was in Miami a couple months ago, I had two separate 15+ minute uber trips that totalled $2 each (granted they were shared rides). I think Miami has too many drivers or something. It was so cheap, I thought, how is anyone making money here?
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Damn, thanks for sharing. That sucks. When I was in Miami a couple months ago, I had two separate 15+ minute uber trips that totalled $2 each (granted they were shared rides). I think Miami has too many drivers or something. It was so cheap, I thought, how is anyone making money here?
If all you want is a way to make a couple hundred bucks of supplemental income on the weekend, it's a decent enough gig. But if you want to do it full-time, it becomes wildly inefficient.
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Same applies to taxi cabs. That's that person's job. They work for a company under an agreement to ferry people around at a certain rate. It's what they're tasked with on a day-to-day basis. I wouldn't tip a bank teller or a cashier even though they're providing a service, why is driving someone around in a car different?
Well, as has been said other ways, it just comes down to this: For certain types of services, it is customary. It is understood within those industries that, in addition to the price you see marked, there is an expectation of tipping as well, and that is built into the wage those workers receive. I couldn't tell you, service-by-service or industry-by-industry exactly how or why that custom developed. And, really, that isn't important. And some of it varies by region as well. For instance, the example above about tipping the mail man is one that is definitely different depending on where you are. It wouldn't even occur to me to do that here in California. But in NY, it is more common (as is, apparently, the custom of holding a grudge against an entire restaurant chain because of bad service by one employee. :lol But I digress...). Bottom line is, if it is custom in your area in a certain industry, and you are doing business with someone who provides that service, it is discourteous to deny that person a tip, whether you happen to agree with the practice of tipping or not.
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My sister has a condo in the upper east side of Manhatten. They tip the door men a few hundred bucks each year. That always boggled my mind, not that they don't deserve the money or they don't do things to help you (they do), but that such a high cost isn't just included in the fees (association fees for a condo). I guess it's similar to tipping a dollar a day to them for holding the doors and helping you with mail and bags and letting your visitors in... but that's definitely a cost I wouldn't of considered when looking to move (if I were to move to NYC, which I have no desire to).
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I wouldn't say I "tip" my mailman, but we give him a Christmas card every year, usually with a Starbucks or D&D gift card. We shoot the shit with the guy all the time, and I run into him every afternoon after work when taking my dog out. We talk to him more than any of our other neighbors, some of whom we also send cards and gifts to. It's more of a neighborly love thing than a tip.
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I don't tip anyone in general other than restaurants, and then that's only because it's socially accepted that you pretty much habe have to leave something.
My main grievance is that it's mandatory and secondly I'd already paid for the service provided, especially in the drinks section where the $8 drink coupon got you a drink up to $6.95 (about 10 of my 48 were cans of coke too so essentially I was paying $8 for a can of coke, the other were bottles of Budweiser which I really hope they don't charge more than $5 for
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I think tipping occurred in the old days because the jobs were paid less like waitresses where they make the real money on tips like commission. These jobs are now paid much more yet tipping is still customary.
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I think tipping occurred in the old days because the jobs were paid less like waitresses where they make the real money on tips like commission. These jobs are now paid much more yet tipping is still customary.
That was worded a bit odd so I'm not sure if you're specifically referring to waiting tables or not but if you are, that's horrifically incorrect.
Barring a very small niche, the vast, heaping majority of waiters/servers make a couple bucks an hour. Perhaps a couple/few more depending on if you're bartending as well as the occasional difference in company but very, very few make minimum wage because at their core they are specifically designed in the expectation that (again, unless you flat out suck at your job) people will tip. It's inherently in their design and business structure.
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As someone who tended bar for years, I agree that the tipping culture is out of control, especially since a lot of people in the industry think they are entitled to big tips rather than working for them. Granted, a lot of that comes from being jaded from running your ass off for customers who jack you on the tip.
I still never tip less than 20% unless the service is absolutely awful (it is dumb to hold bad food against the server since they aren't the ones cooking your food), and on small bills, I will always tip more. I never tip less than 5 bucks if I sit down somewhere and get food, so if I go somewhere quick for lunch and my bill is 12 bucks, I am still giving 5 bucks.
All of that aside, if a tip like on the cruise is automatic, it definitely should be told to you ahead of time, not snuck in after the fact.
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I'm saying that tips were made for jobs that the pay scale is low, some of the jobs today like a doorman and boat waiter staff are paid very well but other jobs like restaurant waiters still make low pay.
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Yep. People who take the "well, the restaurant should pay them more" attitude should consider a) they legally cannot, and b) if they could, they would jack prices up on the food and drinks to make up for having to pay their employees more. But some will find any flimsy reason to be a cheap skate.
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I'm saying that tips were made for jobs that the pay scale is low, some of the jobs today like a doorman and boat waiter staff are paid very well but other jobs like restaurant waiters still make low pay.
Ah, gotcha.
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So who has that friend that takes out their phone to calculate the tip to the cent?
Also one bullshit thing I've been seeing more often is when you get a check and the tip is included but they still show what, especially when maybe you've had a few, still looks like a tip line because it's just an "additional gratuity". I mean the check does clearly state that a tip has been included but it's purposely hidden between total and subtotal and they have that other line in there. It just seems like a dirty way to make more money when someone is just looking to get the f out of somewhere once they get the check.
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So who has that friend that takes out their phone to calculate the tip to the cent?
I'm not like that at all. I usually calculate 20% in my head and then round to the next highest dollar if I'm at a restaurant. If it's just drinks I try to make sure they get at least a dollar a drink.
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I worked at a cruise line, and their tip/service charge was always posted upfront. And at the end of the cruise you could ask that it be withheld if you thought the service didn't warrant it. Figured they assumed most guests would forget all about it by the end of the trip.
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So who has that friend that takes out their phone to calculate the tip to the cent?
I'm not like that at all. I usually calculate 20% in my head and then round to the next highest dollar if I'm at a restaurant. If it's just drinks I try to make sure they get at least a dollar a drink.
The math is really easy for tipping at 20%. 1 dollar tip for every 5 spent. And yea, I'm typically a buck per drink tipper not tipping based off the high cost of your vodka that will be the same work for you if its the cheaper kind.
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So who has that friend that takes out their phone to calculate the tip to the cent?
I'm not like that at all. I usually calculate 20% in my head and then round to the next highest dollar if I'm at a restaurant. If it's just drinks I try to make sure they get at least a dollar a drink.
The math is really easy for tipping at 20%. 1 dollar tip for every 5 spent. And yea, I'm typically a buck per drink tipper not tipping based off the high cost of your vodka that will be the same work for you if its the cheaper kind.
Ditto. I can get a Coors Light on tap for like $3.50 and Victoria will get a $10.50 micro brew. Am I supposed to tip 3 times more for hers?
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My sister has a condo in the upper east side of Manhatten. They tip the door men a few hundred bucks each year. That always boggled my mind, not that they don't deserve the money or they don't do things to help you (they do), but that such a high cost isn't just included in the fees (association fees for a condo). I guess it's similar to tipping a dollar a day to them for holding the doors and helping you with mail and bags and letting your visitors in... but that's definitely a cost I wouldn't of considered when looking to move (if I were to move to NYC, which I have no desire to).
I lived in a building with doorpersons in Philly, and I tipped too, but it wasn't anything about "their wages" or "service" per se. Those people can be your best friend, or your worst nightmare. It helped that my ex-wife was cute, I'm sure, but the door people loved us. I could keep shit in the basement - strictly prohibited generally - and if a package or something came, I could always get it (ordinarily it was between 8 and 4 I think; it might have been 9 to 6, I don't know). I could park in front of the building and they'd never bust my balls (and if you've ever watched "Parking Wars" on TV, you'll know that parking illegally is BIG BUSINESS in Philly). That was money well spent. I even was able to leave a big piece of furniture (an IKEA shelf unit) that I couldn't get out the door, and it was "taken care of" for me (I have no doubt it's in someone's living room now, but I didn't care). Every New Year's the Mummers parade would cross right in front of my building, and while it was usually verboten for the parade goers to come into the building during the parade, I am a Mum, so they cut me and my band some slack.
Some of the other tenants - mostly older - were downright rude to most of them. I don't know if it was race or something else (the door staff was with one exception, entirely black, and the building tenants were predominantly Jewish) but it actually made me sad, and a little angry. The tip for me was about showing them that I thought they were real people and worthy of some respect. Good example of respect given, respect earned.
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At restaurants, my baseline tip is 15%. If you really suck, I will knock it down from there. But I absolutely have no problem going up to 20% or higher for excellent service.
I tip delivery guys too. Pizza delivery guys always seem happy that I throw them $5.00.
I don't take cabs, but I recently had cause to use Lyft, and I appreciated the tip feature in the app, and our driver was great and very outgoing, so I tipped him well.
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So who has that friend that takes out their phone to calculate the tip to the cent?
I'm not like that at all. I usually calculate 20% in my head and then round to the next highest dollar if I'm at a restaurant. If it's just drinks I try to make sure they get at least a dollar a drink.
The math is really easy for tipping at 20%. 1 dollar tip for every 5 spent. And yea, I'm typically a buck per drink tipper not tipping based off the high cost of your vodka that will be the same work for you if its the cheaper kind.
Ditto. I can get a Coors Light on tap for like $3.50 and Victoria will get a $10.50 micro brew. Am I supposed to tip 3 times more for hers?
This depends for me; if I'm buying rounds, I tip a $1 or so per drink, no matter what the drink is (though if one is a beer and one is a Flaming Mojito, I might reward the bartender for putting up with the nonsense of constructing the latter). If it's a total check (and especially with food) a drink is a drink.
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Figuring out the tip is pretty easy. In Massachusetts, the tax is 6.25%. Typically I just go 3 X the tax.
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At restaurants, my baseline tip is 15%. If you really suck, I will knock it down from there. But I absolutely have no problem going up to 20% or higher for excellent service.
I tip delivery guys too. Pizza delivery guys always seem happy that I throw them $5.00.
I don't take cabs, but I recently had cause to use Lyft, and I appreciated the tip feature in the app, and our driver was great and very outgoing, so I tipped him well.
This guy...
:'( :heart :heart :-*
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My sister has a condo in the upper east side of Manhatten. They tip the door men a few hundred bucks each year. That always boggled my mind, not that they don't deserve the money or they don't do things to help you (they do), but that such a high cost isn't just included in the fees (association fees for a condo). I guess it's similar to tipping a dollar a day to them for holding the doors and helping you with mail and bags and letting your visitors in... but that's definitely a cost I wouldn't of considered when looking to move (if I were to move to NYC, which I have no desire to).
I lived in a building with doorpersons in Philly, and I tipped too, but it wasn't anything about "their wages" or "service" per se. Those people can be your best friend, or your worst nightmare. It helped that my ex-wife was cute, I'm sure, but the door people loved us. I could keep shit in the basement - strictly prohibited generally - and if a package or something came, I could always get it (ordinarily it was between 8 and 4 I think; it might have been 9 to 6, I don't know). I could park in front of the building and they'd never bust my balls (and if you've ever watched "Parking Wars" on TV, you'll know that parking illegally is BIG BUSINESS in Philly). That was money well spent. I even was able to leave a big piece of furniture (an IKEA shelf unit) that I couldn't get out the door, and it was "taken care of" for me (I have no doubt it's in someone's living room now, but I didn't care). Every New Year's the Mummers parade would cross right in front of my building, and while it was usually verboten for the parade goers to come into the building during the parade, I am a Mum, so they cut me and my band some slack.
Some of the other tenants - mostly older - were downright rude to most of them. I don't know if it was race or something else (the door staff was with one exception, entirely black, and the building tenants were predominantly Jewish) but it actually made me sad, and a little angry. The tip for me was about showing them that I thought they were real people and worthy of some respect. Good example of respect given, respect earned.
:tup
Good on you for doing that. I always tipped the doormen in the buildings I lived in that had them. As you said -- money well spent. Respect given, respect earned, as you said.
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I tip delivery guys too. Pizza delivery guys always seem happy that I throw them $5.00.
I try to always give $5 for delivery drivers too. That's a terrible, underappreciated job.
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I tip delivery guys too. Pizza delivery guys always seem happy that I throw them $5.00.
I try to always give $5 for delivery drivers too. That's a terrible, underappreciated job.
I've been a delivery driver before so I understand the costs and I found most people only give a few bucks, not dependent on the food order. I typically just stick to my 20% tip. I'm not so sure the tip should be dependent on the food ordered, but 2 dollars is too little ( I always give at least 3) and 10 dollars is probably too much. But then again, the quality of service comes to play too such as a ridiculously long delivery is tough to give a good tip on and I think I only gave a 2 dollar tip once on a dominos order that you can track and I knew this delivery driver was just terrible.
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I was actually about to come in here and ask about delivery tips. I'm in the same boat as cram, I always give at least three bucks, and once we get close to $20 or so for delivery I switch to 20% of the total (more if it's abysmal weather). I do wonder sometimes when we order indian food from the good but expensive place in town where just for two of us it can be $60 or more and tipping 20% on that for what still amounts to delivering two dinners seems like a bit much. Though, I suppose you could make the same argument or dine in tipping at nice bars/restaurants as well.
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The kid who delivers our pizza gets a few bong rips on his way out :lol
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The kid who delivers our pizza gets a few bong rips on his way out :lol
:rollin I tipped once this way before (on top of a few bucks). My brother used to get that tip a lot when he delivered pizza.
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:lol :lol
For a while I had a regular pizza delivery while I was brewing on Saturday, always the same guy. Was tempted to offer him some a couple times, but given that he's driving all day figured it wasn't a good idea.
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You guys are so fucking irresponsible it's insane.
He's stoned...WITH PEOPLE'S PIZZAS. Heathens. Fucking heathens. Those people will never get their pizza. :(
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I feel like tipping has become so far removed from reflecting service quality all the time as people like Chino have pointed out, that I just tip well automatically and don't really think about it. I'm not going to spend the time to calculate how much they deserve or make myself mad that tip is entirely based on how much I buy and not really how much they do.
I just consider it to be an additional charge and leave it at that.
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I hate tipping culture. 100% hate it.
When I sold skis and stuff I'd spend hours with people making sure they got the right stuff, using all of my knowledge and experience, to make sure they were safe and their thousand-dollar package was right for them. I didn't get tips. I'd get people asking for discounts cuz they're "spending so much".
Now, someone with (possibly) no skills in life brings me a drink and I have to pay 400% markup for it AND tip them? It's a pathetic double-standard.
Now places are forcing gratuity by including it in the bill and that should definitely be made illegal.
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I'm saying that tips were made for jobs that the pay scale is low, some of the jobs today like a doorman and boat waiter staff are paid very well but other jobs like restaurant waiters still make low pay.
Then shouldn't EVERY job that the pay scale is low get tips? Nobody at McDonald's gets tips. Nobody at 7-11 gets tips. Shouldn't EVERY job that pays minimum wage also require tipping? Why is it just the restaurant industry? The doorman/valet gets a tip if you give it, it's not just added to your bill or club membership.
I don't mind tipping when there's "actual effort" involved, like the moving guys carrying my entire lifes' belongings around but being expected, and now forced, to tip for simply pouring my drink or bringing my food is ridiculous.
When I'd work my ass off using all my knowledge and skills while working for scraps in retail nobody would think twice about not tipping me so to see people getting an extra 20% in tips on top of their minimum wage when I don't is beyond insulting. Thankfully I'm out of that industry now but I'll never get over this whole "tipping hypocrisy".
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That has all pretty much already been addressed.
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I'm saying that tips were made for jobs that the pay scale is low, some of the jobs today like a doorman and boat waiter staff are paid very well but other jobs like restaurant waiters still make low pay.
Then shouldn't EVERY job that the pay scale is low get tips? Nobody at McDonald's gets tips. Nobody at 7-11 gets tips. Shouldn't EVERY job that pays minimum wage also require tipping? Why is it just the restaurant industry? The doorman/valet gets a tip if you give it, it's not just added to your bill or club membership.
I don't mind tipping when there's "actual effort" involved, like the moving guys carrying my entire lifes' belongings around but being expected, and now forced, to tip for simply pouring my drink or bringing my food is ridiculous.
When I'd work my ass off using all my knowledge and skills while working for scraps in retail nobody would think twice about not tipping me so to see people getting an extra 20% in tips on top of their minimum wage when I don't is beyond insulting. Thankfully I'm out of that industry now but I'll never get over this whole "tipping hypocrisy".
I think you're perhaps being a shade too literal. The restaurant industry isn't exactly like other industries. If the skies are bad, I take them back. If you spit on them or put your fingers in the boot holes, no harm no foul. The McDonald's comes in a box. It's basically sanitary from the get go. There's a level of trust with a seated food service that isn't present with others, and I think there's a level of expertise that is required that isn't present with the others. I'll grant you, it's gotten excessive, but I wouldn't at all call it "hypocritical".
If anyone has gone to a reasonably high end restaurant (I'm talking an Emeril's or something like that) you know what REALLY good service can be. It's WAY more than just putting plates on a table.
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I worked at Boston Market for 2 years, making $6 an hour and was not allowed to accept tips. I think I was only offered a few times. That job is not nearly as difficult and personal as being a waiter and waiters were making like 2 or 3 an hour at that time.