Do you tip?

[PhilDawson8270]

I bet you don't tip the postman

Do make him a brew to take when it's cold though. Then again, it's been the same guy for years, and always around at pretty much the same time

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

Yes, I've had a couple of clipless moments.

 

[Electric_Andy]

Always if service is cordial. It's underpaid and most work bloody hard.

True, but lots of people work very hard for little money and don't get/expect tips. Health care Assistants, labourers etc. And on the subject of being underpaid, you either settle for what you're paid or you find a different job don't you?

 

[Dayvo]

As Ian said, when it's deserved.

I bet none of us tip in pubs in England. And why should that be?

 

[martint235]

It depends. As you say you're paying in full for a service but for example a waiter is paid to deliver food and drink to my table. If they add something to the experience: extremely helpful, cheerful or generally add to my experience of the restaurant then I'll tip. If they are really good, I'll mention them when I'm sat drinking brandy with the owner.

I never understood tipping dustbin men, surely they do just do their job?

Or barbers? I mean they've set the price themselves!!

Oh and in a shop, bar or cafe, one way to guarantee not getting a tip from me is to return my change on a tip tray in the hope I'll just leave it there. I won't. I also won't feel bad about picking it all up either.

Years ago, I used to spend a fair amount of time in Vienna. My local bar had a band on one Friday night and the manager came over to talk to me. "I'm really sorry Martin but because we're going to be busy, I'll need you to pay for each drink as it's delivered to your table. Of course I only want you to tip once at the end of the evening if the service is good though". "Matthias, I've just flown in from a city where I have to queue to get my beer and pay for it before it's given to me more often than not by a grumpy barman. I really don't think you need to apologise"

 

[ianrauk]

I bet none of us tip in pubs in England. And why should that be?

If the service has been good then a 'one for yerself' is usually in order and appreciated.

 

[swee'pea99]

Yes, of course, where it's expected (waiters) not where it's not (bus drivers). Whatever the rights and wrongs, that's the convention, and underlying basic pay rates reflect it. If you don't tip people who convention says should be tipped, you're further lowering the (in most cases already very low) wages of people who do an (again as a general rule) demanding and thankless but necessary job.

 

[andyfraser]

Like some others, I tip 10% if I think it's deserved.

I gave my postman a tip only a few weeks ago: if you want to keep your job then stop taking a short cut across my front lawn!

 

[ianrauk]

I never understood tipping dustbin men, surely they do just do their job?

We always tip our binmen at Christmas, £20. They are always grateful and take those item's or extra bags that we really 'should' take to the tip.

And they all know Ian jnr by name....before he went to school he used to love watching the compactor on the truck and they would wait until outside our house and jnr to come out before they compacted.

 

[Ganymede]

As Ian said, when it's deserved.

I bet none of us tip in pubs in England. And why should that be?

I sometimes buy the bar person a drink, if I go in with a big group who will be a bit of a challenge to serve.

I also give the postie and the dustmen tips at Christmas.

I am lucky to be quite well-off and I know that shows. I had to train Mr G to tip better because he still had his old Dad's attitude, "why should I, cos I never get a tip". His Dad used to get all sorts of benefits like amazing hospitality in America and China when he had to travel on business. Mr G used to get a bonus every year from his firm. I pointed this out and Mr G agrees - if you look comfortable then you come off as a mean git if you don't tip. I tip taxi drivers, my hairdresser, restaurant servers, coat check people, and delivery people where the goods are bulky and heavy, eg furniture (so that's not often).

 

[PhilDawson8270]

True, but lots of people work very hard for little money and don't get/expect tips. Health care Assistants, labourers etc. And on the subject of being underpaid, you either settle for what you're paid or you find a different job don't you?

In a restaurant you're also taking advantage of their poor wages. Low prices, and if you have ever seen a restaurant you will realise how much staff wages are cut to get the prices down. If you're going to take advantage of low prices, at least have the courtesy of giving some back to the people who provided your service.

 

[swee'pea99]

Oh and in a shop, bar or cafe, one way to guarantee not getting a tip from me is to return my change on a tip tray in the hope I'll just leave it there. I won't. I also won't feel bad about picking it all up either.

Oh yeah - that one really grinds my gears! Generally happens in a pretentious pub that has delusions of grandeur. Bugger that.

 

[PhilDawson8270]

As Ian said, when it's deserved.

I bet none of us tip in pubs in England. And why should that be?

In my area, NW england (unsure if it applies elsewhere), but standard tips of 20p or 50p are common.

Often linked to an offer of an unmentioned amount, they take some change.

"take your own" = 20p
"get yourself a drink" = 50p

Unless you explicitly order the drink when placing your order.

It may vary geographically, but that's fairly standard around here.

 

[Ganymede]

And re health workers - well, no I don't tip, but when Mum was in hospital in the summer I took a large 2Lb punnet of fresh cherries into each of the 3 departments which treated her.

And when Dad died in October I sent a big fruit basket to the ward, they were so kind. I recommend choosing an "office basket" - no big pineapples or melons to cut up, just lots of individual fruits which people can pick up to eat when passing by.

 

[andyfraser]

I've just remembered a tipping story from my recent visit to Prague. We finished our meal and asked for the bill. 2,200 CZK. The service was very good so I put 2,500 CZK in the folder. OH needed to use the WC so I waited. I had hoped we'd be gone before the waiter took the money but I was still waiting for OH when he took it. The waiter actually brought my change to the table rather than assume (as some other places in Prague do) that I meant to leave a tip.

PS I did leave the money as a tip as intended.