I tipped 2$ for a haircut today. A few years back when I was in highschool, I didn’t tip for a haircut because I didn’t know it was customary because I wasn’t used to paying for my own haircuts.
No. I’m a miser.
There’s a fancy sandwhich shop (or a gourmet sandwhich shop rather seeing that they sell wine) around here, and you order something and they make it right there like Subway, but you can leave tips. What through me off is that recently I paid with my card and it had the line to write in a tip on the receipt, and I left it blank. I’m wondering if I was supposed to leave a tip for the production of a sandwhich.
A.K.A. bribing them to breach their employment contract.
When I learned that I stopped tipping forever. It’s a good scam for employers pay less wages.
Not much of a tipper here either, they should tip me with extra food. I paid for the food and the service already, what gives?
Not much of a tipper here either, they should tip me with extra food. I paid for the food and the service already, what gives?
Huh? No, you didn’t pay the full price for the service - you paid a discounted price because the server has agreed to be paid less than par in expectation that he/she will receive par wage in compensation for professional service rendered when the gratuity is paid by the customer ex post . In other words, you took advantage of his/ her trust and good will.
I can’t believe the amount of commenters saying they don’t tip servers while overlooking this.
Mr Pink is a Libertarian 
I hate the culture of tipping. I hate being in debt or having someone be indebted to me. And there is no more insidious debt than a debt a gratefulness. I don’t want to have to be grateful for good service, and I don’t want to have anyone be grateful to me for tipping. Write down on paper what I owe precisely so we can settle this business like and so there is no expectation of gratitude.
Thank god I live in an almost totally non-tipping region of the globe.
Well, that would overlook the fact that should everyone stop tipping, the discount would disappear. So, let’s make up our minds J
“In Europe, I’ve heard tipping is frowned upon”
Definitely not in Germany, you’re expected to give 5-10% depending on how the service is. If you give nothing extra at all, it’s basically a way of saying that you are very unhappy with the service. If you give more than 10%, you’re obviously very happy with the service.
I really like this system; employers can not always know how well their waiters are viewed by the customers so they delegate a part of the payment to the consumer who can choose whether he wants to reward a job well done or not.
“I hate the culture of tipping. I hate being in debt or having someone be indebted to me. And there is no more insidious debt than a debt a gratefulness. I don’t want to have to be grateful for good service, and I don’t want to have anyone be grateful to me for tipping. Write down on paper what I owe precisely so we can settle this business like and so there is no expectation of gratitude.”
I certainly respect that position–but is it really all that much trouble to understand the simple convention as it’s practiced? 20% is the norm–less for sub-standard service, more for superior service. The flip side to what you pointed out is the benefit accrued to the customer in the form of the incentive on the part of the server to give superior , as opposed to sub-standard, service.
Tipping is great on many levels:
If you’re paid in cash, you are more likely to give the Taxman the finger. Some of a service persons tips (cash) might go unreported to the IRS. That alone is reason enough for me to tip.
Another benefit for the person receiving a tip is that they can take it home that night to spend. There is something to be said for not having to wait till payday.
One of the above posters mentioned the discounts you can receive if you become known as a generous tipper. Indeed, and the pizza guy will never be late either.
Here are the general rules for tipping (please ignore if you’re not interested):
The people at subway have earned a tip if you cannot complete your order using the words ‘yes’ and ‘no.’ The leftover change from your total is a good start.
A waitress or bartender deserves a minimum of a 1$ or 10%, whichever is larger. Unless they have cursed at you. Even if you are ordering to-go. 20-25% should be the usual.
Pizza guy: 3$ for the first pizza, 2$ for the second, 1$ for each additional. No exceptions.
Furniture/electronics delivery crews earn 5-10$ each if they don’t damage anything in your home. A drink of some sort should be offered also.
If you are paying less than 15$ for a haircut the tip should be 2-5$ if you are happy. If you are paying more than $15 your tip should approach 50%.
If you go to the same gas station regularly, you should give a small tip to the attendant atleast every 4-6 months. Or anytime they check your oil, tire pressure, etc…
*** All figures are expressed in 2007 Dollars and may be subject to inflation***
I thought the pinco’s were the tightwads?
If the tipping is customary I always do it. $3 on delivery, $3-4 on haircut, $X chip at casino for the dealer, 15-20% for restauraunt, $1-2 for bartender per drink (in NYC atleast). $3 bucks for the cabby
Its money under the table, untaxed and completely voluntary. Tipping is the most the most free market oriented transactions I can think of that occurs in our daily lives.
To be stingy or take up with customary tipping (as long as it is with in reason) = jerk