I have an ongoing problem with tipping - Who? How much? When?

I have the basic tipping situations in hand; restaurant servers, hair stylists, etc. The areas I have problems with are:

Plumbers, electricians and similar that you call for routine matters that take an hour or two to fix.

People who provide an advertised 'free' service. Example: the pharmacy I use provides free delivery of prescriptions.

People who provide a service the basis of which is "tipping is prohibited." Example: My groceries/super market needs are delivered the morning after I request them online. The delivery staff is wonderful; items are taken to the kitchen and separated between freezer, fridge and pantry. When you sign up for the service you agree that "tipping is prohibited". It's at the point where I feel like hiding when they arrive.

People who deliver furniture. If I've paid $80 to have the item delivered, I don't feel bad not tipping. But if delivery was free, I want to tip. Yet each group performs the same effort on my behalf.

Should I just make a 'flat fee' for tips? Should I not tip at all? Should I tip based on a percent of the charge?

Should I keep a calculator strapped to my waist to figure this stff out?

For what it's worth, I would never think of tipping a plumber or an electrician considering the salary they make!

I dislike tipping, but I do it.

I will tip hairdressers, just the person doing my hair, not the person who shampoos. Taxidrivers and restaurants also receive tips from me. A Christmas I tip the postmen (they share it between the regulars on the route), the dustmen and the paper boy.

I don't tip anyone else although I once tipped the men who fitted new carpet throughout my house. That is it for me.

The Aussie have it right, I don't think they normally bother.

I would far rather pay a higher fee for the job and not have to tip, for instance in a restaurant. This would be much better, the staff could have a higher wage to make the tips redundant.

My problem is that I tend to tip too high, the rule of thumb here is 10% but I tend to go higher.

In general, Aussies rarely tip - perhaps letting the pizza boy keep the change might happen occasionally, but that's about it.

However - tipping at restaurants - although not a given, is now fairly common. Historically, Aussie wages in the service industry have always been fairly reasonable so the need to supplement a minimum wage isn't seen as pressing.

I overtip, especially in restaurants as I have done waiting work and its a killer. I tip the delivery men , after all delivery charge is probably not going to go to them . I give taxidrivers more than most people. I don't know why I just do. I also get very embarrassed when I am with someone who is paying the bill and they tip meanly. I have been known to say if they wont let me share the bill, at least let me leave a tip. That way I know people will get something. Its just a habit.

LIke Nannanut said we don't do it here. I've left the change in restaurants and taxis but that's just the coin and it wouldn't add up to more than $5. It wouldn't even pass my thoughts to tip the hairdresser or a deliveryman.

Interesting thread, as I'm always confused about who or how much to tip. Here in the US, tipping has come to be expected, which I find to be bothersome, especially if you've received mediocre service. Restaurants we usually do 15%, unless the service was outstanding, in which case sometimes 20%. My hairdresser, who I love, I do tip her 20% every time. But I would never dream of tipping the plumber or electrician. When we shop at the commissary (grocery) on the Air Force base, the baggers only work for tips, so obviously I tip them, but how much to tip is always in question. If you are feeling bad about not tipping your delivery person, vendome, I would consider something else thoughtful for them, like cookies or a card or something. That would eliminate the need for hiding!

And with some of those 'tipping is prohibited' places, employees can get in a heap 'o trouble if they are discovered accepting tips. I wouldn't put temptation in their way.

I have just this moment returned from the hotel where I am holding my birthday dinner next week. I needed to organise the champagne, wines etc and to tell them of the physical needs of some of my guests, for instance they will require a high chair in the lounge rather than the low sofas.

Then the manager said, "Now, gratuitees, should you wish to leave anything...". He then went on to say that during the six week period known locally as Tennerfest, where you can eat at many/most of the best restaurants in the island for £10-£15 for a three course meal (fantastic), his staff do not accept any gratuitees and any that are left are donated to charity.

How nice that a charity will benefit from my birthday dinner.

You are all so nice!!

My daughter is working her way through college, serving at an upscale restaurant. British patrons are the poorest at tipping, she reports.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-montalk2sep02,0,282889.column

In the US, 15% is the going tip at a restaurant. As this article says, servers usually receive minimum wage. (Far above $2.13 an hour here!) Their tips have to be reported to the management and the IRS after sharing with bussers. (Required.)

Sorry, to say, anyone who doesn't tip in an American restaurant is either ignorant or cheap. Of course patrons have considerable latitude in showing appreciation for fine service as well a contempt for poor service.

Sorry, that sounds harsh--I didn't mean "ignorant" disparagingly. Let's try oblivious or unaware.

When tour buses disgorge British tourists at my daughter's hotel/restaurant, their guides inform them of the American tipping etiquette, but it is apparently unbelievable to them. Like, they hear the words even through the American accent, but surely they don't mean that.

I have an American friend who refuses to tip because she says restaurants are so expensive to begin with. She just doesn't get the idea, which is, the restaurant costs 15% more than the menu says. She should stick with Subway and Costco.

I only tip the pizza boy and the waiter or waitress at a resturant and usually about 15 percent. I have never heard of a South African tipping a hairdresser, but I could be wrong. We don't tip delivery people, unless they are delivering food. For example, I wouldn't tip the people delivering furniture or medicines. I don't think they are even allowed to receive tips.
We have these people at our shopping malls, called 'car guards', who watch our car while we are shopping and so forth. It's a personal choice whether you want to tip them or not. I prefer to tip them and be friendly and they, in turn, are friendly and helpful to me. Some people get totally annoyed with them and refuse to tip them or acknowledge their existence, yet they take advantage of the free security.

I have no idea how it is in other countries, regarding their rate of pay that is... but at least when it comes to waitresses/waiters here in the U.S., they are actually given a lower rate of pay, because they are expected to make it up in tips. That might be fine in more upscale restaurants, but in the chain outlets, where often people will opt not to tip at all, frequently the tips will not even bring it up to minimum wage standards. Especially since the tips must be divided among other staff, including bus-persons, or dishwashers...

Perhaps its changed since my younger days... but it was always a wonder to me, since it seemed that it would be illegal to actually pay less than minimum wage. It also irks me that the tips must be divided among other staff as well; to me tipping means that I am rewarding someone for good service, and I would prefer that the money I leave go to the person who actually provided that service.

I know how hard these ladies and men work and I want them to know I appreciate it so I always overtip in restaurants I frequent; I am remembered and even treated a little better.

Redwood, your points illustrate how the automatic adding of a set percentage, which is mentioned in the menu, is much fairer to all as it isn't dependent on the staff who are in touch with the customers. If service is particularly bad customers can opt to remove the service charge before paying.

That's true... having it automatically tallied in with the total does seem convenient for all concerned... But to me, tipping is still supposed to be a reward. I would rather know that the staff were adequately paid for their work, and be allowed that opportunity to tip according to how impressed I might be, or even according to my own finances. To make it mandatory, or even semi-mandatory, seems to defeat the point. If that is the case, then they might as well raise the prices to have tips already factored in, don't you think? Better that all parties know where they stand, rather than anyone ever feeling pressured for a gratuity.

I suppose it is six of one, and a half dozen of another...

I generally tip only in restaurants if the service was good. for example, once in a restaurant with my sister we had asked our waitress if there was any way she could let us know about ten minutes before our meal arrived. We explained the reason for this was that my sister needed to take her medication before eating, we were told that it was no problem. When the waitress told us our meal was being plated and that she would be bringing it out to us shortly my sister took her diabetic medication. Forty five minutes later I flagged the waitress to see what was going on only to be told that she forgot us. Her I did not tip. Another time with my sister and for the same reason we again asked for a approximate time on the wait. The waitress this time told us that there was a long wait since it was busy and kindly offered to bring us some bread sticks so that Johanne could safely take her pills. Her I did tip. It all depends on the service for me.

Did you know tip originalaly stood for "To Insure Performance"

Me and my family always tip 10% of the bill.

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Where I live it is common practice for many restaurants to add 10% 'service' to the bill, you are not expected to tip on top of that.

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Just out of curiosity, what do you do if restaurants automatically include a tip or service fee in the bill, and you have received really bad service? Do you refuse to pay it?

I just have to respond to this post tonight. My husband and I were just talking about this tonight. We ordered Lasagna dinners from a local restaurant tonight. We decided to tip, whomever delivered it $5.00 for a $20.00 order. Because the weather here is snowing and very cold. Anyway, the person that delivered it, I remembered from my days working at a bowling center, as a bowler. I quit that job in 1997. Anyway, this man has got to be in his late seventies. When he got here we invited him in for a few minutes to warm up and I looked at him and said, "I know you" and he said "I know you too". We figured out that we knew each other from the bowling center. I was glad to see that he is doing fine. And at his age, (I am 52), is still doing well and staying busy.
I know that I had a story to tell, and probably bored a few of you, but I truly believe in tipping the pizza/delivery folks from restaurants. Here, they use their own vehicles and go out into the cold. And I always tip the waitresses/waiters, if they have done a good job, because 'I have been there and done that job' too.
Thank you for letting me share my story that happened to me tonight.
Take Care
Kathy

I thought your story was cute, it put a smile on my face, GrandmaHippie. I overly tip the pizza delivery cause I didn't have to get dressed and go out of the house.

I used to be a waitress (20 years ago) and it was hard work and my feet still hurt thinking about it LOL. If I get exceptional service then I tip as high as 25%. On the norm I tip about 15-20%.

As for servicemen (plumbers, electricians, etc) I usually don't tip. But I do tip tow truck drivers (boy have I had lots of tows over the years LOL). I own a couple of show cars and they do break down coming or going to a show so if they get my baby (my show car) home safe and sound I usually tip them with a $20.00, but I have AAA, so I get 4 free tows a year with that.