It’s no secret that I write a blog that obviously focuses on traveling on a budget; I can’t help it – deals naturally excite me the same way other people get a rush in other areas of life. The downfalls of being “budget-conscious” is that some people often lump the words “deals”, “budget”, “bargain”, etc. in the same category as being “cheap”. Let’s not confuse the two.
While I love discovering new ways to save money, I don’t skimp out on gratuity when I feel like it is deserved. Key word: deserved. I love rewarding friendly, service providers, and I have no problem tipping generously to those who go out of their way to make my service-experience more rewarding.
What I do have a problem with, is this: the ever-growing trend of the expectation of tips has gotten seriously out of hand… sometimes even to the point where it feels like bribery (I’ll touch upon that in a bit).
Here are some recent hair-pulling examples I have encountered in the last 6-months alone.
- I was in a taxi in NYC. There is a credit card machine in the back as a payment option. When I reached my destination, I pulled out my card (CSP, duh) to pay my $11.25 fare. The driver abruptly interrupts me as I am about to pay by saying “No, no, no, miss – the credit card machine is broken!” (mind you, those were his only words to me during the entire ride). Hmm.. oh really? “Sorry, but I don’t have cash”, I reply. “It looks like it’s working from the way it is lit up and saying ‘swipe here'”. “Oh ok, well actually… it only works if you add a 30% tip”, he says back. Nice try, buddy – you just threw away your chances of getting any tip what-so-ever.
- I was in a rush and didn’t have time to prepare dinner, so I called a local pizzeria and placed an order to run in and pick up a large pie. When I arrived to pick it up, the girl at the counter handed me my credit card payment slip and circled the area that said “add tip”, to try to make me feel more inclined to tip on takeout. I got the look of death when I put a line through it. Um, It’s take out.
- I had the Verizon Fios guy over to set up my wifi and TV service in my new place (which I was billed $69.99 for), towards the end of his appointment, he casually threw me a line saying that he “accepts tips”. A quick Google search of “tipping Verizon employees” lead me to a page that said that Verizon employees are not permitted to ask for or accept any tips on the job.
- I also love when I go out to dinner (restaurants in Miami are notorious for this practice), and there’s an automatically-added 20% service charge buried between the tax and total “for my convenience”. This doesn’t stop the restaurant from adding an empty tip slot at the bottom and “suggested gratuity calculator”. Sneaky sneaky…
- Most recently, today, I logged on TopCashBack and saw that I had $11.50 available to transfer over to Paypal. Before I was even able to hit “confirm my payment”, I saw there was a page asking for a tip. Granted TopCashBack takes pride in the passing off what they claim to be the highest cash back in the industry, call me crazy, but giving a tip to a cash back portal just seems ridiculous to me.
Now onto the “tipping/giving-gifts-now-turning-into-a-grey-area-of-bribery-category”, here’s a real-life issue I am currently facing: I am about to give birth to Baby Points Traveler any day now, and I have been fortunate to be part of a very nice “January/February 2014 birth club” filled with other young first-time moms.
Over the last 9 months, I have received incredible support from a great group of ladies, but I am noticing a trend among expecting mothers that is making me very ticked off: up-front nurse “thank you” gifts in the form of care packages, gift baskets, whatever the case.
Simply put, the intent of these care packages is this: I will provide you with a “nice gesture” up front, conveniently when I admit myself into labor&delivery, “thanking you in advance” for the great care you’re about to give me for the next 18+ hours.
I have no problem with thank you gifts (after a smooth delivery), but if the intent of the gift is in hopes of receiving better/more attentive care, then that is something I have a problem with. I would think the hospital collecting $30K+ for childbirth from my insurance would be enough these days, but no, now I need to worry about supplying my nurses with Chapstick, chocolate, and Orbit gum… :rolls eyes:
Now before I drive myself off a cliff on a tangent, lets swing back into travel gear. A few days ago, fellow BoardingArea blogger, Gary Leff, published a post about his experiences and opinions regarding tipping when traveling abroad.
When traveling, I try to avoid the obvious services that I personally don’t need, such as the bell man (I carry a backpack), valet parking services (if self park is available), etc. In general, I try to avoid “fancy-pants” experiences and tourist traps, and I prefer to hang low and blend in with the locals.
It really bugs me that in our day-to-day lives, we are being polluted with the expectation to hand over extra money at any given occasion, and now it’s come to the point where sly, manipulative tactics are employed to make us feel guilty for not tipping.
I miss the days where people would be grateful when they received a little extra. Or when people went out of their way to help someone because they truly wanted to do so from their heart.
I know tipping will always be a controversial topic of discussion, but I am curious to hear your perspectives about where the direction of tipping is headed as well. The comments are open…
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Speaking of hospitals and giving birth… been there done that – Twice. No not me, mrs.dhammer53. ;)
We found the hospital staff to be warm and welcoming. Somehow, we/you get caught up in the situation, and decide to do something nice for the girls/guys at the nurses station. It’s just one of those things. Caught up in the moment, if you know what I mean. ;)
But not to worry. With the number of births they have during the week, it’s not as if they have a list with your name on it.
Please excuse some of your readers if We get caught up in your moment. ;) We’re going to be proud aunts and uncles. ;)
Totally agree with you. I feel disgusted when I am “forced” to tip. Taxi drivers are the worst. I asked you to drive me from Point A to B. You will charge me for that. So, why should I tip you? You are doing your job that is to drive me.
Love the TopCashBack request – that’s actually pretty hilarious!
Forgot to ask you something: how about curbside check in? I noticed several times that if you don’t tip between $3 to $5 per piece of luggage you get that “not happy look” from the guy and that always drives me nuts since they never put the luggage in the belt while you are there. They usually give you the tags but kind of leave the bags on the side to move them all later. I’ve heard bad stories about people not tipping what they expect and not finding all their luggage when they arrive at their destination. Funny is that nobody expects you to tip the agent inside the terminal if you check in there but you are expected to tip if you do curbside check in. Go figure!!!
On your takeout example, I agree that circling the “add tip” line is in poor taste. However, generally I leave a modest tip for takeout if it’s from a normal restaurant where I’d normally tip for a seated meal (not a fast food or takeout-only place) since the server had to take time to pack up my order.
Re: Cab driver; should have reported him to the Taxi and Limo commission
I agree with you completely; all of the examples you cited are galling. Taxi drivers are notorious for this; I’ll take a cab as a last resort only. Public transportation or Uber are my preferred ways of getting around (and then only when walking is out of the question).
What I dislike the most about tipping at restaurants is when the restaurant suggests tipping based on the total including tax when it should just be the total BEFORE tax.
Generally, I tip more at the establishments I frequent like the barber shop, neighborhood restaurant and neighborhood bar. As far as taxi drivers go, I normally give a $1 at most. The likelihood of me seeing them again is unlikely and they never open the door for me or carry my luggage so I’m fine with the $1 tip.
Just got back from a long weekend in Cabo. Stayed at the Villa del Palmar. Nice place, but on the bill there was 45.00 pesos per day for “tips.” I asked WTF, and they said it’s for the ‘gardeners and maintenance people.’
Uh, no. They said I had to ‘fill out a form’ if I wanted it removed which, by now I’m so annoyed that of course I want it removed. Then they said my reason wasn’t good enough to remove it. So I wrote, “The gardener ran over my foot with a mower and chopped off two toes.”
Grrrr……
I always tip cash-back sites 15 to 20 percent, depending on the quality of the service.
Angelina: I rode a new york taxi cab a week ago. When I used the credit card machine to pay, I was forced to choose a 20%, 25%, or 30% tip! How can tips be mandatory? I am a good tipper but I strongly dislike mandatory tips. Also, I had dinner at Lysanne in Times Square and although an 18% tip was added on the bill, the receipt still contained an empty tip slot exactly as you described! My friend almost double tipped because he did not notice. Very very sneaky. Lesson: carry a lot of loose bills like ones and fives to pay the taxi cab and scrutinize all bills!
Derek: use the custom or ‘other’ tip button.
What bugs me about tipping is when they do not so thank you, eg put a couple of buca in the jar when paying for coffee, 75% of the time it’s not acknowledged.
I have started to notice more and more being hassled for tips when traveling abroad. A worker in the PEK airport asked if I was from America and then asked for a tip. I find that so annoying. I dont mind if restaurants add a space to add a tip so long as it says “additional tip” so you know that a tip has already been added. I think that it is horrible precedent to offer a gift to the nurses at the hospital before your delivery. My experience is that most labor and delivery nurses provide excellent care and dont expect gifts (but appreciate a thank you note, box of bagels or chocolates after the delivery if you appreciated their TLC)
Well, I have the opposite problem!
I love using the Starbuck’s app on my phone to pay for my coffee, but you can’t add a tip. Quite often I run in with just keys, my phone and my coffee mug, and have no cash at all. I really wish there was a way to add a tip using the app and I have said so to both baristas and managers.
My strategy – which works well since I frequent a truly neighborhood shop where I know the baristas by name and they know me and my drink – is to periodically shove $5 or $10 in the tip jar. They are always most grateful and since tips are split by shift and by week, everyone gets a piece.
Apparently, I must not be the only one with this problem because I have been told that the Starbucks app will soon allow for tips!
I think the general rule is that you don’t have to tip someone with a salary. Hourly employees (or those working on commission) who don’t earn a living wage should be tipped. I’ll tip the hospital janitorial staff before I tip a nurse. They are well compensated.
The tipping culture in the US can get out of hand. I’m all for tipping generously when appropriate. Just be polite and professional. Subtle hints/reminders will do nothing to change the habits of a cheapstake and will only alienate those who do tip.
So sorry about you experience,Im an RN ,trust me we never accept “tips” nor gifts from patients,in fact in my hospital we are the one giving free coffee and donuts to our patient’s guests and relatives.We make enough amount of money that tipping us will be consider inappropriate and insulting .
I just got a “servicio de mesa” automatically added onto my bill in Buenos Aires. (for the table cloth & dishes lol)
I get 18% gratuity added for dining solo in Miami Beach
Tipping should just be outlawed … I pay my taxes on all my salary people who get tips can not honestly answer that question. They should pay there end to. Tips is just something so out of hand it’s insane everyone wants a hand out.
In the US waitstaff get paid subminimum wages and if they don’t get tips their living standard is threatened. It’s an absurd situation. Til it is changed don’t eat out in the US if you don’t want to tip. BTW the IRS has forced an estimated tip calculation based on the restaurant’s sales. It has not been left to the individual to estimate their tips for years. BTW I give but don’t receive tips.
With the exception of restaurant staff, I only tip in times where service exceeds my expectations (but, like Angelina, I avoid “fancy pants” situations and will walk/public transport vs. taxis, self-park vs. valet, etc.). If my pizza place does something special, I’ll tip for that “extra” but handing me a box is an expected service. JMHO.
When my wife and I had our little guy last year we took a plate of cookies into the nurses but that was it. They definitely appreciated it but I don’t think it is necessary to give them an actual gift. Hopefully they provide you with the great service that a birthing mom deserves!
As a healthcare professional, I am appalled at the very thought of someone even attempting to tip me. You are already paying for their service via co-pays and premiums (handsomely compared to the rest of the developed world) for your peripartum care. I think the solution is to leave the bubble of lunacy that clearly has enveloped NYC.
It is out of control. However, I partly put myself through college working on Ocean Drive on Miami Beach as a server. There was an automatic gratuity of I think 15% added. However, this was necessary for the the arrogant Europeans that flood the beach and otherwise would never tip. (even though they know damn well its the culture here).
But yes, the tipping culture is outrageous and aside from the ‘traditional’ tipping jobs I gleefully decline.