Can we talk about tipping? I don't want to be a scrooge but...

[Janna]

...at this time of the year, I always hate where my heart goes. I *want* my heart to be different, but it always comes back to the same thing. Money doesn't grow on trees, especially in our yard. And so much is being spent already.

 

I am not good at knowing when to tip someone and how much, let alone how much extra to give at Christmas time.

 

So our dog is at the groomer right now. We moved up to this area in August which makes today the 3rd time we have used this groomer. I love her - she does a great job, and I have no complaints. I have never tipped her before (was I supposed to?), so should I today? If so, how much?

 

I also have been getting massages for the last several months, but they've been medically necessary so our insurance has been paying 100% of it. Since it has been in a medical facility rather than a spa, should I have been tipping? Should I now?

 

I guess I just don't understand tipping. Can you help me?

[In the Rain]

I don't know about the groomer, but I wouldn't tip for the medical massage. I never tipped for physical therapy, and it sounds like a medical massage would be similar.

[QueenCat]

I tip the dog groomer 15-20% because he is very good with my dog, and I want premium care.

 

Medical massages in a medical facility, no, and they probably wouldn't be allowed to take it anyways.

[Nestof3]

I am not a tipper of all things.

 

I do want to stop tipping my hairdresser. He's the owner. He charges $38 to just wash and trim my hair. No conditioner. No styling. If he would stop talking, he could do it in 10 minutes.

 

My husband mows his lawn. By himself, it takes about 45 minutes and he charges $45. He never gets a tip.

 

What makes hair-cutting worthy tipping but not lawn mowing?

 

I do think this tipping thing is blown out of proportion.

 

I understand wait staff get underpaid. This puts the burden of earning decent money on the customer. So, I tip because I want them to make more than $2.75 an hour or whatever the going rate is these days. I will tip very little or nothing if the wait staff acts like we are a burden. If I am pleased, I tip 15-20 percent.

 

But the hairdresser -- the business owner -- is making far above that. And, so are non-business owning hairdressers.

 

I tip in hotels when I feel like the staff has done a really good job.

 

I don't tip for any other service.

 

I give a Christmas bonus to the postal carrier, though.

[Chris in VA]

I am not a tipper of all things.

 

IWhat makes hair-cutting worthy tipping but not lawn mowing?

 

I understand wait staff get underpaid. This puts the burden of earning decent money on the customer. So, I tip because I want them to make more than $2.75 an hour or whatever the going rate is these days. I will tip very little or nothing if the wait staff acts like we are a burden. If I am pleased, I tip 15-20 percent.

 

I tip in hotels when I feel like the staff has done a really good job.

 

I don't tip for any other service.

 

I give a Christmas bonus to the postal carrier, though.

 

This is similar to what I do. As a pet sitter, I can say some tip, some don't. They have to pay an extra $25 for service on Christmas Day as it is, so I don't expect any tip at all for Christmas.

[Hannah C.]

I don't know about the two situations you described. I would think that, if groomers and massage therapists are being paid a living wage, they would not receive tips. I've never gone to either, however. I don't think I've ever tipped a hairdresser.

 

I used to work at a grocery store as a courtesy clerk (the person who helps people take their groceries to the car), and I would get tips somewhat frequently. We weren't supposed to accept them, but I ended up giving up on trying to refuse them because people would get offended if I tried! We were getting paid better than the then-minimum wage.

 

I am married to a waiter..and the *minimum* tip for a waiter at a sit-down restaurant is 15%. Anything less tells the waiter that they somehow slighted you service-wise, and it is very frustrating for a waiter who *knows* they served you well to receive less than what they should be getting, especially since there are only two states which pay waiters minimum wage. Anything above 15%, however, is up to the person's discretion. This is the only situation where I actually know what to tip and how much.

[snickelfritz]

My dog groomer is privately owned. I don't tip. If I did tip, I wouldn't do extra just for Christmas.

 

My hair stylist is in a salon. I do tip, but not extra for Christmas.

 

The only person I'm likely to give an extra holiday tip to is my house cleaner.

 

No to the postal carrier.

 

Can't think of anyone else I'll be giving an e tar holiday tip to.

[Catwoman]

I am married to a waiter..and the *minimum* tip for a waiter at a sit-down restaurant is 15%. Anything less tells the waiter that they somehow slighted you service-wise, and it is very frustrating for a waiter who *knows* they served you well to receive less than what they should be getting, especially since there are only two states which pay waiters minimum wage. Anything above 15%, however, is up to the person's discretion. This is the only situation where I actually know what to tip and how much.

 

We always tip at least 20% at restaurants, and often more than that if we're eating at a lower-priced place. We've done that for years, and I'm surprised that 15% is still considered acceptable.

 

The only time I bristle a little bit is when we're at a super-expensive restaurant and the tip ends up being over $100. I think that's an excessive amount when only 3 or 4 people were at the table, and no one was particularly demanding. I still tip the 20%, but unless the waiter was wonderful, I secretly resent it.

 

Cat

[QueenCat]

We always tip at least 20% at restaurants, and often more than that if we're eating at a lower-priced place. We've done that for years, and I'm surprised that 15% is still considered acceptable.

Cat

 

10% used to be the "norm" when I waitressed 23-26 years ago.....

[milovany]

I'm completely biased of course, but here's a plug for giving your newspaper carrier an extra tip at Christmas time if they are faithful, timely and friendly (esp. if it's a kid). There I said it. :D Our kids delivered the papers when we lived in town and did it day in and day out, six days a week for 2 and 4 years. 100 degree days, 0 degree days, blizzard days, windy and rainy days -- nothing stopped them. Yes, its their job, but they are paid a bare minimum (per paper, working out to less than minimum wage) and the tips are so nice this time of year when they want to buy presents for other people too.

[QueenCat]

And, so are non-business owning hairdressers.

.

 

In the salon I go to, each hair dresser pays for her "chair", a monthly fee, basically like rent. Plus they buy all of the coloring, perm products, etc that they use. They are not paid a wage, but take in all the money, and then pay it out. As in, I write my check out to her, not the salon. Again, the chair fee, cost of product, etc. She said after her business costs, she averages about $8-9/hour. I know this because I asked, too hard to explain but it was in an appropriate way, setting. I know her daughter qualifies for state medical care for children (single mother, fighting for child support). I do tip her, 20%. All of her tips are part of her gross, before the above mentioned expenses. I don't if this is the norm in private, non-chain salons.

[milovany]

10% used to be the "norm" when I waitressed 23-26 years ago.....

 

<kindred spirit> I remember that $1.00 seemed to be the standard tip where I worked about that many years ago (we didn't have math in my town yet so people didn't do percentages, LOL). If I got a couple of bucks I must have done a memorable job. $5.00? WOWzers.

[Corraleno]

I always tip our dog groomer at least 15-20%, because she does a really really good job and always listens to what I tell her. The two times I used the PetSmart grooming service, I didn't tip because they did a mediocre job and didn't follow directions.

 

I tip my hairdresser and waiters/waitresses 15-20%. I wouldn't tip for a massage in a medical facility, but I would for a massage at a spa or somewhere like that.

 

Jackie

[Catwoman]

(we didn't have math in my town yet so people didn't do percentages, LOL).

 

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

 

That was funny!

 

Cat

[Nestof3]

Yes, I agree. But, I have in the last couple of years seen a change in the sort of service I get from some young wait staff. It's the same attitude I see in some young grocery store baggers. They almost act like showing up is enough. A waiter/waitress is supposed to be acting like he or she desires to SERVE. If the person acts like he or she would rather not be there, I refuse to tip 15%.

 

Oh, and I used to wait tables.

 

I am married to a waiter..and the *minimum* tip for a waiter at a sit-down restaurant is 15%. Anything less tells the waiter that they somehow slighted you service-wise, and it is very frustrating for a waiter who *knows* they served you well to receive less than what they should be getting, especially since there are only two states which pay waiters minimum wage. Anything above 15%, however, is up to the person's discretion. This is the only situation where I actually know what to tip and how much.

[Hannah C.]

Yes, I agree. But, I have in the last couple of years seen a change in the sort of service I get from some young wait staff. It's the same attitude I see in some young grocery store baggers. They almost act like showing up is enough. A waiter/waitress is supposed to be acting like he or she desires to SERVE. If the person acts like he or she would rather not be there, I refuse to tip 15%.

 

Oh, and I used to wait tables.

 

I let my dh tip whenever we go out to eat. I'm absolutely certain he would give someone less than 15% if the service wasn't up to par. I just let him make the judgement call. :D

[AlmiraGulch]

I received medical massage prescribed by my chiropractor, in the chiropractor's office, for years. I still tipped her, but maybe not quite as much as I would in a spa because of the extra things you get in the spa (ambiance, over the top service, slippers, etc). I tipped because it never occurred to me to not. It may have been prescribed, but it was heavenly!

 

I've always tipped my hair stylist about 20%. I've been going to her for years, and now she actually owns the salon where she works. I've always heard that you don't tip the owners, but I feel uncomfortable stopping tipping now after years of doing so. I wish I could, though. It's not cheap!

 

Other than the "regulars," (i.e., servers at restaurants, bellmen at hotels, cab drivers) I don't tip, and certainly don't tip extra just because it's the holiday season.

 

Maybe I'm wrong....?

[scrappyhappymama]

We always tip at least 20% at restaurants, and often more than that if we're eating at a lower-priced place. We've done that for years, and I'm surprised that 15% is still considered acceptable.

 

The only time I bristle a little bit is when we're at a super-expensive restaurant and the tip ends up being over $100. I think that's an excessive amount when only 3 or 4 people were at the table, and no one was particularly demanding. I still tip the 20%, but unless the waiter was wonderful, I secretly resent it.

 

Cat

 

Uhm, I've only been to a sit down meal at a restaurant that cost over $100 for the meal maybe two or three times in my life!! So imagining a meal for 3 or 4 people that would entail a $100+ tip makes me :blink:.

 

We do consider the tip in deciding whether we can afford to go out to eat. But if only 20% were considered acceptable, it would curtail our eating out for special occasions even further! We generally tip 15% for good service, 20%+ for excellent service and 10% or less for fair service.

 

Attitude and relationship plays a big part in who I choose to tip. For example, I gave homemade goodies and a tip to our postman the past several years at Christmas, but he was a really sweetheart who stopped to talk with me often and never got annoyed at the increased number of Amazon boxes around the holidays. :) We've moved since, and our new postman never waves, doesn't even ring the doorbell when he drops packages at the door, and just generally seems to have a sour disposition, so I have no incentive to tip him for exceptional service, kwim?

[Janna]

Well, I decided to give the groomer a plate of fresh, homemade cookies that we made this afternoon. I am comfortable with that decision.

 

I have enjoyed reading the replies so far, but I have to agree mostly with Nestof3. She has described most closely my thoughts on the matter. Since I don't see anything completely obvious telling me I should have been tipping the groomer and the massage therapist, which is what I was wondering, then I will continue on with what I've been doing (or not doing in this case, LOL). Fwiw, we do tip a minimum of 20% in restaurants and I do NOT tip my hairdresser because she is the owner of the salon. Someone had told me years ago never to tip the owner of the salon.

[HappyCrazyMama]

I don't give extra tips at Christmas and I normally just give the customary 15%-20% to wait staff and few extra dollars to the hair dresser. My dh used to not tip wait staff :001_huh: but he also didn't know they didn't make a regular wage.

[Starr]

I've never figured out how one leaves a tip for the garbage or mail people? Am I just dense? It's snowing...

[HappyCrazyMama]

Uhm, I've only been to a sit down meal at a restaurant that cost over $100 for the meal maybe two or three times in my life!! So imagining a meal for 3 or 4 people that would entail a $100+ tip makes me :blink:. <snip>

 

Me too but I didn't want to say anything. I did some quick math if a 20% tip was over $100 then the bill must have been :blink: Though I couldn't even imagine it would be fun to go to a place like that someday. :) (I'd likely embarrass myself though :tongue_smilie:)

[Julie in AZ]

I think you should tip in all the situations you mentioned. I'm a big fan of tipping. People in service industries often work very hard for little pay. Also, as a Christian, I see it as a way to bless others.

[mcconnellboys]

I guess I would tip a dog groomer, especially if I were going to be using that person regularly. I tip my hairdresser, but if she were the owner of the salon, I would not.

 

I would not tip for medical massage.

 

I tip waiters who serve us food when we eat out, but other than that, I can't really think of anyone else I tip.

[Night Elf]

I've never figured out how one leaves a tip for the garbage or mail people? Am I just dense? It's snowing...

 

I've never heard of tipping garbage men/women, but I think with postal people you can put a card or small gift in the mailbox with a note on top that says TO POSTAL CARRIER or some such. What is appropriate to give? I always think 'fruit cake'. YUCK!

[Starr]

I've never heard of tipping garbage men/women, but I think with postal people you can put a card or small gift in the mailbox with a note on top that says TO POSTAL CARRIER or some such. What is appropriate to give? I always think 'fruit cake'. YUCK!

 

:lol: about the fruit cake!

[OrganicAnn]

We usually give our postal carrier a $5 gift card to a place that is like a lunch place or it could even be fast food (Arby, Wendys etc). I usually put on the envelop "For our regular postal carrier" just in case someone is replacing them that day. We get a thank you card from her, so I feel like it is appreciated. Now if we didn't get good service it would be different.

 

From what I know of dog groomers, if you really like them then you should probably give them a Christmas gift/Annual tip. Again I would get a gift card from a nice restaurant though cash is always good too and probably sign the card from the dog (Love, Poochie Cunningham).

 

I would not tip the medical masseuse. I might give her/him a tin of cookies or something like that if you felt it would be appreciated.

[yellowperch]

Okay, so what about the Russian tutor? A small gift (hat and gloves, for example). The piano teacher? The newpaper deliverer? (I'm thinking of a small $5 gift card to a local coffee spot) The UPS guy(the same one is here often), the Fed Ex guy (changes), post office guy (very nice). Is a $5 gift card nice or kind of why bother? ( I think it is nice but I'm not sure they will think so)

 

This is a perfectly timed thread. I have no idea what to do for some of these. Makes me glad I'm not in NYC where we more or less "had" to tip the super and the elevator guys. Some of them were really nice, but it was a real burden, and awkward to boot.

 

I like showing genuine appreciation, and many of the folks above deserve a little extra sunshine. But I don't know where it ends, and who I've neglected and who I've oversteped with. KWIM?

Edited December 16, 2010 by yellowperch

[gardening momma]

Can we talk about tipping?

WHY was the first thing that came to mind when I read this thread title cow tipping?

[Nestof3]

Yes, we also give the piano teacher a gift. Last year, the boys each bought her a picture book about a different composer. She leaves them on the coffee table in her waiting room. She really liked the Hildegard von Bingen one.

 

I may wait until our normal UPS person is back. If not, I won't bother with a UPS gift this year. I have never given them a gift before, but being on Amazon Prime means I get a lot of packages. LOL

 

We don't get the newspaper.

 

We always give the mail carrier about $50 in either cash or a gift card. I ship a lot from home, and we send out about 70 invoices a month. I'm not sure how much I'll give the UPS guy.

 

Okay, so what about the Russian tutor? A small gift (hat and gloves, for example). The piano teacher? The newpaper deliverer? (I'm thinking of a small $5 gift card to a local coffee spot) The UPS guy(the same one is here often), the Fed Ex guy (changes), post office guy (very nice). Is a $5 gift card nice or kind of why bother? ( I think it is nice but I'm not sure they will think so)

 

This is a perfectly timed thread. I have no idea what to do for some of these. Makes me glad I'm not in NYC where we more or less "had" to tip the super and the elevator guys. Some of them were really nice, but it was a real burden, and awkward to boot.

 

I like showing genuine appreciation, and many of the folks above deserve a little extra sunshine. But I don't know where it ends, and who I've neglected and who I've oversteped with. KWIM?

[gardening momma]

We always tip at least 20% at restaurants, and often more than that if we're eating at a lower-priced place. We've done that for years, and I'm surprised that 15% is still considered acceptable.

 

10% used to be the "norm" when I waitressed 23-26 years ago.....

Why would the percent need to be higher than 15-20%? Prices of food are higher than they were 10, 15, 20 years ago, but giving same % will yield a higher tip than it used to. Keeping the same % means the tip is still proportional to the cost of the meal.

[QueenCat]

Why would the percent need to be higher than 15-20%? Prices of food are higher than they were 10, 15, 20 years ago, but giving same % will yield a higher tip than it used to. Keeping the same % means the tip is still proportional to the cost of the meal.

 

:iagree:I'm with you on this one.... I was just stating what the norm was when I waitressed many moons ago.... I think people would go in to shock if wait staff expected more than 15-20%. And to get 20%, they should be making you feel like they want you to be there.

[Lady Florida.]

We've used 2 different groomers before our current one, and in both cases they were the owners, so I didn't tip. We are currently happy with the groomer at Petco. I didn't think tipping was the norm in a place like that. Now I'm wondering.

 

The only time I don't tip a hairdresser is if he or she is the owner of the salon. My current hairdresser isn't, so I tip her.

 

I don't tip the postal carrier. We don't really have a regular carrier. It changes so often, that I wouldn't even know who was getting the tip if I left it in the mailbox.

 

I'm currently prescribed physical therapy and massage therapy for chronic back (disc) issues. There are signs in all of the massage rooms stating that because it is a medical facility, tips are not accepted.

 

We usually tip about 18% at a restaurant.

[Hannah C.]

Why would the percent need to be higher than 15-20%? Prices of food are higher than they were 10, 15, 20 years ago, but giving same % will yield a higher tip than it used to. Keeping the same % means the tip is still proportional to the cost of the meal.

 

I don't know about other places in the US, but in Texas minimum wage for waiters is $2.13 an hour. Minimum wage for everyone else is $7.25 an hour. As far as I know, waiter wage did *not* go up when everyone else's minimum wage went from about $5.15 an hour to $7.25 in the past three years. So, if price of food is keeping pace with cost of living, then the same percent tip would maintain the waiter actual wage..if that makes sense. However, there are enough people who come in and don't tip 15% or sometimes 10% for waiters to be very frustrated at the least, and be worried about how they can make rent at the worst. It's a job which provides rather fluctuating income.

 

That being said, none of the waiters I know expect to get anything above 20% on tips, and they would view anything above that as a very good tip. I would tip more than 20% if I was impressed with the service, or if I needed or asked for service above and beyond what I felt they should be asked to do. I also tip more if I'm in a large group, especially if it's college students, since I know large groups are difficult to wait on especially if there are lots of separate checks -- and college students don't always know how to tip properly. But if it's just a run of the mill restaurant visit, no extra tip is needed.

[RahRah]

I've never heard of tipping garbage men/women, but I think with postal people you can put a card or small gift in the mailbox with a note on top that says TO POSTAL CARRIER or some such. What is appropriate to give? I always think 'fruit cake'. YUCK!

 

For the USPS - postal carriers cannot accept cash ... gift cards and/or items are allowed, up to $20 in value....amounts higher than this, if they accept it, are violating the ethics codes they agree to.

 

For FedEx - cannot accept cash ... gift cars and/or items are allowed, up to $25 in value.

 

For UPS - standard is $15 (cash, gift cards and/or item of value) for regular driver

Edited December 17, 2010 by RahRah

[Jane in NC]

For the USPS - postal carriers cannot accept cash ... gift cards and/or items are allowed, up to $20 in value....amounts higher than this, if they accept it, are violating the ethics codes they agree to.

 

 

 

Is this only true for "real" post office employees? I have a rural route carrier (contract employee) to whom I always give a Christmas gift. She is wonderful and we are grateful for her conscientious service.

[RahRah]

Is this only true for "real" post office employees? I have a rural route carrier (contract employee) to whom I always give a Christmas gift. She is wonderful and we are grateful for her conscientious service.

 

i honestly don't know....I checked a couple of websites about delivery/mail tipping before posting and all they noted was the ethics codes and a $20 limit for postal carriers. Maybe your local postmaster general could answer the question?

[joannqn]

I've never figured out how one leaves a tip for the garbage or mail people? Am I just dense? It's snowing...

 

 

I know a garbage truck driver, and he reminds people to tip their garbage man. He says to tape the envelope to the underside of the lid. They look for them there.

[Catwoman]

Uhm, I've only been to a sit down meal at a restaurant that cost over $100 for the meal maybe two or three times in my life!! So imagining a meal for 3 or 4 people that would entail a $100+ tip makes me :blink:.

 

Me too but I didn't want to say anything. I did some quick math if a 20% tip was over $100 then the bill must have been :blink: Though I couldn't even imagine it would be fun to go to a place like that someday. :) (I'd likely embarrass myself though :tongue_smilie:)

 

LOL, Aimee and Deanna! We definitely don't spend that much every time we go out to eat, but if it's a special occasion or we're entertaining a client, it's not unusual for the dinner bill to be several hundred dollars. It's also not unusual for some of the food to be a bit exotic for the sake of being exotic... the basil ice cream that one restaurant served with the rack of lamb comes to mind. :ack2: (And yes, it was as awful as it sounds.)

 

And Deanna, I'm sure you wouldn't embarrass yourself -- good manners are the same anywhere you go! ;)

 

We grew up eating at a formally set table every night, and we always ate out a lot, so I feel like I can eat pretty much anywhere and be comfortable. I like all kinds of places, from upscale restaurants to McDonald's, so I'm definitely not a food snob (except for the basil ice cream...) My dh laughs at me when we go somewhere and I get all annoyed when one of the forks is in the wrong place, though. :tongue_smilie:

 

Cat

 

Cat

[missesd]

I tip 10%, if the service was bad. 15% if it was only bare minimal. But more often then not, I will round up the tab, do 15%, and then round that up. So by the time I am done I tip probably closer to 20%.

 

I don't tip for anything other then restaurants, and salon. For a salon, it's usually 10% rounded up. Any other place... Pizza Hut dining in, the yogurt place, Target food court, etc... I see the tip jars, but don't. The way I see it is this... I *have* worked fast food. We were not allowed to make tips. They saw us doing our job as getting paid. You do what your asked, you get a check. So if they did not get enough business, they would not have a job... thus no check. They are getting for exactly what they are being asked to do, no more no less. May be kind of harsh or mean, but if my generation did without, so can theirs.

 

I didn't mention pizza delivery, because my husband works as a delivery driver PT. So he usually delivers our pizza ;) However, I am SHOCKED at the amount of people that don't tip. At least 1/2 of the people don't tip. I know they charge a delivery fee, but the drivers get none of that :( If I were to have another company deliver my pizza though, I figure in dollars whatever 1 gallon of gas is, so $2-3.

[Catwoman]

Attitude and relationship plays a big part in who I choose to tip. For example, I gave homemade goodies and a tip to our postman the past several years at Christmas, but he was a really sweetheart who stopped to talk with me often and never got annoyed at the increased number of Amazon boxes around the holidays. :) We've moved since, and our new postman never waves, doesn't even ring the doorbell when he drops packages at the door, and just generally seems to have a sour disposition, so I have no incentive to tip him for exceptional service, kwim?

 

:iagree:

 

Our mailman is wonderful, and we chat all the time. He goes out of his way to deliver packages to the front door (even though he could leave them by the mailbox at the end of the driveway,) and he's just an all-around great guy, so I would never dream of forgetting him at Christmas.

 

Our UPS guy is very nice, too, so I'm always sure to tip him -- but not as much as the mailman (who gets more than the "legal limit," but I put cash in the envelope so no one else has to know.;))

 

Our FedEx guy... well... not so nice. He's polite enough, but he's one of those guys that always acts like he's doing me a big favor by actually delivering a package to the front door. No matter how many times I put a sign on the garage door asking that packages be delivered to the front porch, this guy will stick the package on the driveway, right under the sign.:glare: (And the front door is the same distance from the street as the garage door, so it's not like I'm asking him to walk a half mile extra or anything.) At first, I used to think I'd done something to annoy him, but then I found out that he's the same way with the other neighbors, which made me feel better in a weird way. I know it sounds kind of mean, but I'm not giving him anything this year. He's just not a nice guy.

 

Cat

[Catwoman]

I didn't mention pizza delivery, because my husband works as a delivery driver PT. So he usually delivers our pizza ;) However, I am SHOCKED at the amount of people that don't tip. At least 1/2 of the people don't tip. I know they charge a delivery fee, but the drivers get none of that :( If I were to have another company deliver my pizza though, I figure in dollars whatever 1 gallon of gas is, so $2-3.

 

I thought everyone tipped the pizza delivery guys! We always tipped the food delivery guys, even when we were in college. Actually, we usually over-tipped, because we used to order a lot of take-out in college, and it helped us get our orders faster.

 

That's awful that so many people don't tip.

 

Cat

[Catwoman]

I know a garbage truck driver, and he reminds people to tip their garbage man. He says to tape the envelope to the underside of the lid. They look for them there.

 

That's what we do. They always manage to find it! ;)

 

Cat

[Catwoman]

I've never figured out how one leaves a tip for the garbage or mail people? Am I just dense? It's snowing...

 

Joann already mentioned how to tip the trash collectors, but when I tip my mailman, I put the envelope in the mail box and put up the little flag. I also call the post office in the morning and make sure our regular guy is delivering that day. Since I put cash in the envelope, I don't want a substitute guy getting it and maybe not giving it to our regular guy.

 

Cat

[Caraway]

I know a garbage truck driver, and he reminds people to tip their garbage man. He says to tape the envelope to the underside of the lid. They look for them there.

 

:smilielol5:

 

I have lived in this house for 8 years, and I don't I think I have EVER, not once, seen the garbage man get out of his truck. There is no way he would ever get close enough to the can to notice a tip.

 

My MIL leaves a 6 pack of beer on top of her garbage can. It always gets noticed.

[Brigitte]

<kindred spirit> I remember that $1.00 seemed to be the standard tip where I worked about that many years ago (we didn't have math in my town yet so people didn't do percentages, LOL). If I got a couple of bucks I must have done a memorable job. $5.00? WOWzers.

 

My dh is a waiter at a nice restaurant and there are plenty of people out there who think $1 is a standard tip on a $70 tab. :glare: 15% is almost unheard of and 20% would cause great rejoicing in our house. Most people around here seem to think that 5-10% is acceptable. Meanwhile the waiters' wage is $2.17 an hour.

 

As for the OP, I would tip the groomer if she is not the owner of the "salon." I would not tip for the medical massage.

[Brigitte]

Why would the percent need to be higher than 15-20%? Prices of food are higher than they were 10, 15, 20 years ago, but giving same % will yield a higher tip than it used to. Keeping the same % means the tip is still proportional to the cost of the meal.

 

Interestingly, our experience seems to be that because people are paying more for their meal, they are leaving less for a tip. And, minimum wage for waiters has not gone up in 15 - 20 years (at least not in VA).

[QueenCat]

Interestingly, our experience seems to be that because people are paying more for their meal, they are leaving less for a tip. And, minimum wage for waiters has not gone up in 15 - 20 years (at least not in VA).

 

That's sad. I've trained my boys to know that if you can't afford a 15-20% tip, you can't afford to eat there.

[JennyD]

We almost never go out to eat any more, but I leave 20% standard, more if I'm with the kids and especially if it's local. I also tip everyone -- building staff, UPS, mail carrier, delivery folks, etc. DH is a big believer in tipping and becomes annoyed with me if I fail to have enough small bills available for an expected delivery. Personally, I find it demeaning that service folks have to rely on the generosity of others to get paid properly, but since they do I consider the tip part of the cost of their services.

[TN Mama]

I've never heard of tipping garbage men/women, but I think with postal people you can put a card or small gift in the mailbox with a note on top that says TO POSTAL CARRIER or some such. What is appropriate to give? I always think 'fruit cake'. YUCK!

 

I put a cello bag of homemade chex mix with a note in my mailbox for my carrier. The first year I did that he brought the mail up to my door the following day and told me it was the best chex mix he's ever had. Can't stop now. :)

 

Sometimes UPS comes to my house 3 times a week in the weeks/days leading up to Christmas. I've been known to hand out some chex mix to my driver as well. He rocks.

 

For tipping: hairdresser - 20% and server 20% if service was good. Oh and massage therapist (not medical) - 20% as well.