Tipping wait staff and bartenders, I understand. But cashiers?

[Zavulon]

Why not have the people who mop the floors wear tip jar necklaces around their necks, too?

Today I had lunch at the Union Station food court; the girl who rang me up obviously didn't give a shit about the customers or her job, she was chewing gum like a cow, and there's a tip cup next to the register? For what?

Am I the only one tired of seeing tip jars everywhere?

[tjwmason]

1. To my mind it's an excuse for not paying proper wages in the first place.

I realise that we English are well reputed (and rightly so) as miserly buggers when it comes to tipping - but the whole concept is a little odd when one actually looks at it.

Obviously I tip waiters, barbers &c. and buy the occasional drink for bartenders (it's bad form to tip them over here) because that's the way the world's set up, but I'd much rather that they were paid properly in the first place.

[Kutjara]

10. Well, in the UK...

...many restaurants add a "suggested" gratuity to the bill (usually 12.5%), so many people just see it as part of what they have to pay (like VAT). What really riles me is when they then leave the "tip" line blank on the credit card receipt for an additional gratuity. That is just, as they say, taking the piss.

When I moved from the UK to California last year, I was amazed to see that a 20% tip is now pretty much expected in restaurants. You also tip the guy who parks your car, in addition to paying to have your car parked (er...WTF?). You tip bartenders about $1 a drink. You tip the hatcheck person. By the time you're finished, tips make up something like 50% of the cost of a meal in a nice place.

Tip jars at the till (cash register) are a bit galling too. I can sort of see the point in a place where they prepare fresh food for you individually, but not in some assembly-line fast food joint.

[tjwmason]

25. The "suggested" or "optional" gratuity thing is also irritating.

If they believe that service is worth an extra 10% or 12.5% then raise the prices by that and give the money to the staff - it's subtle dishonesty about the price. Then if a person really does give outstanding service (for example a couple of times waiters have been very good with my elderly grandfather) a tip is a genuine reward for going beyond the call of duty.

But, yes, we do get it much easier over here than California.

[skypilot]

2. No, you are not the only one.

I live in Philly and they are popping up everywhere. It's especially galling at cash registers. I'm supposed to give someone MORE money for charging me money?

[Little Wing]

3. I'll tip big orders at coffee places

but that's about it

and it's never more than the coinage I get back

[Left Is Write]

6. I occasionally tip even on easy orders at my regular Starbucks because

they know my name, they know what I like to drink, and they are ALWAYS polite and friendly. If I order something unexpected or lots of drinks or anything complicated, I always give a pretty decent tip. I get excellent service there.

Other coffee places, I just tip the coin change.

[PassingFair]

20. My Starbuck's guy always slips me a cookie for my Corgi....

I make sure and throw something in the tip box, even
if it's just a nickel...

The dog looks forward to the drive-thru!

[Burma Jones]

4. Hell, it's just another way to opt out of, or into, economic justice

If you think the minimum wage is too low, start tipping EVERYBODY, but don't force that value judgment on the Businessman......:sarcasm:

The market has spoken, and it declares cashiers to be little more than a machine, in fact, given the opportunity, I will use the self checkout at the Grocery and I haven't actually talked to a bank teller in over four years....

Will we start to see tip jars at ATMs???

[Left Is Write]

5. I hate seeing the tip jar everywhere too.

Even the freaking dry cleaner has a tip jar.

[PassingFair]

7. I had a crappy job at a tennis club once.

I worked the counter; assigned courts, handed out towels,
looked good, made NO money....

They started abusing my good nature, working me more and
more hours (they open EARLY, don't you know) and they DIDN'T
pay me overtime.

The place was a big tax write-off for a bunch of lawyers, but
one lawyer "ran" the place, so I went to see him about my lack
of overtime pay. He has the nerve to tell me that it was "not
UNHEARD of" for people in my position to get tips.

Believe me, I had NEVER been given tip. EVER.

It pissed me off so much, that immediately upon leaving his office,
I dumped out a can of coffee, covered it with construction paper,
and made myself the most obnoxious "tip jar" you have ever seen.

I was fired the next day.


...but it was worth it.

So, yes, a tip jar generally indicates that the person
serving you is not making much money. Assume he/she is
NOT receiving perks such as overtime benefits, health care
or 401K.

[skygazer]

8. My favorite deli has a tip jar

It's not a chain - it's a family owned, tiny little store with a kickass deli that makes the best sandwiches ever, anywhere.

The people are great, friendly and do a ton of business - they're located right across from the courthouse so they get all the people hanging around waiting for their case to come up.

I always tip them well because they take people in order, work fast, make great food and have excellent customer service skills.

Places like that, I'm glad to tip. The Jamba Juice I go to, I'm glad to tip. Other places like the one you describe... meh. I don't have to tip anyone if I don't think it's worth it.

[GalleryGod]

9. I'm not tired. Good for her.

Tip jars everywhere don't bother me. Tip. Or. Don't Tip. OK?

What a waste of a thread ! :argh:

[Fran Kubelik]

11. Yup.

I agree.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

15. Waste of a thread? This is the Lounge!!!!

If we can't waste a thread here, where can we waste one???

:rofl:

[Zavulon]

17. "Waste of a thread" just because YOU don't agree?

I put my opinion out there and asked if I was the only one. How the hell is that a waste of a thread?

By the way, as of this writing more people seem to be on my side than yours - but it's a "waste of a thread" because YOU don't have the same opinion as I do.

Right.

I've put people on ignore in GD before, but never in the Lounge. Until now.

[WindRavenX]

22. Same. I work cashier sometimes, and for all the shit I take from people, I don't get enough money

7.50 hr to deal with people is a joke.

[Oeditpus Rex]

12. Customers aren't obligated to augment someone's wages

Tips are supposed to be rewards for good service. That's service, not merely ringing up a sale.

Would they come to my place of employment and slip me a couple bucks? I don't make much, either.

[yy4me]

13. I will not tip at a lot of the short order places like coffee shops

that leave cups out marked tips. It is not the tipping that bothers me, it is the total indifference shown to me by the staff behind the counter. Store managers should make their clerks aware that a smile and a little attention to custoners will serve better than a scowl and an incorrect order. How many times have you gone to your local coffee shop, ordered a coffee, driven away and when you open the cup it is black and you asked for cream and sugar. No Mayo, yea, like they were really listening. I have had enough of that and no longer leave a tip. It is up to the owners to teach their personnel proper procedure. I will not subsidize poor service.

[Rabrrrrrr]

14. I do not tip people who are chewing gum.

If they can't focus on me, then fuck 'em.

Same with the shitbags talking on the phone while they're ringing me up.

But to answer your question - yes, I am fucking sick and tired of tip jars at cashier stands.

[Zavulon]

16. Glad to see I'm not the only one.

[aljones]

18. Maybe we should quit tipping....A boycott!!!

then maybe people would get paid an honest wage for honest work!!!

[Zavulon]

19. Not a chance. The employers who don't care anyway. (NT)

[WindRavenX]

23. I don't care because I'm paid SHIT and deal with people who have no idea what it's like

NT

[tjwmason]

26. I'm not disputing anything that you say

But is your problem with those who don't tip, or those who set such bad pay.

I realise that individuals can't do anything other than put a tip-jar out to supplement their current pay - but do you agree that a better solution would be to pay a decent rate in the first place?

[JVS]

21. no more playing ball!

[mopinko]

24. the crap sandwich place in the detroit airport was the last straw

for me. jeebus.
i do tip for carry out in places where there is also sit down eating. a buck or 2. but, yeah, sandwich joint cashiers, tooooo far.

[trof]

27. Have a friend who tips in carry-out places.

That I do not get.