Spinoff to Tipping--Who Deserves a Tip?

I'm just curious since there have been a number of posts about tipping this week.

In your opinion, who deserves tips? Who does not?

I like to tip people who provide a service or do a difficult job you cannot or do not want to do yourself (like movers). Also, people like waiters who are not always paid well by salary and rely on tips to earn their living.

There are other times when I think it gets out of hand, like the title person at a closing. They do a job for you, but when you think about it, most of us do a job for someone and most of us don't get tips. Why not tip the receptionist at my REAs and attorney's offices too? They probably don't earn much money either, and they certainly helped us a lot when we were closing on our house.

What are your thoughts?

Re: Spinoff to Tipping--Who Deserves a Tip?

That is a really good question! Where does it end, right?

Tipping, in my opinion, goes to individuals who use the $ to supplement their salary. I'll explain. For example, waitstaff gets paid minimum wage, and tips are supposed to offset their already low hourly rate. It also goes to individuals who perform direct services.

Any time services are done directly for you - spa treatments, hair, waitstaff serving YOUR table, mailman bringing YOUR mail, cleaning people cleaning YOUR house, etc - then a tip should be given. Depending on the type of direct service, you should determine how frequently you should tip. For instance, I don't tip my mailperson each day, I'll reserve that for only in December around the holidays. My cleaning person, I don't tip weekly. About once a month, I'll throw in an extra 10 or 20 (depending on what's in my wallet).

Services that shouldn't be tipped are those whose jobs are indirect or incidental. You wouldn't tip a receptionist because he/she is working for the office and serving the population in general. You wouldn't tip your cashier because he/she is there to ring people up and he/she services the population in general. You wouldn't tip your doctor because of the same reasons...

HTH...

Message edited 8/10/2007 3:32:17 PM.

Re: Spinoff to Tipping--Who Deserves a Tip?

IMO, I think wait staff and like should get tipped based on their service to you. If you are good, you get more, if you are ok, then I'm only giving the usual. I can tell you if I got tipped for my job, I would probably work harder.

Re: Spinoff to Tipping--Who Deserves a Tip?

Re: Spinoff to Tipping--Who Deserves a Tip?

well for my wedding it was customary to tip EVERYONE! however in everyday situations i will tip someone who provides a service for me whether in or out of the home