Why do we live in a tipping society?

If you go to other countries tips are reserved only for SUPERB service. Yet here, tips are expected for everything, no matter how crappy the service.

I remember when we in in Costa Rica we gave a tip to a guy who was serving drinks on the beach and he jumped up and down and thanked us like crazy.

Whats the deal?

Re: Why do we live in a tipping society?

I really HATE tipping. I do it, but hate it. I bet working for tips stinks most of the time too.

I especially can't stand when you go to a place like ralphs, starbucks, etc etc and they have a tip cup out!!!!! GRRRR

Re: Why do we live in a tipping society?

Re: Why do we live in a tipping society?

I've traveled to many different countries - tipping for many professions is customary in MANY countries - it's not just us.

It's become much more common in the last 10 years in many other countries.

I was in China back in February - everybody tips there in restaurants, cabs, etc. It wasn't like that 10 years ago, but it is now.

Re: Why do we live in a tipping society?

Dunno, we don't really tip in England, well unless you eat out and then you do, or a London Cab. The bartenders that work in the Pubs in England don't get tipped. Whenever any of my friends or family come here to visit it is the one thing they get really confused about, how much to tip and who to tip, I've been here 8 years and I'm still confused to a degree. However if we get crappy service here we tend to tip on the low end or not at all, but as we work in the catering industry we usually tip 20% in restaurants.

Message edited 8/10/2007 1:55:59 PM.

Re: Why do we live in a tipping society?

I agree. It gets out of hand.

I do have a question. Do you tip a delivery person? I just got flowers delivered to me as a gift. I didn't tip the man, mostly because I didn't have any money on me. He walked away as if he was annoyed.

Re: Why do we live in a tipping society?

Re: Why do we live in a tipping society?

I used to work for tips- it sucks

I tend to tip alot- but lately I have been getting mad about having to tip people who are also getting PAID

I don't mind tipping at bars and resturants- b/c those people don't really make anything unless you tip

but at starbucks, the title closer on a house, the car service guy- these are all people that make money already


I think it's more a NY-NJ thing then a US thing- most people in other parts of the country don't tip as much as New Yorkers do

Re: Why do we live in a tipping society?

Re: Why do we live in a tipping society?

Re: Why do we live in a tipping society?

Tipping out here is outrageous. I am from the Midwest and we didn't tip as many people as they do here.

I think that there is so much money out here that those with money feel bad for those in service industry, who they feel make less and they should compensate them more.

Re: Why do we live in a tipping society?

even here in NC, people are shocked when we tip them

for example, a guy came to do some repairs to my couch (it was a new couch that was slightly damaged when they delivered it so they were just fixing those things) I gave him a $10 tip and you would have thought it was 100 .....he was very appreciative....

I think NY'ers expect it more

Re: Why do we live in a tipping society?

We tip in the U.S. because employers are too CHEAP to pay their employees properly, IMO.

For example, in many countries in Europe, tipping is not expected. However, a bartender or waitress over there is not making $3.00 an hour for their work. They are being compensated appropritely by their employer, so tips are not necessary. They don't have to rely on their tips to survive.

Re: Why do we live in a tipping society?

Re: Why do we live in a tipping society?

Message edited 8/10/2007 2:50:58 PM.

Re: Why do we live in a tipping society?

I dont tip everyone and refuse to. If I have upset them, then to bad. But someone who does me a service gets tipped. If they do a really great job they get 20% if I was satisfied they get 15%. If they do fabulous then they get 20% +. I just think it is wrong for everyone out there to think they derserve a tip.

Re: Why do we live in a tipping society?

well i have waitressed and bartended most of my life through high school and college, so i always tip well, except when the service is terrible, these people dont get paid regular hourly wages, service wages are about 3 dollars an hour so without the tips they make nothing ....tipping doesnt bother me, im not sure why they dont do it in other countries

Re: Why do we live in a tipping society?

tipping is totally out of control. i still do it but I hate it, especially when I get crappy service which is 80% of the time.

Re: Why do we live in a tipping society?

I don't understand why people get so upset over tipping.

It's not like someone is holding a gun against your head telling you to tip.

I actually don't mind tipping. I feel if someone is going above and beyond, why not throw a bone. And some times I do it just to show appreciation.

Re: Why do we live in a tipping society?

DH tips like CRAZY! We were at a wedding with subpar bartenders....they really had no clue and he was giving them $2 for each drink! He also tips the bathroom attendant everytime he goes to the bathroom...it's out of control!

I think in a restaurant you should tip something unless the service $UCKED! I have insisted on not tipping once or twice for really crappy service such as the waiter/waitress having a major attitude and really doing absolutely NOTHING and then DH goes back and leaves something

Re: Why do we live in a tipping society?

I also have issues with tipping.

There are some people I always tip- mainly people who rely on tips for thier salary: cab drivers, waiters, bartenders, shampoo girls, hair dressers if they don't own the salon, and a few others. I always tip my doormen at Christmas.

But I do think tipping gets out of hand. First off, its not like I am made out of money to tip everyone for doing their jobs. What is worse is when I am getting spending way to much on something (like parking or starbucks), and people still expect a tip. I know its not like the people parking my car or getting me coffee are getting the extra $, but it is still extra money from my pocket.

It just seems like now eveyrone has a tip jar. There was an article- I am looking for it- where a professor put out a tip jar- and his students put $ in. He gave it all back- but its absurd. What's next? tipping your doctor?

Message edited 8/10/2007 3:13:58 PM.

Re: Why do we live in a tipping society?

Not to start this whole thing again but title closers usually make an appearance fee of $40-50. This is fine if the closing takes 30 minutes, but I have sat at closings for 3 hours, not been funded and had to go back the next day to finish up. Unless you are paying off more than one mortage you need the tips. Also as a buyer, the title closer is who pays off the old mortgage so it's probably worth 50-100 to ensure everything is done promptly
ETA: I do not do this anymore specifically because of the unsure amount of income.


ok- they should be paid more- your DH is in the business and so in mine- does anyone tip him after he spends 4 months on a loan that doesn't close????

forget about sitting for a few hours- a loan officer can spend 100 hours on a loan that doesn't work out- that's the business and why I am pushing my DH to do something else!

Re: Why do we live in a tipping society?

Re: Why do we live in a tipping society?

Here is the article:

was buying some snacks from a local convenience store today, and lo and behold, a tip jar! You want me to tip you for… what, taking my money and giving me change exceptionally well? Coincidentally, I just ran across this Christian Science Monitor article titled What’s up with all those tip jars? which ranted about the same thing:

I have yet to be shamed (if this is the right word) into casting my coin into the tip jar fountain. Perhaps it is the scientist in me, but I try to reason the situation out like this: I call in my order to the Chinese restaurant. I drive there to pick it up. I pay the menu price. Why on earth would I pay more than they are asking for their product? Doing so strikes me as positively un-American.

I used to be really annoyed by all these tip jars, silently making be feel bad for not tipping. You can’t even boycott places with tip jars anymore, because you’d die of hunger! But then I had a revelation. Unlike the quote above, I think it’s completely American! It’s simple capitalism - they have nothing to lose by putting it out there. However, customers have the same choice not to tip someone who is already being paid a full salary. Waitpeople are paid a lower wage because they are expected to make up their income on tips. Cashiers and food preparers are not. Still, I do put money in the tip jar on occasion. The same article above touches on why at the end:

As a teacher it had never occurred to me to put one of these jars on my desk. And so I decided to conduct an experiment. The next day, when I entered the classroom, I casually pulled a small jelly jar from my bag and placed it on my desk. On the front was a neat label, “Tips.” I didn’t do anything else to draw my students’ attention to it and ignored the low mumble that the act incited.

At the end of the lecture, as the students filed out, I’ll be darned if a few of them didn’t throw their loose change into the jar. I gave it all back, of course, but their quiet gestures did lend me a small thrill, a sense that my teaching efforts were worth more than my salary alone.

Well, I still don’t put money in tip jars, but I have put one of these jars in my son’s room. Sometimes, when he does something positive or helpful without being told, I throw a couple of quarters in. He appreciates this and looks for opportunities to lend a hand wherever he can. I think that as long as we can keep this under control, I will not have created unreasonable expectations. But mum’s the word.

To me, a tip jar is a voluntary thank you for something perhaps over and beyond what is expected. I usually only tip at pick-up or take-out restaurants where I am a regular. They may know how I like my favorite dish, always give me extra fries with my order, or simply always making me feel welcome. (Always being happy when you work in any customer service field is a great feat in itself.) But if you just fulfill your minimum job duties? I feel zero shame in not tipping.

Source

Re: Why do we live in a tipping society?

This came up for me the other day. We had new windows put in. There were 4 guys on the job. The guy in charge seemed to be hanging around when the job was finished. I'm not sure if he was waiting for a tip or not but after spending $$$$$$$ on new windows on my whole house I was not tipping guys that get paid by the hour.

Oh and I'm pretty sure they do pretty well. The same guy I mentioned above had to come back to get paperwork signed a day later & arrived in a corvette. And no - he is not the owner of the comany.