Tipping

Folks, tipping is OUT OF CONTROL!!

I wish we were more like countries where tipping is NOT customary. People get paid for the time they work, and they do a good job or they don't have a job anymore. Lets talk about the 15% rule. My belief is that in America our work ethic/pride isn't as high or something. The thought is, if your pay is attached to performance/service than you will get better service. So it is about making good money -or- that person who is bad will not make much money and will be driven away by not making good tips. (Mind you, I was a waiter at Applebee's.)

I see this logic being applied more and more liberally. Are employers getting that cheap? Should I go stand at the door of the airplane with a jar that says, "please tip if you enjoyed your safe flight," while you exit? Why not? Tips are also beginning to be expected and not earned. I.E. US Park at the Detroit airport has a tip jar affixed by the driver of the vans. However, due to work comp injuries (posted in the vans) you are responsible for getting you bags on and off, the driver does not get out of the seat. So what are you tipping for?

I can tell you EXACTLY what is customary for tipping in these instances (hotel, rental car shuttles, etc.) This is my life as I am in a hotel 18 days of the month. A minimum of $1 per person or $1 per bag. That is why the shuttle/van people are grabbing your bag from you. This $1/bag is also what to tip the guys that are hustling for your luggage at the cruise ship port, that is how they make their money, by hustling.

At full-service restaurants I tip 15%, min $2, average or good service. If service is too slow and you have a problem with it, talk to a manger, don't take it out of the tip, it could be a kitchen problem not a problem with your waiter. However, you are NOT obligated to 15%. If it was pathetic service, it deserves a pathetic tip.

Now to some gray areas... Buffets, self-service where they still expect a tip. What is proper? Some of these Chinese buffets are only $6-7 bucks. 15% would be just about $1. That is what I leave when I am serving myself. It works best when there is 4 or 5 of you at lunch so after the "troughing" there is 5 bucks on the table for them getting you dirty plates/refills. It feels cheap if it is just you, but it is right.

Here is one that shocked me recently! I was in LGA, East Elmhurst, NY, and I ordered Papa John's off the internet (we don't have any restaurants near the hotel.) At the end of the order Papa had the option of adding the tip to the order. Mind you they add a delivery fee of $1.50 (I have seen as high as $3) on top of the order. So if the order is $20, they add tax and delivery fee so now its $24 they then suggest a 15% tip of $3.60 for the driver and ask if you would like to put it on your credit card or pay it in cash to the driver. Total $27.60, WOW! In the end, 27.5% of stuff you are paying is not the pizza.

I DO NOT endorse a 15% driver tip. I give either a $1-$2 (usually $2 with inflation these days) but I feel the 15% application is not correct. Plus, I am starting to check the order before paying. I have been burned by not doing this. I have had not what I ordered 25% of the time. The other prob is the when the driver has crashed your pizza. Better to know that before you tip!

I DO NOT LIKE TAKING CABS... How are you supposed to tip? Again Why? Have you ridden a taxi lately, it is CRAZY EXPENSIVE!!!