Tipping
I admit, this is a topic that confuses the hell out of me. I have no problems when I'm dealing with people who otherwise don't make much, like strippers in a club where there aren't private dances and tips are all that they make. Or waitresses who are paid next to nothing and survive solely on tips. I'm usually a very generous tipper for people such as these, as long s they do a decent job.
But what about strippers in a club where they make lots of money doing lap dances? Or workmen who are well paid and do services for you? What's the rule, that do you do?
I recently bought something large and expensive that had to be delivered and set up at my house. Do I tip those guys? Do I tip the guys who install carpeting for me? Or the guys who empty my rain gutters twice a year? Or the guy who sprays for bugs every month? Or the adult who delivers my newspaper? Or the gal who gives me a massage? Or the mailman who makes more than I do? Or the stripper who sits and talks with me before a lapper? What are the rules these days? What do you do? How do you decide who to tip and who not to tip? And how much?
But what about strippers in a club where they make lots of money doing lap dances? Or workmen who are well paid and do services for you? What's the rule, that do you do?
I recently bought something large and expensive that had to be delivered and set up at my house. Do I tip those guys? Do I tip the guys who install carpeting for me? Or the guys who empty my rain gutters twice a year? Or the guy who sprays for bugs every month? Or the adult who delivers my newspaper? Or the gal who gives me a massage? Or the mailman who makes more than I do? Or the stripper who sits and talks with me before a lapper? What are the rules these days? What do you do? How do you decide who to tip and who not to tip? And how much?
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16 comments
I would say it is a combination of custom and their need and how you feel about it.
Strippers that are making money doing laps don't go begging for tips do they? I would refrain unless I wanted her attention or she asked.
Well paid workmen not generally unless you can see they've gone above and beyond the call of duty and you can afford a tip that they will appreciate. Did the installers do something special? Can you afford a large tip that would make them feel good? The guy who sprays for bugs would again be a no unless you see he is doing something special or perhaps for holiday cheer and you have it to be generous with. An adult paper person definitely especially if his service is good. Depends on your relationship with the massage girl. The mailman not generally unless you have a good relationship and then it should be something other than money that is thoughtful. Probably no to the stripper unless I had extra money to spare which I really don't.
Anyway, for whatever it is worth those are my thoughts. Probably your gut is your best guide as well as your goal.
Happy tipping! :) BTW, please remember my culture and level of wealth is probably far different than yours so most of my ideas my not apply to you!!! Oh, and hope you aren't one of those nitwits who believes there is some universal American culture that all Americans share. That I just don't see at all. :)
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More seriously, having some experience with tipped professions you aren't expected to tip fee for service folks. If you are paying to have carpet installed, or the exterminator, or the movers you hire they are doing exactly what you paid for. If you have agreed on a price, you aren't obligated to tip. A Tip is generally reserved for someone who is doing a service that is not part of what you pay for. If you go to a resturant, you buy the food, you tip for the service. If you stay in a hotel, you pay for the room, you tip the bellhop and the cleaning ladies. That is my general rule. How much to tip depends on what they do for you and can vary by profession. In general I tend to tip based on time and effort required. The waiter waits on you and provides for all your needs for nearly an hour. He gets a big tip. The pizza delivery guy drops off your pizza along with dozens of others on a route, he gets a buck or two regardless of the bill.
And for strippers, I commonly tip for well done lap dances.....I just hate the so-called "tip walk" which seems to be a common practice at some clubs. Begging is not attractive.
Where I have a problem is the people in between - eg. the truck driver and his helper who recently delivered my storage shed and set it up, or the guy who sweeps my chimney or the guys who empty the gutters on my house or the guy who delivers your new matress. Some of them seem to expect a tip and others don't. I once asked my ATF this question because her step-father has his own business as a carpet installer and she said that about half his customers tip him. She thinks you should tip everyone (she spent years as a waitress) who does a service for you - she tipped the delivery people who brought her noew sofa. She also runs her own massage business and most of her clients tip her even though they're paying a lot for a massage.
I'd have tipped the truck driver and helper, not the chimney sweep or the gutter cleaner, and the mattress delivery guy I'd tip if he helped set up the new mattress in the bedroom, but not if he just brought it in the house and left. There are also a few areas where tipping is customary, like a barber or a cab driver, even though you are paying for the service specifically.
david120, what you usually find is that the best tippers are people who held a tipped job. I've been a delivery boy, a waiter, and a bartender. I tip well. Being a waiter is often described as the most expensive job you'll ever have. I don't know a single waiter or ex-waiter that tips less than 20%.
As for tipping on a lapdance, I'll do it if the dance was particularly enjoyable, but not as a rule.
My big problem area is the airport shuttle bus drivers - those they take you from the airport to the hotel or to the Hertz car rental lot. I feel like tipping, but from what I have observed, most people do not tip, except when they get help with a lot of bags.
However, when I went to work for the casinos in Mississippi as a blackjack dealer, I soon learned that 75% of my hourly wage came from "collective tokes". Since the majority of my 'living' basically came from tips, I started tipping better at restaurants, etc. I even started tipping people I never used to tip. I didn't realize until then, how a lot of people 'count' on tips for survival.
As far as clubs, I'm no 'tightwad' that's for sure. In fact, There are times I have over-tipped. I'm just a generous person is all.
One other consideration that puzzles me - does it make any difference if the person owns the business? For some reason I feel uncomfortable tipping a guy who owns the business. For example, I go to a barber shop where the only guy there (the rest of the staff are women) owns the business. I always tip whoever cuts my hair (I'm never sure what it costs because they have senior discounts some days but not others so I usually just give them a $20 bill and tell them to keep the change, which is either $3 or $5) but tipping the owner makes me somewhat uncomfortable. My ATF owns her business but it's in a baauty salon and most of her customers probably assume she's hired help.
As far a strippers go, if I ask a girl to join me and then buy some dances, I don't usually tip unless she's a girl I want to see again. If I don't buy dances I will tip her for her time. If she just joins me without my asking, I'll rarely tip.
I once had a truck of mine detailed. There were two men there, one older and one younger. All the old guy ever did was yell at the younger guy, telling him what to do. The younger fellow did ALL the work. When the job was completed (quite well, I might add), the old fellow came for the money. I gave him the cost of the job. I then asked him (knowing the answer, of course) if it was customary to tip. When he replied in the affirmative and held out his hand, I told him I had already paid him for the detailing. He then said he thought I wished to tip him. I said, no, I wish to tip the fellow that did all the work. The old dude about had a heart attack, while the younger fellow eagerly took the tip. What usually happens and what happened after I left, I've no idea, but I have a pretty good idea.
What a great deal! You said it was "good, but not great"... However, the price was so good, I think you should've splurged with your tip. Heck, I'd probably have gone as high as 70%... maybe even more!
Of course, I'm sure it was a tame massage... had it been more intimate, not only could you have splurged... you might've splooged, too!
(sorry... I'm in a weird mood this morning)