Do you tip staff?

mikemac · 14-11-2006 05:23PM #1

A few people in the office are back from New York and were talking about how all the service staff expected to be tipped.

So, on your day to day business around town, would you tip staff?
Barman, Waiters, taxi drivers (this is a controversial one), etc.

In my case, I never would as I think you either tip everyone or noone.
After all, why do people have to tip a waitress who brings a coffee and pastry but wouldn’t dream of doing that in a fast food outlet?

Come to think of it, I’ve been told I’m pretty ignorant in shops as when I ask for a bag in a store in I always wait for the staff to pack my bag.
I’d never do it myself even if this holds up people in the queue.

I’m happy enough with that.
So do you always tip, pack your bags in shops and are courteous to staff always?

miamee · 14-11-2006 05:27PM

First of all I am polite to everyone

I don't tip all of the above mentioned though- defo waiters & waitresses, rarely use taxis but would never tip them, don't really tip bar staff either.

I always pack my own bags! If I was holding up the queue I'd expect the cashier to help me do it too. They rarely do though.

ETA: also tip hairdresser/hair washer when I have the dosh

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 14-11-2006 05:29PM

micmclo wrote:

A few people in the office are back from New York and were talking about how all the service staff expected to be tipped.

So, on your day to day business around town, would you tip staff?
Barman, Waiters, taxi drivers (this is a controversial one), etc.

In my case, I never would as I think you either tip everyone or noone.
After all, why do people have to tip a waitress who brings a coffee and pastry but wouldn’t dream of doing that in a fast food outlet?

Come to think of it, I’ve been told I’m pretty ignorant in shops as when I ask for a bag in a store in I always wait for the staff to pack my bag.
I’d never do it myself even if this holds up people in the queue.

I’m happy enough with that.
So do you always tip, pack your bags in shops and are courteous to staff always?

Depends on
1) Has there been a service charge already added; and
2) The quality of the service.

Keedowah · 14-11-2006 05:29PM

Come to think of it, I’ve been told I’m pretty ignorant in shops as when I ask for a bag in a store in I always wait for the staff to pack my bag.
I’d never do it myself even if this holds up people in the queue.

The staff used to pack before the shopping bag levy came in! why did they it change then???

petes · 14-11-2006 05:33PM

Would do in a restaurant. As for bar staff, no. Have bought bar staff a drink an odd time but I usually know them.

pokerwidow · 14-11-2006 05:35PM

I always pack my own bags, but if my hands are full (3 children) then I expect a little help. I even tell the local kids that are collecting for some cause or another:rolleyes: that I will pay them not to help. I am a control freek about what goes where.

If I feel that a member of staff is nice and serves me well then I always tip. If they are rude then I tell them that they are and make a point of not tipping. Straightforward really.

What makes you think that it is beneath you to pack your shopping? Do you think it is the cashiers job or are just not bothered yourself? I am not trying to cause an argument, just wondering why you made a point of this in your post.

Gordon · 14-11-2006 05:36PM

micmclo wrote:

I’d never do it myself even if this holds up people in the queue.

Booo!

/throws a rotten tomatoe

Mossy Monk · 14-11-2006 05:37PM

i don't tip anyone

micmclo wrote:

Come to think of it, I’ve been told I’m pretty ignorant in shops as when I ask for a bag in a store in I always wait for the staff to pack my bag.
I’d never do it myself even if this holds up people in the queue.

it's true you are ignorant in shops

phantom_lord · 14-11-2006 05:38PM

The only people I tip are dealers and waitress' in the casino, restaurants too. Taxi's cost me a fortune, I'm hardly gonna tip them.

ixoy · 14-11-2006 05:38PM

Only for waiters/waitresses and the barbers. Everything else, I feel they're generally being sufficiently renumerated by their wage and a line must be drawn.

I wouldn't bother tipping a pizza-delivery person, for example, because all they've really done is bring a cardboard box to my door which involves a great degree of less skill than managing multiple plates, dishes, etc and being attentive to a customer's needs.
Taxi drivers are already charging exhorbant amounts, so I'm not going to add to my financial woes by giving them more.

For the tippers, where do you feel you should stop - should you tip the bank teller who helped with your finances? What about the dentist who spent 40 mins removing that painful toothache? The shop assistant who found that toy your child sketchily described in a letter to Santa? Why not these people?

On the other hand, courtesy costs nothing and it's something we can always do.

humanji · 14-11-2006 05:42PM

I'll tip if the service is good. I don't see the point otherwise.

connundrum · 14-11-2006 05:45PM

micmclo wrote:

Come to think of it, I’ve been told I’m pretty ignorant in shops as when I ask for a bag in a store in I always wait for the staff to pack my bag.
I’d never do it myself even if this holds up people in the queue.

I don't think I'd ever hold up a queue whilst waiting for the staff member to pack me bag.. but I am constantly surprised when they don't even try to help.

When did that change like?

Maybe in Tescos/Dunnes it is unreasonable to expect staff to pack your bags where ya might have €200's worth of crap to go, but in Spar/Centra where ya only have a few items - the guy/girl behind the counter just throws the bag at you and watches while you struggle with the bag, shopping, car keys (whilst paying for items and accepting change).

And then, they often throw their eyes up to the heavens if you don't have the bag packed by the time that they have your change ready :mad:

On topic though, I tip when a tip is deserved ie. great service in a restaurant, good job fixing my car etc. Was out in The Vaults at Connolly Station a few weeks back where every time the bar man would serve you, he would put your change on a plate and hand it back to you (with an expectant look on his face). After paying €25 odd for 3 vodkas and a red bull, I'm hardly gonna feckin tip you for doing your job!

Gordon wrote:

/throws a rotten tomatoe

/hands Gordon a proper tomato

loopyloulou · 14-11-2006 05:53PM

i tip the following:

Taximen (im usually drunk and its normally a euro) but if they havent said two words to me in the taxi then i normally wouldnt.
The stylist who cuts my hair and maybe the girl who washed it, depends on the funds.
In a restaurant if there isnt a service charge.
A lounge person whos serving me drink all night, theyd get a once off tip, not one for every drink. Id only tip bar staff if theres a tip jar on the bar right in front of me and i have a few sheckles in my hand!
I tip the girl in the beauty salon who does my spray tan aswell, shes lovely and always does a good job so i dont mind giving her a few quid.

Thats about it

Miss Fluff · 14-11-2006 05:56PM

Always tip hairdresser and beautician. Always do in a restaurant too if service is good, normally about 10% of what bill comes to, although haven't done on a few occasions if service has been bad, although always explain to management why. Never tip taxi people and arrely tip bar staff.

Tabnabs · 14-11-2006 05:57PM

connundrum wrote:

I'm hardly gonna feckin tip you for doing your job!

I think this sums it all up for me. I don't get tipped for doing my job and I don't expect to be.

I tip lounge staff once for the night (€2) and waiter/waitress only if the service is good. Taxi men? NO WAY!!

Three of us were in a bar in NY a few years ago and we tipped the barman every round and after each of us bought a round, the barman bought the forth! I was very impressed

bucks73 · 14-11-2006 06:02PM

Would only ever tip in a restaurant when at dinner, not at lunch. No way in a bar and definitely not to taxi drivers.

micmclo wrote:

Come to think of it, I’ve been told I’m pretty ignorant in shops as when I ask for a bag in a store in I always wait for the staff to pack my bag.
I’d never do it myself even if this holds up people in the queue.

You lazy git.

Ph3n0m · 14-11-2006 06:05PM

I love this debate, always reminds me of:

Mr. Pink wrote:

I don't tip because society says I have to. All right, if someone deserves a tip, if they really put forth an effort, I'll give them something a little something extra. But this tipping automatically, it's for the birds. As far as I'm concerned, they're just doing their job.

miamee · 14-11-2006 06:07PM

Another one -I almost always tip the lady who works in the toilets of a bar/club if they are kept clean, tidy & well-stocked. Cos there's nothing worse than a filthy messy toilet at the end of the night.
I only tip once during the night - not every time I pee, I'd be broke

chamlis · 14-11-2006 06:09PM

If I'm in a restaurant and they have those little tip bowls, I'll usually dump all my **** and shrapnel in there.
Otherwise I'll tip if the service was good or I'm a regular at the place.

el rabitos · 14-11-2006 06:10PM

tip them on the shoulder and say "OI! wheres my food?!"....other than that, no. we aint yanks

mikemac · 14-11-2006 06:21PM

micmclo wrote:

Come to think of it, I’ve been told I’m pretty ignorant in shops as when I ask for a bag in a store in I always wait for the staff to pack my bag.
I’d never do it myself even if this holds up people in the queue.
QUOTE]

Op here.
I see I'm taking some possibly well-deserved abuse for the above so I'll clarify.
If I buying a lot of stuff, I always use my sportsbag so , yes I'll always pack my own stuff. I drive a scooter so I can't use plastic bags.

I only refuse to pack my bags in my local Centra if picking up 2 or 3 items where as connundrum pointed out, the staff fire the bag at you while I'm struggling with keys, ipod wallet and seperating my change which the staff always insist on handing the notes and coins mixed together.
In that case, I'd like a little help so yes I'd expect staff to pack my few items in one bag.
As another poster pointed out, this didn't happen before the bag levy, I wondered what happened

fish-head · 14-11-2006 06:27PM

Well, I always pay the service charge. Generally tip delivery people, sometimes taxi drivers..

blorg · 14-11-2006 06:44PM

What's the rationale with barbers/hairstylists then? Like why should they get a tip (I do tip but not sure why I do it

)

Personally, always tip the waitstaff in a "proper" restaurant, around 15% (never though if a percentage service charge is already included,) a little bit in a cafe, a little for the barber (like €1), sometimes round up taxi to nearest fiver if they were particularly nice. I do tend to tip delivery drivers if I have money handy, 1 or 2 euro. Very small tip to the waitstaff in a bar and nothing to a barman (unless actually in the US, in which case $1.)

I know tipping is endemic in the US but step back a bit there and look at the prices you pay to eat out there. I'd trade US restaurant prices + 20-25% tipping for Dublin restaurant prices + 10-15 % any day. Hell I'd trade for Dublin restaurant prices with no tip.

giddyup · 14-11-2006 06:49PM

I always tip the barber.
I generally tip delivery guys.
I might tip a Taxi Driver if he has been pleasant and got me where I needed to be quickly (he doesnt set the fares after all).
I will tip 10% for adequte to good service in a restaurant (bearing in mind I have high standards) and more if the service is better. If there is anything wrong with restaurant service I wont tip and will complain (at the end of the meal).
I'll generally buy a good barman a drink or two if I'm in a boozer for a spell and he is friendly and remembers your order etc. Barmen like these however are few and far between in Dublin.

There's a lot of tight-arses on here - maybe thats a funciton of the age profile and depth of pockets etc.

I am regularly embarrassed by the tightness of some friends and family when it comes to tipping. For example - you get excellent service during a meal - bill is €300ish (no service chg) and people think its ok to tip 10-20.

I've done plenty of **** jobs in my time and I always appreciated the good tippers and made sure I looked after them if they were regulars. Share the fiscal love.

Degag · 14-11-2006 06:59PM

I'm a barman and i don't expect tips... then again its a local bar.... saying that, its always nice if someone buys you a pint. It shows they appreciate the service that they get... Its strange though that people will tip hairdressers and even taxidrivers more often that they will a barman, going by this thread anyway...

Raiser · 14-11-2006 07:18PM

Hi,

Give people a tip [a small one if thats all you can afford] if they are pleasant, courteous and treat you well.

Make a point of not bothering if they are an ar$ehole, unfriendly, don't bother to do stuff right.

Anthing else is overcomplicating and overanalysing the issue.

- Someday your kid may be serving tables, pulling pints etc. while studying for a degree or whatever else has them serving others.

To the OP - I would concur that it is rude on your part to expect people to fill your bags - why not use the same spindly arms you used to type your mean spirited post?

- I think that most decent people would avoid your type of company socially, professionally and romantically to whatever extent this is possible - I would think that you are probably[blissfully] unaware of this, such is your strain of humanity.

Dave! · 14-11-2006 07:30PM

I tip taxi-drivers, waiters/resses, and usually barbers. Take-away delivery people too.

Attol · 14-11-2006 07:38PM

I tip for good friendly service. People I know who have worked in bars tend to be a little over zealous with tipping and insist on tipping regardless of how bad the service is.

I just don't get why people should be tipped for being friendly though. Nobody tips friendly shop staff, no matter how good their advice and service is. Why does serving you food make it different to anything else? Bar and restaurant staff already get higer wages than sales staff. In essence it's the same job really.

Captain Corelli · 14-11-2006 08:10PM

I never tip people. At €7/hr minimum wage I don't want to tip anyone. Resteurant people never get more that 15%. Average= 12.5%.

As a barman I never expect tips. As a male barman I always flirt with the female client; just for kicks. I find girls crap at tipping. Unbelievably crap no matter about the attention you pay them and how much you improve their night.

In my current job place, a business-man spent €1000 on drink and at the end of the night tipped the barman €1000. I long for the night he returns...

Just a tip: in America, if you place a cent on the bill(on top of teh servce charge/tip) it tells the waitress you acknowledge their above-par service.

Ruu_Old · 14-11-2006 08:18PM

This has been done a number of times. I tip when I get good service otherwise, I leave a penny on the table. That should tell the server what I think.

Sad Professor · 14-11-2006 08:54PM

I work in a supermarket and people who stand there with their arms folded waiting for me to pack their bags really annoy me, and I will usually make a point of ignoring them. If people genuinely have their arms full then of course I'll help them but I also have to deal with long impatient queues and several people moaning/babbling at me as well as trying to focus on the till, give the right change etc. Some times these people will ask me to go back and get something for them and when I return they'll still be standing there, holding up the queue, waiting for me to pack their bags. Where do people get such an inflated view of their own importance?

Anyway, working as I do in the service industry I appreciate the crap staff have to put up with, so I always tip when I can, even to taxi drivers. I couldn't care less about (usually faked) friendliness, the most important thing is that staff do their job properly and as long as they're not openly hostile toward me and don't throw my change at me, I'm quite happy to tip.

Do you tip staff?

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