Silly customer! Tips are for gas station employees, too!
Or so we'd think:
What's up with all those tip jars?
I agree with the author of this article. Tipping someone who hardly does anything except punch a bunch of keys on a cash register doesn't even enter my mind. Waitresses, yes. Cabbies, yes. I'll even tip my barbers because they do a good job with my arrow-straight hair. Latte servers? A lot of places have that tip jar out there, but is it really any different than Subway or McDonald's? You still are expected to bus your own table when you're done. And gas station attendants? No way!
I was a grocery packer for one summer after high school. We would take groceries out to customers' cars. But we were instructed not to accept tips, because it was our job to do that. (I saw my boss refuse a tip, so he led by example.) We got paid the non-tipped minimum wage ($4.25), so we weren't to accept tips. Done!
Some businesses will fire employees that accept tips, which is fine. Other businesses allow a tip jar on the counter. If I were the employee behind the counter with the tip jar, I might think that the employer was saying to me: “You're worth more than I'm paying you, so I'll put out this little jar that silently begs my customers to give you more money so that I don't have to.” Plus, the employee behind the counter gets to deal with all of the raised eyebrows from people who think that tipping in that particular situation is ridiculous. How lovely.
With the tiered increase in the federal minimum wage starting this summer, tip jars could be more commonplace as small businesses feel the pressure of the increased payroll. A tip jar might be a cheap way to give the employees a raise. Or it might kill business as customers feel put upon. I don't know.
Do you feed tip jars or do you just say no?
In general, a tip jar is a good sign that your in the sort of place where people don't normally tip. Otherwise, why would they need the visual reminder of the jar?
I've read a few posts about tipping in the past few days; it seems that more and more jobs get tips. Personally I'm starting to tip less and less. I still tip the waiter/waitress but I'm not going to give them much if the service is crappy.
We're being trained to tip people all the time and it seems more and more people are expecting it in places they really shouldn't. A fast food restaurant should never have a tip jar.
I work in a gas station where I clean up diarrhea and s*** all over the walls and so many other gross things u wouldnt believe and serve u guys on stop . Between cleaning, cooking the food , cashing u out , helping pump your gas, bleaching everything, running off the junkies , dealing with the overdoses, doing lottery, doing the cigarettes and the count abd restock of everything, front facing , being kind even when u aren’t. I deserve the tips. Did I forget I only make minimum wage lol so ya we deserve tips plus way more. How about we stop cleaning and doing all this and let u guys see how bad it gets. Lol
Some of that doesn’t sound pleasant at all Jasmine.
This post could use an update since I wrote it 14 years ago (when I was 14 years younger and had 14 years less of life experience).
There are many sides to an issue and I appreciate you providing yours.
I agree with nickel. I’m not offended by tip jars, but I’ve probably put money in them twice and one of those times it was a cafe anyway.
I tip when tipping is deserved. If it’s a gas station, it means they filled my tank, washed my windows, and checked my oil. But I haven’t seen a gas station do that since I was in junior high, so I never tip someone behind a counter who rings up items.
Servers and bartenders – I tip. People who do a great service above and beyond (unexpected) I try to tip, but don’t push it on them so they don’t feel awkward saying yes or no.
I'm with zen – I tip when I feel I've been served in a special way, or I think the employee really needs it (usually this happens if I know they are broke college kids).
I never worked a job where tips were expected or even suggested. But I did have a few people tip me when I drove an ice cream truck – either because they didn't feel like taking their change back, or because they were my "regulars" and felt I could use a little extra. I never refused, partly because I was an independent contractor, not getting paid a set wage, and sometimes only clearing $50 at the end of a (particularly bad) 10-hour day.
I tip waiters/waitresses a minimum of 15% in a full-service restaurant. Usually it's 20% or a little more; if the service is abominable, I tip around 10%. Why? Because it's factored into their wage. It's a hard job, and even when they do poorly, they should be able to clear $5/hour.
I never tip someone who just rings up my gas bill at a gas station but for a young guy who (in the dead of winter) is forced by management to run out, gas up your car in the freezing cold, and keep doing favors for you like clean your windshield and scrape ice off… it warrants a tip.
Husband used to do that as a kid and NO ONE tipped him but ironically, everyone tipped the local Tim Horton's ladies at least 50% – 100%, who just poured coffee and handed it to them in a warm environment. They did that because it was what everyone ELSE did. I've since stopped doing that.
I end up tipping in most of the fast food places where I see a tip jar. Most of the time it is because I believe that the workers are not paid enough for the service that they provide. In places where I visit on a regular basis, I tend to get better service because the tip shows that I appreciate what they do.
I would never tip a gas attendant because you are already paying extra for their service. I can’t remember the last time someone else pumped my gas either.
I concur with John M and will add I'm a big believer in tipping anyone I come in contact with that provides me with a product or service that can be improved upon.Even if only in the manner or spirit in which it is delivered.
Reciprocism of respect is often lacking in many peoples lifes and small gestures like giving a tip where none is expected is often all that is needed to start a chain reaction of something good.
Now with that said.Will someone bring back full service Gas Stations so that I can tip them too!
Tipping, the bane of the employee and salvation of the employer. Tipping condones slave labour.
Why not pay the mechanic 5.45 an hour and if people think he does well they can tip an additional $40 for great service.
Parts 200
Labour cost pretipping 45.00
Bill 245
With tipping
Parts 200
Labour 5.00
Saved 45 dollars, I will tip. yeah right.
Pay your employee what they are worth.
Saved $40.00 in my cost so I will tip the mechanic well.
Wait, parts include paying all the people that make it and deliver. Reduce their wages too and let the company tip them for prompt deliver. Now parts are only $100.00. More savings and more tipping. What a nightmare.