Who deserves a tip? Restaurant servers? Starbucks button pushers? Mailmen/women? Or is tipping out of control?

Question

Come on - tip jars at a hot dog stand? Starbucks? Even at a 7-11? Are people just getting greedy, or do they deserve a tip for doing their job? 

Wait-staff - I think tips should be based on service, not %age.  Great service, great tip. Lousy service, lousy tip. I start at 20% and usually peak at 30%. I'll go as low as a buck for really bad service.  I once left 2 cents and a note that they were in the wrong business. I then complained to the  manager.

Mailman? Why? He's making $45,000 a year and has fantastic benefits!

What's next? Tollway booth worker tips?

EvilWoman0913 · Accepted Answer

I tip if I know the person is making less than minimum wage and they do a good job. Tip jars? No way. Mailman? Nope, not him/her either. I'm a good tipper in the proper places, but I'm not going to tip someone that is already making well above minimum wage. People are greedy and most don't have any idea what real work is anyway.......

? · Answer

Yes, servers have bad days sometimes and dont have the opportunity to hide in their cubicles. They have to face the world after a bad test at school, a fight with their husband, or lousy kids. And, most things that people dock their server tips for are not the server's fault. The problems that go on behind the scenes (temp out of an item that can't be found to be restocked, a big party's ticket got put in ahead of your 2 top) account for most time delays, which in turn makes your server cranky since they want to get your food out to you and you fed and out the door as fast as they can. Being a good tipper can go the other way too; servers are people too, they remember you. Just think about that next time you sit down at a restaurant that you tipped less than the normal 15% or above. And if you tip 20% or over, not only will they remember you, they will do their part to treat you even better.

lilpuffin · Answer

It all depends but, here in New Mexico and in various other states, wait-staff receive an hourly wage of $2.13. So yes, I tip them well. The owners are supposed to make up the difference if their combined hourly wage and tips do not equal minimum wage but that rarely happens.
I don't tip the mailman, maybe a Christmas card?

Richard B · Answer

Since wait-staff in restaurants depend upon tips for the major portion of their income (they are generally paid minimum wage), I do tip them depending upon service.  For the best service I will give 20%, for lesser quality service I will give 10% or 15%.

I generally don't tip baristas, and certainly not the mail delivery people.

*Cutie*Cutie*Cutie*Cutie* · Answer

waitress depend on there tips so i tip em ever since i was little and no mail peopple don't need tipsplus what people ake in a year what about stuff that happen during

Anonymous · Answer

I think people do whatever they think they can get away with.
And this is why you are getting the tip jars.  Everyone thinks they deserve something extra and aren't shy to say it either.

Anonymous · Answer

waitresses and whoever else you think

Who deserves a tip? Restaurant servers? Starbucks button pushers? Mailmen/women? Or is tipping out of control?

7 Answers