I tip people who have to share their wages with others. A Merry maid I would tip, a owner of a cleaning business I would not. I tip waitstaff but I would not tip an actual owner of a restaurant. However if they have family working as waitstaff I would consider them same as other employees and tip them. I tip the hairdresser who rents her station. I would not tip the owner.

I do not tip people who are in business for themselves. It is up to them to charge what they feel their services are worth.

I might make an exception by giving a "bonus" at say Christmas for someone who has provided excellent service on an ongoing basis.

I tip waiters at reg restaurants generously. I do not tip at buffet unless the waiter is especially attentive and does something extra. I never tip a beautician unless I am late or cause her a problem of some kind. When I had my broken arm I couldn't wash my hair so I went to my reg salon and the owner wouldn't let me pay for the shampoo so I gave the beautician that washed my $5. each time.

I think tipping is getting out of hand when you tip trash men, mail carriers, service people.

Hving travelled all 48 continous states I soon discovered that tipping is a regional thing and the further west you go, the less frequently you tip anyone.

In New York City you can easily spend 1/3 of your total travel expenses on tips, by example....

Take a taxi from the airport to your hotel...

At the airport you tip the redcaps who carry your luggage to the cab,,,then when you arrive at your hotel, you tip the cab driver...

You then tip the "Front boys" who carry your bags from the cab to the checkin desk and as you enter the hotel you tip the "Doorman" as you pass through the front door.

Normally you do not tip the deskclerk at checkin,,but from that point on, any time you go to the desk to pick up messages, pick up a spare key etc, you tip the deskclerk.

When your checked in the "Bellhops" will carry your luggage and escort you to your room. The number of Bellhops will depend upon how much luggage you have, but once they arrive at the room, each bellhop is tipped individually. The head bellhop will then ask if you require "Turn down service"? If you opt for turndown service he will remove the dustcover over the pillows and fold the blankets down 1/4turn on one side, then he will set up a small folding rack and place your suitcase on the rack to make it easier to unpack, then he will go towards the door, stop and stand there with his hand out, and ask "Will that be all sir/madame, etc?" expecting another tip of course.

OH, and lest we forget, yes the elevator is fully automated, but in some of the top 5 star hotels they have a uniformed elevator operator who will ask your floor and push the button for you, as well as hold the door button down until you have exited with all your luggage, of course he will also have his hand out as you approach the door..LOL

During your stay any time any member of the hotel staff has to come to your room a tip is expected.

And when you check out it is a reverse of the checkin proceedure, including all the tips.

Now if you go to the restaraunt for a meal you will be met at the door by the head waiter, who checks for a reservation or available seating and you can be sure your seating arraingement will be reflected by the size of the tip you slip him. A mere $5 may get you a seat on a wood crate in the alley behind the kitchen...LOL,, and when your meal is concluded you tip the waitstaff, unless the menu shows that the tip is automatically calculated into your bill.

On the other hand, you may opt to save a few bucks by ordering a pizza or chinese takeout to be delivered to your room. No problem, but for security reasons the hotel does not allow outsiders to just wonder in and out. When they arrive at the front a bellhop will be dispatched to escort the vendor, and when they reach your room, you are expected to tip both the vendor and the bellhop.

And beleive me, those ppl take those tips very seriously because in most of the top hotels the doorman, front boys and bellhops are not employed by or paid by the hotel. They work strictly for tips.

Don't believe it, pick up a New York newspaper and read the classifieds. Whenever a doorman, front boy or bellhop decides to leave the job they post it in the paper "for sale" and if you want the job you have to buy it from the person leaving. Oh yes, You also have to supply your own uniforms The hotel reserves the right the check a persons credentials before approving them a contract, but the bottom line is, you buy the job, and don't think for a moment that its cheap either.

If you happen to request additional towels, pillows or blankets the Bellhop will tell you that he will inform the housekeeper.

I have a neighbor here in Massachusetts that retired as a Bellhop for a large famous hotel in NYC and he told me, working strictly for tips, he made in excess of $175k/yr for over 30 yrs and when he left he sold his position for $225K

Here where I live we are lucky if we tip the restaraunt waitstaff, cab drivers and barbers or beuticians.....LOL

I only tip wait persons. My daughter has a cleaning service come. But she never knows, which people come. Usually two, sometimes three.

She doesn't tip them.

I cut my own hair most of the time, but if I get it cut, and they did a good job, I will tip.

Moni

I tip when at restaurants, even buffets, because those people rely on tips and share with busboys. I tip my dog groomer, my hairdresser, bellboys, and cabbies. Anyone who drives a courtesy bus, say from the airport to the hotel. I tip extra on cruises if I get good service, and always leave a tip in a hotel room for housekeeping. Can't think of anyone else at the moment.

I tip very generously at restaurants. And yes, at buffets, too--they're making the same wages as other waitstaff (under $3/hour) so they NEED their tips to get by, and really, when you think about how they constantly come by to see if you need anything, to take your used plates away, they probably make at least as many trips to your table as a waiter at a 'regular' restaurant.

Don't go to the hair dresser.

I was always taught growing up, that you tip employees, but never owners--which is a pretty fair rule to follow.

Did tip our movers--they did an unbelievable job--quick, neat, did everything I asked. They went above and beyond, I felt.

Don't make it a practice to tip the mailman, but for a few years, we had one who was stellar--he always rang the bell if he had a package (rather than just leaving it on the front steps as most do) and if I wasn't home, he'd put the package on our BACK steps so it couldn't be seen from the street. He was also very pleasant, and we got to know him. Because he was such a fantastic mailman, I used to give him a nice restaurant gift certificate at Christmas.

I tip my hairdresser and waitresses. My DH tips at a buffet. OK here is a question I am a cook in a restaurant. Why shouldn't you tip me? I provide a service so you don't have to cook. The dishwasher does your dishes so you don't have to. Why shouldn't you tip him. By the way we do get tips once in a while.

I think the tipping thing has gotten way out of hand

There was a big hullaballoo recently because our local did a news story on restaurant tips.

Apparently, in Ontario it is common practice for the wait-staff to share their tips with the **owners** of the restaurant. It is demanded of them, it's not voluntary.

The owners say that the tips cover the cost of the credit card and debit card fees, and for some even the cost of advertising.

Here is a quote from a restaurant owner in our city:
"Huegle takes five per cent of servers' tips when a customer uses a debit or credit card machine to pay.

"Five per cent should come off of everybody, because (the debit company) charges me," Huegle said.

This is just plain wrong! One lady wrote a letter to the editor saying that she was a waitress for years, and every place she worked, they all did this. She vowed that when she owns a restaurant she will not to this to her wait-staff and she has been true to her word.

I've probably said this before but when I was a dog groomer not everyone tipped BUT the clients that did were the ones I jumped through hoops for.(and yes, I remembered every one of them)
So sometimes I tip to say "Thank you" and sometimes I tip to buy a little goodwill.

Coffeemom, I think you're right.
We regularly tip the hair stylists. We don't go to a fancy shop, just one of the hair-cutter chains. I get a straight cut, no colour, curl, etc. and the price is the same for men and women.

Anyway, I had a new guy cut my hair and he really really cut it short....shorter than I liked. 2 of the ladies who have known us for years told DH that next time I need a hair cut, to ask for one of them.

I did, and asked for one of them and she didn't charge me for the cut.....at all. They were both afraid that they had lost a long-time customer over the cut. Of course she got a generous tip.

Jasdip, one of my DD's worked in a bar/cafe/motel for quite a few years. The owner did that whenever someone paid with a credit card or charged to their room. I know that was not legal! Nor right! I can't remember exactly what the owner took, but it was a large enough amount that the girls all felt slighted. He would sit in his office and watch tv all day and they ran their buns off and he got quite a bit of their tip amount.

EmmaR -- Is your hair stylist the salon owner? Years ago I remember watching an 'old lady' (before *I* was one) who made a production of tipping the shampoo girl a QUARTER. She probably started doing that when a quarter was a good tip -- and never upped it. My current stylist does her own shampoo work; I tip her 20% plus a large tip at Christmas.

I tip most people who provide a service -- sometimes at the point of service; sometimes at Christmas; sometimes both.

These are: The shuttle bus driver who lifts my luggage; a skycap at the airport; the food and wine waitstaff in a restaurant (always cash, from my hand to the server's, not left on the table or added to the CC to be skimmed by the owner); a bartender; the doorman who summons a cab for me; the front desk service staffer who holds my luggage; a cloakroom attendant (where that still exists!); a cab or limo driver; the car wash attendant who polishes the car; the newspaper delivery guy; our mail carrier (P.O. says $20/yr. limit); the dog groomer; a hotel housekeeper who provides *extra* service; a valet; a pool attendant. I've probably left out some.

I agree, it is TOO MUCH. I wish people were simply paid living wages so that the burden was NOT displaced upon the person being 'served' -- and some of it feels like a mini protection racket!

I've noticed that Australians have questions about tipping when they visit Hawaii. It must be rare there. Think of the additional tax revenue there must be in Australia!

All those outstretched palms are one reason we prefer condos to hotels -- that and not having to play 'chaise tag' at a pool! It amazes me that people will pay $800/night for a hotel room, press dollars into every palm around every corner, and get up at 6 a.m. to 'reserve' a chaise at the hotel pool! Why doesn't a hotel provide an adequate number of chaises? Is this a 'game' hotel guests complain about, but secretly love? LOL

If you haven't seen this before its at the KTGP in Misc..
I'm posting the tipping link below

Here is a link that might be useful: tipping etiquette

wildchild, EmmaR and others - thanks for mentioning the difference between tipping employees and owners. I just never thought about it and really didn't think about there being a difference.

Lazypup - my wallet felt like it was getting lighter just reading about your thoughts/story about tipping in New York City. The hotel would probably kick me out for tipping incorrectly. And selling a Bellhop position? - Wow

We don't tip garbage collectors or mailmen - they are union and make quite enough money.

I do wish that there was some way to make sure that the cooks and busboys etc were able to take part in a tipping pool of some sort. I think that their jobs are harder than that of the wait staff, however they don't have to deal with the irritating public - maybe that's the trade-off?

As far as credit card and debit card fees and other costs - I just assumed that they were the cost of doing business and were included in what I was being charged for my meal or whatever. If the staff are being forced to pay a portion of those costs I sure hope that they get a share of the profits at year end. I doubt it, but the fact that they should be paying for those costs isn't fair.

Thanks for teaching me some things.

You are right. On the west coast there is less tipping but in northern CA and some places in OR and WA they demand better service, but tipping is less. Sure glad I don't go to NY much. Tipping everyone is not my thing. I feel that people who work at a hotel, or a large restaurant should be paid at least min. wage and not get tipped for breathing!!!Just my thought.

About the only opportunity I have to tip nowadays is restaurant eating. We went out to a rather-nice Thai restaurant last night, & I tipped our waitress about 16% of our bill, I guess I'm a "moderate" tipper. Now it's quite possible this gal was the owner or co-owner of the business, but I'm not going to ask that question before deciding whether to tip or not.

Although my husband put the food tab on his credit card, particularly since this quarter offered a 5% discount on restaurant meals, I always pay the tip portion in cash.

In Texas wait staff make $2.12 per hour, everything else is dependent on tips. You are taxed on what your anticipated tips are, not your actual tips. Many Establishments force you to share your tips with everyone, waitstaff,bus staff ,bar and hostess, who make minimum wage, (hostess).

Wow, 2.12 per hour??? That's a pittance and shouldn't be legal.

My dd has to leave her luggage at a hotel in Orlando as she is taking a redeye in order to have one day free to play before her conference. What would you suggest she give as a tip for holding her bag?

Holding a bag for a departing hotel guest is a bellman service, and may or may not have a charge for it. If there is no charge - a dollar a bag at pick-up is sufficient.

Also, who and what do I tip?

Servers in a sit-down restaurant, 15-20%.
My hairdresser - 20%
Spa employees who perform services that I purchase that day - 20%, minimum $2.00.
Hotel employees:
Bellman - $1/bag
Servers - both room and dining room - 20%
Maids, on check-out day - minimum $2/night

I was always taught the meaning of TIP - to insure promptness, and in a hotel,it starts with the first person (doorman or bellman) when you walk in. News travels.

If I get very poor service and/or food in a restaurant, I will tell the manager in charge, not stiff the employee.

I do not tip postal employees or any governmental employee employee - I pay them very well, contribute to their benefits with my taxes, and unfortunately, their union dues.

Not to hijack this thread, but this minimum wage thing is all very confusing. There is a federal minimum wage, but then states can set their own, too. What Terilyn posted about Texas minimum wage made me do a little searching. I found that waitstaff can indeed be paid a minimum wage of $2.13 because employers can take into account their anticipated tips. But the law also says that if they do not make in wages and tips combined at least the current minimum wage in Texas of $7.25, then the employer must make up the difference in cash. I wonder how many are not doing that, which is of course, courting trouble.

Here is a link that might be useful: minimum wage exemptions in Texas

I tip the hairdresser modestly since she ready charges a lot. I tip at restaurants. I don't tip my house cleaner but I give her a generous cash Christmas gift. That's it - no hotel maids, mail carriers, garbage men, people who try to grab my luggage when I can manage it myself, etc.

Thanks, Monica.