Comments on: Sticky Situations: How Much Do You Tip?

By: Madison

Madison — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:55:38 +0000

@ Ryan: Sometimes I wish we could have a system like yours. Just looking at everyone’s comments makes it clear that there is not one right amount to tip for any of these situations!

@ Everyone: Thanks for your input… clearly there’s still room for debate on all three of these situations.

By: Festival of Frugality #136 - Summer School Edition | Student Scrooge

Festival of Frugality #136 - Summer School Edition | Student Scrooge — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 06:54:23 +0000

[...] poses a series of questions on how much to tip in certain “sticky” situations. Tipping is always a difficult subject, and these cases don’t really seem to have clear cut [...]

By: Patrick

Patrick — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 01:48:08 +0000

Normally, I don’t tip at a buffet because it is “self-serve”.

Vacation rental, about $5 just cause I would feel bad.

Barber, about $3 so they’ll always give you good customer service.

By: Ron@TheWisdomJournal

Ron@TheWisdomJournal — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:29:46 +0000

Buffets? Zero unless they actually refill my glass or perform some duty of some sort. Then a buck or two.

In the rental situation you were in, I wouldn’t have tipped anything.

I tip my barber $2 every time, but I don’t think anyone else tips more than a dollar. It’s an old fashioned shop with a real barber pole, 3 chairs tended by men older than dirt, and old pictures on the walls that are faded beyond recognition. It smells like pipe tobacco and “Barbercide.” Some magazines are older than my oldest child (who’s 14).

I love going in there.

By: deepali

deepali — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 15:56:17 +0000

I don’t eat at buffets, so I don’t know about that. But at Mongolian bbq, they are still doing the same work they’d do at a regular restaurant. Sure you do some work too, but it’s like picking your lobster at a seafood restaurant. You don’t tip less for that.

I tip the maid at a hotel depending on what I have on me – I think there’s a set amount, but I don’t know what it is. At a place where I’m the maid, I wouldn’t tip, I’d just be neat (and conversely, if I don’t want to be neat, I’d tip).

The hairdresser can be really variable. I probably tip 30% if they do a great job. But I go to a student place, so they aren’t making any money anyway…

By: Jaynee

Jaynee — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 14:02:24 +0000

1. I would probably give 10-15% at a buffet as a tip. Because they are still cleaning the tables, refilling water, making sure everything is okay. Just because they don’t bring me my food doesn’t mean they aren’t working hard.

2. I wouldn’t tip at a vacation rental.

3. I have been told you don’t tip the owner at a salon if they provide the service, but I still tipped – just not as much. Maybe 7% instead of 15-20%.

By: Ryan @ Smarter Wealth

Ryan @ Smarter Wealth — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:58:31 +0000

In Australia it works completely different. People get paid normal wages to work in restaurants, at bars and at buffets. You never tip at a buffet only at restaurants. And when you tip you only tip a couple of bucks or more if it is a really ritzy restaurant. Much more difficuly where you are from

By: Four Pillars

Four Pillars — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:58:17 +0000

I wouldn’t tip at a vacation rental place – or any other type of hotel etc. We stayed in one last week and I did leave some empties.

I hate the whole tipping concept – I do tip but I just can’t understand why service people can’t be compensated the same way as everyone else. The idea that tipping will improve performance is totally false .

Mike

By: Patrick

Patrick — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:37:05 +0000

I think you should still tip 15% at a buffet. Most waitstaff get paid only $2-3 per hour from the restaurant and make up the difference from tips.

For the vacation rental I don’t know if I would tip or not. I would probably leave the place as clean as I could without going overboard.

For the hairdresser, I probably would tip. I usually tip $2-3 for my haircut, but that usually costs less than $15, so percentage wise, $2-3 is a good tip.