To tip or not incl Xmas gratuities

tijuana taxi

tijuana taxi

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Just wondered how people feel about tipping these days, is it still the done thing or not required in these days of the minimum and living wage?

I will give the postie and window cleaner a Christmas box, the former is helpful reliable and cheery replacing the rotten old sod we had before. The latter is also reliable and still very reasonably priced, bit of a rarity these days.

Never see the bin men, not overly helpful and leave the wheelie bins all over the show, so nothing for them anymore.

My daughter has a friend who doesn't agree with tipping, her view is that many people get a low wage and nothing extra for doing their job properly.
Fair point and it does seem that certain jobs traditionally get tips, waiting tables, barber, cabbie and others don't

Do you still tip and give a Christmas box or not bother about it?
 
My tip is "Never tip because you feel you should".

Tip if you think you got something extra. If you like a friendly encounter, tip if you want that to continue.

If people" always get a tip" regardless, then the tip is useless.

Never feel ashamed about not tipping. This is difficult for many people. And might need practicing. Because "it's the 'not' tipping, that makes the tipping work."
 
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As a postie can I just say, that nice as it is to receive tips, it far nicer when people treat you with respect all year round.
I've had a few in the past who will give very large tips and expect favourable treatment, even to the extent of saying it
when they feel the need to moan about something that you really can't do much about.
 
I have to admit I've a real gem of a postie :)

He knows I have problems with stairs and try not to have to keep climbing them to my front door [ house built at the top of a hill and the garage is at the back of the house which is downstairs and where my kitchen etc is !! ]

He always, if the collection of post is bulky, brings it to the back of the house and pops it where I can see it and get it easily , but it's not visible from the road. He does pass the back gate anyway so he's not really going out of his way. If I pass him when I'm out on foot - I get a cheery weave and a smile :)

He'll get my thanks at Christmas
 
I worked in the casino industry and was happy when the Gaming Act was changed for us to be allowed tips. However, I thought it a bit out of order that the managers took a share for themselves, the company (who made millions in profit each year) took a percentage for themselves, and finally the taxman took a slice as well. You can also imagine the disappointment when someone had been entertained for a couple of hours while winning tens of thousands of pounds in the process and no gratuity was forthcoming.

With regards to my giving tips, I have worked abroad enough to know that staff over there were not subject to a minimum wage, received a pittance, and survived solely on their tips (much like waiting staff in this country before the minimum wage was introduced way back when). Tipping was habitual in those countries as a way of life and I guess it just stuck with me, I tip for nearly everything. Being on the receiving end, I also know how much a tip is appreciated.
 
There is the situation that behind the scenes staff can also help make a pleasant experience. Yet don't see the customer and can't get tips directly.
 
Gremlin said:
As a postie can I just say, that nice as it is to receive tips, it far nicer when people treat you with respect all year round.
I've had a few in the past who will give very large tips and expect favourable treatment, even to the extent of saying it
when they feel the need to moan about something that you really can't do much about.
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It wouldn't occur to me to tip my postman. He's a nice guy, who does a good job with a smile on his face, but I never tip him. TBH, I never know how much to tip people: an amount which says "Thanks you've done a good job" ... but not so much as to be over generous. I find the whole business a bit embarrassing.

But where does it stop? Hairdresser? (I'm a girl BTW!), waiters?, taxi drivers? I recently took a taxi ride in a large city: the fare was £12, I got out and handed the guy a £20 expecting change and the opportunity to tip him some of it, but he just said "Thanks" and drove off !!!! That was just taking the p*** IMO. So, as a rule I don't tip people unless they've given me exceptional service.

The other issue is that people who work in service industries don't deliver that service alone. Waiters are backed up by kitchen staff, for example, so I'm always a bit dubious that those people don't see any of the gratuity. After all, it's the chef who produced the meal you've enjoyed. The waiter simply brought it to your table, so who should actually get the tip?

As for Christmas tips, well, there are people in my life who do a great job all year round way or another, and I've been known to get those folks a small gift/bottle etc as a gesture of appreciation, but I'm not sure how I'd react if the bin man came knocking for a hand out, given that they are messy, disrespectful and down fight ignorant much of the time.
 
Gremlin said:
As a postie can I just say, that nice as it is to receive tips, it far nicer when people treat you with respect all year round.
I've had a few in the past who will give very large tips and expect favourable treatment, even to the extent of saying it
when they feel the need to moan about something that you really can't do much about.
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Very true, but its a two way thing, our last postie obviously hated the job and was very rude, didn't even return or acknowledge a "good morning"

My late dad was a postie and I know the wages without any OT were'nt great, so its just nice to give the person who comes out in all weathers to bring all the lovely photo stuff a little thank you at Xmas.

One I forgot to mention are the superb staff at our local GP practice, can never do enough to help. Nice box of chocolates for them, they even sent me a thank you note last year.
 
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I only tip our postie as he is very helpful & pleasant,usually a tenner.:)
As for bin men i think they are very disrespectful the way they leave all the mess behind them.:(
 
Neither myself or my OH have ever received tips in the past for doing our jobs, so I do not really see why I should give a tip to anyone else for doing their job.
I assume that their employer should be paying them adequately, and possibly give them a Christmas bonus (never received one of those myself either).
How many nurses, police, firefighters ever receive tips?
 
andy700 said:
Neither myself or my OH have ever received tips in the past for doing our jobs, so I do not really see why I should give a tip to anyone else for doing their job.
I assume that their employer should be paying them adequately, and possibly give them a Christmas bonus (never received one of those myself either).
How many nurses, police, firefighters ever receive tips?
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Not exactly in the spirit of the season of goodwill, personally feel good saying thanks and have a drink on me, everyone likes to be appreciated.
Can't say I ever received a Christmas bonus, have got the odd bottle of drink here and there over the years.
 
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tijuana taxi said:
Not exactly in the spirit of the season of goodwill, personally feel good saying thanks and have a drink on me, everyone likes to be appreciated.
Can't say I ever received a Christmas bonus, have got the odd bottle of drink here and there over the years.
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Oh dear, that old "guilt trip".
I have never received anything like a tip in my years at work, despite coming into contact with the public and working very hard. I know that very rich partners in the firms I worked, used to get gifts from their clients, but the folks in "support" departments received little or nothing.
When we were in the US years ago, we noticed people tipping a lot in restaurants, despite the fact that service charges were automatically added to bills. However, if you went into a burger abr chain, they didn't have any means of taking a tip, and had to use a paper cup when I gave them one (because their service was good, they were helpful and they smiled) - and they were earning less than most workers.
Our postie is about average - sometimes delivers our mail to next door and vice versa, and also doesn't bother to wait very long if he is delivering packages. Our refuse collecters are pretty bad, often leaving rubbish in the bags and bin.
 
Our regular posties seem to get put on different routes over commercialmas so don't get tipped. I'll try to remember to slip them something before they get shifted - I'm bu99ered if I'm going to tip the useless temps who can't read either road names or numbers correctly! The bin men can whistle too - almost without fail thay leave the bins in the middle of the drive rather than where we leave them to be picked up from (just beside the drive so we can get the car past the bin.)
 
We had the same postie for years and she was very good at hiding stuff, ( with a card through the door) forging my signature too if required.
(She's asked if she could) She used to get a few quid at Commercialcas saved me a trip or 2 to the sorting office. (y)
But once they "consolidated the rounds" we got all sorts :(
They even put a card through the door, when it was only CD size, and not signed for, they just don't bother carrying it :(
My son works "shifts" and has caught them out many times now...
So no tips for them, apart from "Be a little more conscientious"

Nod said:
I'm bu99ered if I'm going to tip the useless temps who can't read either road names or numbers correctly!
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And those :(
 
By and large, I don't tip people for doing their job.

I worked for the post office at Christmas when I was a student, back in the early 70s. This was common and the regular postman showed you the round, and then left you to get on with the deliveries while he sorted mail. I was surprised by how many people offered a tip, but I always declined - with thanks - and suggested they give it to their postman after Christmas.
 
If I'm pleased with the service I receive, and my expectations are exceeded, I will express my gratitude. If not then I will not. As simple as that really.
 
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