Whom to tip and how much. Who decided the who and the how much? Why are some service providers considered tip-worthy while others in similar industries are not? Gratuities are generally given for services provided in restaurants, golf courses, casinos, hotels, cruise ships, food delivery, taxicabs, and salons. Then why is a taxicab driver deserving of a tip, but a bus driver is not? Both drove us to our destination. Why do we customarily tip the waiter and the parking valet, but rarely the store clerk who helped us find an obscure item? All three provide a service. And why doesn’t anyone slip the helpful income tax volunteer an extra bill? Wouldn’t he appreciate the kindness?
to tip or not to tip
History of tipping
According to Kerry Segrave, author of An American Social History of Gratitudes, tipping originated among the European aristocracy. Giving a tip signified power; accepting one was a sign of servility. Wealthy Americans, who traveled to Europe in the late 19th century, copied the practice. Then middle-class Americans imitated it. When the Great Depression hit in the US, the practice went into decline but soon bounced back.
Suggested tipping practices
- full-service restaurant – 20% of the bill,
- hair dresser – 15% of bill,
- cab driver 15% of fare, help with bag $1 per bag, $2 per heavy bag,
- flower delivery $4-5,
- bartender 10-15% of bar bill,
- valet parking staff $2-5,
- bellman $1-2 per bag,
- maid $2-5 daily,
- doorman $1,
- good DJ $50-100 – more for taking requests.
Contradictions in current tipping practices
1. Tipping based on price makes little sense. Why should a waiter receive a larger gratuity for serving a filet mignon than for a hamburger? The effort is the same.
2. Some employers pay workers with the expectation that gratuities will supplement their wages. If the customer is paying part of the wages, he no longer rewards exemplary service.
3. The practice of tipping is inconsistent between similar services. Just who decided the who and the how much anyway?
For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on the home page of http://www.walled-in-berlin.com. Walled-In is a story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War.
