I just met Ebenezer Scrooge

[mhkohne]

Quoth Seshat

Mod Note, to avoid tipping discussion that used to become heated until enough of the members realised this:

* In some cultures, certain jobs (wait-staff, delivery drivers, bellhops) are paid considerably less than minimum wage, and the difference is expected to be made up in tips.

* In other cultures, such staff are paid a normal, reasonable wage, and tips are quite literally intended as reward for unusually high service.


Most of the members who say things like 'tipping is not optional' are from the former sort of culture. Most who say 'I don't tip unless I get exceptional service' are from the latter.

Please keep these culture variations in mind when reading posts in tipping threads.

Thank you.

As a point of reference, for the United States, the normal minumum wage is $7.25/hr. Except that for tipped labor, the minimum is $2.13/hr. These are federal minimums, some states may have higher numbers.

[Grendus]

On another site, delivery drivers suggested designing your route so that high tippers get their pizza first and low tippers get it last. May be worth considering for the serial stiffers if you don't do it already, punishes the cheapskates and makes sure that those who reward good service get their pizza hot.

[BowserKoopa1]

On the minimum wage subject, when I started delivering for Papa John's back in 2006, we got paid what minimum wage was, $5.15, and when they raised it to $5.85 a year or so later in 2007, they paid us that. But they refused to go any higher because this was during that time when the US government raised minimum wage 3 times in 3 years, since they obviously neglected it and had not raised it since 1997.
The company I deliver for now does it in a strange way.... $7.25 in the store, $4.25 when on deliveries. Of course, the tips make up 2/3 of my pay
Getting back to the main subject, this man was just irritable, mean, and cheap. It seemed very much like he was irritated with me because of his stupid dogs barking. Some might say, "Maybe he didn't have enough to tip?" Bullshit. The way I see it, if they can spend $15 on food, they sure as hell can throw in a couple extra bucks. Heck, I am just barely below the poverty level and guess what? I tip drivers and waiters. However, I should also point out that if the service is terrible at a restaraunt, I will leave little to no tip. A couple times in the past when my pizza took forever to get to my house and they comped my order, I would tip the delivery driver at least $3.