# Am I being a jerk by leaving a pile of small change along with my tip at a restaurant? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 10, 2010, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-a-jerk-by-leaving-a-pile-of-small-change-along-with-my-tip-at-a-restaurant/535620 "2010-04-10T08:17:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-a-jerk-by-leaving-a-pile-of-small-change-along-with-my-tip-at-a-restaurant/535620/1 "2010-04-10T08:17:35Z")
As I accumulate small change in my wallet or pockets, I gradually get to a point where I don’t care about the money itself, and want to get rid of it. So the next time I’m in a restaurant, I leave my usual tip, plus a stack of whatever change is in the bottom of my wallet (mostly pennies, a few nickels and dimes). I feel like I’m leaving extra, over and above the tip, that I wouldn’t have left otherwise, and so this is OK. However, some people have told me that this is a little dickish, and that I’m merely making the waitress deal with the change. The amount is never more than a dollar, probably never less than $.35 or so. Am I being obnoxious? ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-a-jerk-by-leaving-a-pile-of-small-change-along-with-my-tip-at-a-restaurant/535620/2 "2010-04-10T09:08:36Z")
Saying “jerk” is taking it a bit far, but it does kind of give a bad impression, along the line of _I don’t want this garbage but maybe you do_. Some servers may see that as a bit chintzy. Others may just appreciate the change. I think it’d be good form to remove the pennies, since that kind of gives it away that you were just emptying your pockets, and it’s not likely the server wants them any more than you do. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-a-jerk-by-leaving-a-pile-of-small-change-along-with-my-tip-at-a-restaurant/535620/3 "2010-04-10T09:38:19Z")
I think it depends on the place and the person. I’ve only done it when that’s all I had to get the tip up, and I try to avoid using the pennies. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-a-jerk-by-leaving-a-pile-of-small-change-along-with-my-tip-at-a-restaurant/535620/4 "2010-04-10T09:48:17Z")
As long as it’s a reasonable tip. Maybe more appropriate in a bar or lower scale place than a higher one. When I got tips it certainly didn’t turn me off. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-a-jerk-by-leaving-a-pile-of-small-change-along-with-my-tip-at-a-restaurant/535620/5 "2010-04-10T09:59:46Z")
I think it’s fine as long as the place is not high-end. When I get it as a server at the place I work at, it both annoys me and yet is appreciated at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-a-jerk-by-leaving-a-pile-of-small-change-along-with-my-tip-at-a-restaurant/535620/6 "2010-04-10T12:18:24Z")
It’s only bad when your worried that you maybe off from a certain percentage and must dig through a purse for a couple minutes to get a penny and nickle to avoid giving them a dollar tip. I’d expect that from a 70 year old old lady in a casino buffet that needs to use that retirement money in a slot machine. A good tip plus your loose change is bonus money, why complain about that? ---
**Author:** ![Student\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-a-jerk-by-leaving-a-pile-of-small-change-along-with-my-tip-at-a-restaurant/535620/7 "2010-04-10T12:53:29Z")
I am more likely to dump such change into communal tip containers, like jars on coffeeshop counters or something; it seems weird to leave a $5 and then add a little pile of 17 cents. Oddly, I have no problem with writing odd tip amounts on credit card meal purchases to round the charge up to an even amount; if I had a meal that cost $14.83, I’ll write in a tip for $5.17. Not sure why that seems less insulting, since I’m still basically dumping some change on the waitstaff simply to make my life a smidgen easier. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-a-jerk-by-leaving-a-pile-of-small-change-along-with-my-tip-at-a-restaurant/535620/8 "2010-04-10T12:54:15Z")
Let me assure you, as long as you’re leaving a decent tip, in addition to the change, servers don’t care. It’s all money. And they usually have access to a till where they can change it out for whatever they like, come the end of their shift. Don’t sweat it. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-a-jerk-by-leaving-a-pile-of-small-change-along-with-my-tip-at-a-restaurant/535620/9 "2010-04-10T12:57:34Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > Let me assure you, as long as you’re leaving a decent tip, in addition to the change, servers don’t care. It’s all money. And they usually have access to a till where they can change it out for whatever they like, come the end of their shift. > > Don’t sweat it. I pretty much thought the same thing. The server will take the change and put it in the till and get bills or bigger coins back. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-a-jerk-by-leaving-a-pile-of-small-change-along-with-my-tip-at-a-restaurant/535620/10 "2010-04-10T12:58:34Z")
I can’t believe a server would be annoyed you’re trying to give him/her money. In any case you may want to give it to a homeless person or leave it on a bus bench. You never know when someone may need it ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-a-jerk-by-leaving-a-pile-of-small-change-along-with-my-tip-at-a-restaurant/535620/11 "2010-04-10T13:08:01Z")
I do this all the time. If I pay cash and I get change back, I’ll drop an appropriate amount in bills and leave whatever coins were included in my change. If they don’t want it they can leave it, but I can’t imagine why they wouldn’t take it or think I was a dick. Even when paying with a credit card I’ll leave a tip that will make my total bill come out even, i.e. if my bill is $15.87 I’ll tip $4.13 so the total charge to my card will be $20.00. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-a-jerk-by-leaving-a-pile-of-small-change-along-with-my-tip-at-a-restaurant/535620/12 "2010-04-10T13:39:13Z")
They’ll appreciate the income. I think [this guy](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=555915) should read this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-a-jerk-by-leaving-a-pile-of-small-change-along-with-my-tip-at-a-restaurant/535620/13 "2010-04-10T13:48:28Z")
Wow, it never occurred to me that leaving a larger tip was dickish. Like the OP says, we are talking about adding coinage to what is already an appropriate tip. I guess any server who didn’t want it could throw it in with the other trash on the table, but it’s hard to imagine resenting it. Student Driver, how is it easier to calculate a tip on the spot so that it makes the credit card total a round number? Isn’t it always easier to estimate an appropriate tip however you like, and add? ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-a-jerk-by-leaving-a-pile-of-small-change-along-with-my-tip-at-a-restaurant/535620/14 "2010-04-10T13:49:33Z")
I am a server and I’ll take that extra $.35 with thanks. Don’t understand how anyone else wouldn’t, unless they have a change phobia (like my boyfriend - he works for tips and throws most change but quarters away, hates touching it). It’s convenient to get change from customers, including pennies. Especially when I have to take credit card tips from the till - people very often round the whole transaction to an even number, which means my tip will be something weird like $16.83, if I have change in my pocket I can just throw it in and take a dollar which sames me time counting small change at the end of the night. I’m annoyed when people leave shitty tips in change, of course - it seems extra-insulting to get 9% in small change rather than bills. But if you’re leaving a decent tip I don’t care if you leave it in wet nickels. Money is money. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-a-jerk-by-leaving-a-pile-of-small-change-along-with-my-tip-at-a-restaurant/535620/15 "2010-04-10T17:57:10Z")
OK, I’m glad the consensus is that this is fine as long as it’s in addition to a reasonable tip. I don’t do this bring it up to 15% or 18% or 20% or whatever\*, I put down the amount I’m shooting for with a stack of extra on top. Good to hear that the servers in the thread don’t mind either. ---
**Author:** ![Q.N.Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/3da27b/32.png) [@Q.N.Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.N.Jones)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-a-jerk-by-leaving-a-pile-of-small-change-along-with-my-tip-at-a-restaurant/535620/16 "2010-04-10T19:41:44Z")
All three of my sisters were waitresses. They said they didn’t care, because at the end of the night, any change over .99 was exchanged for bills. Restaurants like to take those coins off their hands. The only time they minded was when someone left change because they were undertipping. For example, some senior citizens who think .25 is a great tip for a $10 meal. I once left a guy a $5 Canadian bill as part of a tip. It was a huge tip, but he saw it and got pissy. So maybe don’t try that one! ---
**Author:** ![Student\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-a-jerk-by-leaving-a-pile-of-small-change-along-with-my-tip-at-a-restaurant/535620/17 "2010-04-10T19:49:40Z")
> [@Napier](#): > > Student Driver, how is it easier to calculate a tip on the spot so that it makes the credit card total a round number? Isn’t it always easier to estimate an appropriate tip however you like, and add? Simple arithmetic is pretty easy, so it’s not like I’m expending much time or energy, and the rounded dollar amounts make it easier to remember when balancing accounts or whatever, especially if I misplace a receipt. ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-a-jerk-by-leaving-a-pile-of-small-change-along-with-my-tip-at-a-restaurant/535620/18 "2010-04-10T21:09:48Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > Let me assure you, as long as you’re leaving a decent tip, in addition to the change, servers don’t care. It’s all money. And they usually have access to a till where they can change it out for whatever they like, come the end of their shift. > > Don’t sweat it. Yep. At the restaurants I worked at, I had to make change myself for my customers. Sometimes I would run really low on coin, so someone leaving me an extra few quarters and dimes would help. ---
**Author:** ![kevlaw](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kevlaw/32/2281_2.png) [@kevlaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevlaw)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-a-jerk-by-leaving-a-pile-of-small-change-along-with-my-tip-at-a-restaurant/535620/19 "2010-04-10T21:13:39Z")
> [@Student\_Driver](#): > > Simple arithmetic is pretty easy, so it’s not like I’m expending much time or energy, and the rounded dollar amounts make it easier to remember when balancing accounts or whatever, especially if I misplace a receipt. I always round too…but I don’t write write in the tip value. Just the total. Am I being dickish? ---
**Author:** ![bearman217](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e4f/32.png) [@bearman217](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bearman217)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-a-jerk-by-leaving-a-pile-of-small-change-along-with-my-tip-at-a-restaurant/535620/20 "2010-04-10T21:18:20Z")
I agree with Serenata actually. I was also a server at a restaurant and at times you do tend to run low on change because typically people just pocket the change and leave bills for a tip. I would constantly need to have five dollars of my paycheck to be taken out as change. Also, I enjoy to collect my change in a jar and when it is full take it into a bank and have anywhere from $50 to $80 in spare money. But leaving change is definitely not a jerky or dickhead thing to do. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-a-jerk-by-leaving-a-pile-of-small-change-along-with-my-tip-at-a-restaurant/535620.md?page=2)