# Encouraging Greed **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 17, 2012, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/encouraging-greed/634948 "2012-09-17T06:17:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/encouraging-greed/634948/21 "2012-09-17T14:58:17Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Common knowledge? > > In the last year I stayed in six different hotels. Every single one had that envelope. > > Are non-tipping hotel guests really in the habit of leaving a random couple of bucks on the dresser? Do chambermaids really not know that it was left for them? Really? In the last year I’ve stayed at 4-5 hotels, not one have had an envelope. I’ve seen envelopes for tips before, but typically only in higher-end hotels. The Super 8? No envelopes. I’ve left a few bucks on the dresser and had it there when I came back to my room later. So no, they don’t apparently always know it’s been left for them. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/encouraging-greed/634948/22 "2012-09-17T14:58:34Z")
> [@LeeshaJoy](#): > > As someone who’s spent the last seven years working as a hotel housekeeper, I cordially invite the OP to kiss my ass. What percentage of your guests leave a tip? ---
**Author:** ![LeeshaJoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@LeeshaJoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LeeshaJoy)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/encouraging-greed/634948/23 "2012-09-17T15:01:06Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > What percentage of your guests leave a tip? I’d say 20% or less. It varies so wildly from day to day that it’s hard to determine. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/encouraging-greed/634948/24 "2012-09-17T15:01:21Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > In the last year I’ve stayed at 4-5 hotels, not one have had an envelope. I’ve seen envelopes for tips before, but typically only in higher-end hotels. The Super 8? No envelopes. That’s weird. The ones I’ve stayed in weren’t really high-end. One was pretty flea-baggy. > [@Athena](#): > > I’ve left a few bucks on the dresser and had it there when I came back to my room later. So no, they don’t apparently always know it’s been left for them. That’s probably because you weren’t checked out yet. I never leave a tip while I am still staying there. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/encouraging-greed/634948/25 "2012-09-17T15:57:21Z")
We tip Housekeeping a little every day and leave a bigger tip when we check out. As a result, we always have extra fluffy towels and tons of sundries to pillage. ---
**Author:** ![Shoujin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoujin/32/3884_2.png) [@Shoujin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoujin)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/encouraging-greed/634948/26 "2012-09-17T16:03:12Z")
Letter carrier for 18+ years here. If your letter carrier goes around w/ his/her hand out for a tip, report it to the USPS!! Never seen or heard of it happening, but it obviously happens to you. ---
**Author:** ![Tarwater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9de0a6/32.png) [@Tarwater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tarwater)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/encouraging-greed/634948/27 "2012-09-17T16:09:05Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > I’ve left a few bucks on the dresser and had it there when I came back to my room later. So no, they don’t apparently always know it’s been left for them. You left a tip before your stay was finished? What did you expect, for them to take the money on the off-chance that they weren’t stealing from a guest? ---
**Author:** ![Abortion\_Fanatic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/76d3ee/32.png) [@Abortion\_Fanatic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abortion_Fanatic)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/encouraging-greed/634948/28 "2012-09-17T16:13:57Z")
> [@Shoujin](#): > > Letter carrier for 18+ years here. If your letter carrier goes around w/ his/her hand out for a tip, report it to the USPS!! Never seen or heard of it happening, but it obviously happens to you. Yeah that was weird to me too. My parents give their letter carrier a Christmas gift, because they’ve had the same one for about twenty years. But a cash tip? The OP has no idea what he’s talking about. Flyer, it’s pretty shitty that some industries underpay their employees and expect clients to make up the difference. But only an ignorant moron would think that taking that out on the worker making less than minimum wage is somehow solving the problem. It says loads about you that you seem to take pride in the tradition of your low-class cheapskate family. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/encouraging-greed/634948/29 "2012-09-17T16:20:26Z")
> [@Tarwater](#): > > You left a tip before your stay was finished? What did you expect, for them to take the money on the off-chance that they weren’t stealing from a guest? My understanding is that you should tip every day so that the maid who actually cleans your room gets the tip. There’s no guarantee that the same maid will work every day or be the one who happens to get your room. And no, I didn’t expect them to take money off the dresser, which is why I would either look for an envelope or pad of paper/pen to leave a note. I was saying that I _have_ left money on the dresser by accident and it’s never been taken, so I didn’t think that money left their is automatically assumed to be a tip. I guess if AFTER I left they might think it is, but hell, I also wouldn’t be surprised to get a call saying “Hey, you left money here” if I left it without a note. ---
**Author:** ![Shoujin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoujin/32/3884_2.png) [@Shoujin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoujin)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/encouraging-greed/634948/30 "2012-09-17T16:24:29Z")
> [@Abortion\_Fanatic](#): > > Yeah that was weird to me too. My parents give their letter carrier a Christmas gift, because they’ve had the same one for about twenty years. But a cash tip? The OP has no idea what he’s talking about. Lets be honest. Many letter carriers are tipped during the Holiday season, self included. My coworkers and I don’t promote it or encourage it, but if we receive a gratuity, its universally mandated that we give a thank you card. However, I have never heard of a letter carrier aggressively pursuing a tip from a customer. If my customers ask, I tell them that I don’t need a gratuity to do my job. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/encouraging-greed/634948/31 "2012-09-17T17:16:23Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Common knowledge? > > In the last year I stayed in six different hotels. Every single one had that envelope. Where are you finding these envelopes? I travel for business regularly and have never, ever seen this. ---
**Author:** ![AlienVessels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ba8739/32.png) [@AlienVessels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlienVessels)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/encouraging-greed/634948/32 "2012-09-17T17:22:40Z")
I’m ignorant and my family is ignorant going back generations. And I refuse to educate myself because I’m happy wallowing in ignorance. I luvs me my internets. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/encouraging-greed/634948/33 "2012-09-17T17:23:43Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > Where are you finding these envelopes? I travel for business regularly and have never, ever seen this. Massachusetts and Florida, mostly. They’re always on the dresser, next to the phone, possibly in the little tray where the room key is. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/encouraging-greed/634948/34 "2012-09-17T17:24:50Z")
> [@Flyer](#): > > From another thread: > > I REALLY, REALLY hate ignorant statements like this. > > I have never tipped in a motel. (It’s motel, not hotel.) My parents have never tipped in a motel. My grandparents never tipped in a motel. Nobody that I know has ever tipped in a motel to my knowledge. Congratulations! You come from a long line of cheap fuckers. Shout if from the roof tops of your trialer court. You must be very proud. ---
**Author:** ![nikonikosuru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f8ce5/32.png) [@nikonikosuru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nikonikosuru)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/encouraging-greed/634948/35 "2012-09-17T17:29:53Z")
As others have said, tipping is a tradition in the U.S. I’m still trying to learn the basics myself (such as who to tip beyond waiters and how much) but even with a minimum wage job and being pretty poor I try to do so because hey, they’re busting their asses at some pretty shitty jobs. You really can’t be arsed to give a dollar here or there? If anything, \*\*YOU \*\*sound like the greedy person here. ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/encouraging-greed/634948/36 "2012-09-17T17:47:49Z")
I leave a buck or two on the pillow. It’s a pretty obvious tip to the maid when you purposefully set money in a place that they are required to service. I’ve had money laying on a dresser and most maids will leave that alone if there is evidence of occupancy. And another thing. I’ve seen a lot of hotel/motel maids in my time. None of them ever struck me as greedy. As for **Flyer** , he can opt out of tipping if he wants. But to rag on people for showing their appreciation to somebody that cleans up after your messes seems the to be a well deserved request to be called an asshole. Considering that **Flyer** is in no way harmed by others tipping it shows incredible stupidity that he finds that annoying. Too bad he’s too much of a shithead to realize that. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/encouraging-greed/634948/37 "2012-09-17T18:05:38Z")
> [@LeeshaJoy](#): > > I’d say 20% or less. That really surprises me. I thought that everyone knew to tip the maid. ---
**Author:** ![Enkel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Enkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enkel)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/encouraging-greed/634948/38 "2012-09-17T18:10:43Z")
> [@LeeshaJoy](#): > > I’d say 20% or less. It varies so wildly from day to day that it’s hard to determine. When I stay at motels (and they are the cheapest motel in the area that doesn’t come with little bitty pets in the room), it is for months at a time where I stay all week and go home on weekends. Because of my background, I refuse all maid service for the week until I leave on the weekend, so they only clean one day a week (and I’m checking back into the same room on Sunday night). Unless I’m late leaving work, the trash is all bagged and ‘dishes’ cleaned. (The nice maids leave me extra trash bags for the week once they realize how I ‘work’) On the weekend, it’s a basic vacuum, change sheets, wipe down counters thing. I’ve never heard of tipping in a hotel and since I live in them often, I do go through all of the reading materials and have never found these envelopes that you (everyone/non-specific) speak of. Now, I hope that they’ve been taking a 5 min break on the time that they would have been cleaning my room during the week. > [@Shoujin](#): > > Letter carrier for 18+ years here. If your letter carrier goes around w/ his/her hand out for a tip, report it to the USPS!! Never seen or heard of it happening, but it obviously happens to you. My letter carrier has gone out of her way for me last week (she brought a box to my gate instead of making me drive to the Post Office to get it). That she did this really means a lot to me. She also calls me when my mail box is full to let me know that it’s time to clean it out again. I want to tip her and let her post master know that she’s doing a great job. If I put a letter into the mail box for “Post Master” do I need to put postage on it? Should I be vague about her bringing the box to me (I don’t want to get her in trouble)? Also, can I put a small amount of cash into an envelope marked “Mail Carrier” will she open it or hand it to the post master (I don’t want the post master to know that I’ve tipped her cash). Thanks for any help ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/encouraging-greed/634948/39 "2012-09-17T18:14:49Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > I don’t believe that tipping hotel maids is as common as some people think […] As other posters have noted, nowadays it may well not be common; it seems that probably fewer than half of all travelers follow that custom. But the OP’s frothingly intemperate assertion wasn’t that tipping chambermaids isn’t **common** , but rather that it isn’t **traditional**. And that is just flat-out wrong: it’s a well-established and widely-known practice. However, it looks as though he may have realized that and calmed down a bit. In any case, he ain’t been back here. (Not even to tip us for cleaning up the mess he left in his OP. :p) ---
**Author:** ![Iggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Iggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggins)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/encouraging-greed/634948/40 "2012-09-17T18:22:38Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > I’d be willing to guess that if I did a survey of everyone I know, less than 10% would even realize that you’re supposed to tip the hotel maids. I certainly never heard of it until the last 10 years or so, and I tend to be a pretty good tipper (at least in restaurants, which is the only place I go with any regularity where tipping is normal.) > > And how are people supposed to know? Some hotels have special envelopes in the room for leaving tips, but the majority don’t. Heck, nowadays, it’s hard to find a piece of paper and a pen in the room so if you DID want to leave a tip, you could let housekeeping know this was for them, and not a random couple of bucks you left on the dresser. This matches my experience exactly. I’ve never seen a tip envelope in a room. I’ve mostly stayed in hotels on the West Coast/Hawaii, FWIW. I do tip, though, once I learned it was “customary”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/encouraging-greed/634948.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/encouraging-greed/634948.md?page=3)