# How much do you tip the AAA guy?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-aaa-guy/329365
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [November 3, 2005, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-aaa-guy/329365 "2005-11-03T22:53:12Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)
#### Post date: [November 3, 2005, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-aaa-guy/329365/1 "2005-11-03T22:53:12Z")
I haven’t had to call AAA, but I was asked this by a co-worker who had them jump off her battery. She tipped the guy $20 and has no idea if that was too much or too little or about right. I have no idea either. Any suggestions?
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### Author:  [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)
#### Post date: [November 3, 2005, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-aaa-guy/329365/2 "2005-11-03T22:54:17Z")
> [@Sampiro](#):
>
> I haven’t had to call AAA, but I was asked this by a co-worker who had them jump off her battery. She tipped the guy $20 and has no idea if that was too much or too little or about right. I have no idea either. Any suggestions?
Tipping the AAA guy? No, I don’t think so.
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### Author:  [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)
#### Post date: [November 3, 2005, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-aaa-guy/329365/3 "2005-11-03T23:00:43Z")
Yeah, I’ve never tipped the AAA guy.
For one, I pay decent money for the services already. Second, the guy that shows up doesn’t actually work for AAA, he is just from some company that AAA contracts work to. Around these parts, the idiots that AAA contract work to: suck, stare at my boobs, are slow, and are downright rude. No tip for you !
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### Author:  [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)
#### Post date: [November 3, 2005, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-aaa-guy/329365/4 "2005-11-03T23:01:25Z")
But isn’t that why you pay your membership fee? So that one of the servicemen will come when you call?
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### Author:  [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)
#### Post date: [November 3, 2005, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-aaa-guy/329365/5 "2005-11-03T23:15:36Z")
I had to get a 93 mile tow on a flatbed at 1:00 - 3:00 am from a rural part of Florida to Gainesville. I told the guy thanks and I really meant it. It never occured to me that some people tip them.
If you paid for the service yourself would you still tip? What is the difference.
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### Author:  [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)
#### Post date: [November 3, 2005, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-aaa-guy/329365/6 "2005-11-03T23:16:43Z")
Tipping? Never occurred to me.
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### Author:  [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)
#### Post date: [November 3, 2005, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-aaa-guy/329365/7 "2005-11-03T23:35:30Z")
A tip of the cap is all I would ever offer.
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### Author:  [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)
#### Post date: [November 3, 2005, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-aaa-guy/329365/8 "2005-11-03T23:42:45Z")
I’ve never tipped!
Once had a guy show up and tell me “I can’t take any passengers”, his girlfriend was riding shotgun :wally !
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### Author:  [@leadfoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leadfoot)
#### Post date: [November 3, 2005, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-aaa-guy/329365/9 "2005-11-03T23:54:21Z")
I’ve never even thought of tipping (and I had to rely on the AAA guy quite a bit back when I had my old beater!).
But why not tip him? What makes AAA different than other services that you pay for but for which you \*are \*expected to leave a gratuity as well, like a cab or a valet?
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### Author:  [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2005, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-aaa-guy/329365/10 "2005-11-04T00:05:52Z")
> [@leadfoot](#):
>
> But why not tip him? What makes AAA different than other services that you pay for but for which you \*are \*expected to leave a gratuity as well, like a cab or a valet?
It’s definitely not an entrenched custom, perhaps because one assumes that tow-truck drivers make a decent wage as compared to parking valets or taxi drivers, and are in less need of tips.
Of course we all would like more money, but does anyone actually know how much these tow drivers make? I’m thinking around $10 an hour–not much, but better than people like waiters who actually have to live on their tips.
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### Author:  [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2005, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-aaa-guy/329365/11 "2005-11-04T00:43:30Z")
Never occurred to me until I read this thread.
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### Author:  [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2005, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-aaa-guy/329365/12 "2005-11-04T18:06:57Z")
I don’t generally tip them, but if it’s especially good service, or if I made them come out in a blinding snowstorm, then I will.
If they made my day better, I’ll return the favor.
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### Author:  [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2005, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-aaa-guy/329365/13 "2005-11-04T18:37:37Z")
One guy who came out and helped me specifically told me he could not accept any grautity. I don’t think it was a AAA policy but rather a policy of the towing company he worked for.
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### Author:  [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2005, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-aaa-guy/329365/14 "2005-11-04T18:49:37Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#):
>
> stare at my boobs, !
picture? 🙂
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### Author:  [@ethelbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ethelbert)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2005, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-aaa-guy/329365/15 "2005-11-04T19:10:36Z")
Once when my car would not start the guy the AAA sent took a tire wrench and banged on the starter. The car started right up. He showed me how to do it and it got me thru the week. I tipped him $20. I don’t know how they compensate those guys, but I figured he could probably have made more by towing me.
Most of the time, though, I don’t tip them.
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### Author:  [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2005, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-aaa-guy/329365/16 "2005-11-04T19:28:46Z")
My experience is that tow truck drivers are generally mechanics when they aren’t towing.
Most I’ve seen are middle-grade or veteran mechanics.
They would thus be making average or above-average mechanic wages.
Average nation-wide mechanic wages range from $12-$18 per hour.
[http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos181.htm](http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos181.htm)
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### Author:  [@Steve\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_S)
#### Post date: [December 30, 2011, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-aaa-guy/329365/17 "2011-12-30T21:09:15Z")
I do tip the tow driver, not out of obligation, but as gratitude to him (or her) for doing a good job in sometimes dangerous conditions. It’s the same reason I do it to the server at a restaurant.
I typically tip $5 - $10, depending on what I have in my wallet and what he may have done for me. I think $5 says an adequate thank you in general.
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### Author:  [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)
#### Post date: [December 30, 2011, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-aaa-guy/329365/18 "2011-12-30T21:43:26Z")
I tip the guy. First, one company does most of the AAA service in my town, so I expect to see these guys again and I want them to be careful with my cars, and I don’t want them sticking to the book about where the nearest service center is or how much mileage or how many tows I’ve had, or whether the car is registered or not. Second, these guys don’t get paid much. The company isn’t being reimbursed much to start with, and when these guys get called out in the middle of the night they don’t get paid much for doing it. That’s not my responsibility, but I can still do something about it if I want to.
Typical, $5. If I only have $2 in my pocket, I give them that and don’t sweat it.
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### Author:  [@GythaOgg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GythaOgg)
#### Post date: [December 30, 2011, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-aaa-guy/329365/19 "2011-12-30T22:55:06Z")
I actually asked an AAA rep about this one once. I was told very firmly that their operators are NOT supposed to accept tips, and if I was asked for one to report it. I’m assuming they have an official policy on this.
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### Author:  [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)
#### Post date: [December 30, 2011, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-aaa-guy/329365/20 "2011-12-30T23:17:48Z")
Normally we don’t tip.
However, we called one out on Christmas day this year to replace a battery. I think we gave him $12 or so (we paid for the battery using 20’s and his tip was the change that would have been due back.)
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