# How much do you tip the guy who rips your ticket at the movie theater? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 9, 2010, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-guy-who-rips-your-ticket-at-the-movie-theater/563569 "2010-12-09T19:25:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-guy-who-rips-your-ticket-at-the-movie-theater/563569/1 "2010-12-09T19:25:09Z")
I usually slip him a fiver. a buck or two more if it’s a 3D movie ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-guy-who-rips-your-ticket-at-the-movie-theater/563569/2 "2010-12-09T19:26:30Z")
I have never tipped a ticked ripper, and never before seen or heard of anyone else doing it. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-guy-who-rips-your-ticket-at-the-movie-theater/563569/3 "2010-12-09T19:27:28Z")
my friend wants to know ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-guy-who-rips-your-ticket-at-the-movie-theater/563569/4 "2010-12-09T19:31:33Z")
I’ve never gotten a tip as a ticket taker. But I once got 50 cents for ushering some people to their seats. I think that might have been on my first night as a theatre employee. I thought it was cool that I might be getting a lot of tips. Boy, was I wrong. Lest you think this was a recent thing, the movie was _Allthe Right Moves_ with Tom Cruise and Lea Thompson. ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-guy-who-rips-your-ticket-at-the-movie-theater/563569/5 "2010-12-09T19:36:24Z")
I like that movie because you get to see Lea Thompson naked ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-guy-who-rips-your-ticket-at-the-movie-theater/563569/6 "2010-12-09T19:42:38Z")
I usually just dig through the garbage and hand him an empty refill bucket and any half-eaten boxes of Raisinets I find. ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-guy-who-rips-your-ticket-at-the-movie-theater/563569/7 "2010-12-09T19:46:58Z")
Wait a minute - you’re supposed to tip the ticket-ripper now, too?! Crap. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-guy-who-rips-your-ticket-at-the-movie-theater/563569/8 "2010-12-09T19:47:35Z")
Negative one dollar. > [@tdn](#): > > I’ve never gotten a tip as a ticket taker. But I once got 50 cents for ushering some people to their seats. I think that might have been on my first night as a theatre employee. I thought it was cool that I might be getting a lot of tips. Boy, was I wrong. > > Lest you think this was a recent thing, the movie was _Allthe Right Moves_ with Tom Cruise and Lea Thompson. Why would you need to show someone to their seats at a movie? They can choose any seat they want…😕 ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-guy-who-rips-your-ticket-at-the-movie-theater/563569/9 "2010-12-09T19:51:37Z")
I used to give a dollar, but they always tear it in half and give part back to me. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-guy-who-rips-your-ticket-at-the-movie-theater/563569/10 "2010-12-09T19:52:09Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > I usually just dig through the garbage and hand him an empty refill bucket and any half-eaten boxes of Raisinets I find. I love this place. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-guy-who-rips-your-ticket-at-the-movie-theater/563569/11 "2010-12-09T19:52:36Z")
I always, without exception, give the ticket taker 1/2 of my ticket. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-guy-who-rips-your-ticket-at-the-movie-theater/563569/12 "2010-12-09T19:54:07Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Why would you need to show someone to their seats at a movie? They can choose any seat they want…😕 Sure, if they can find two seats together, in the dark, in an almost sold out movie theatre. This was back in the day when ushers actually ushered. Is there even such a job anymore? Why that particular movie sold out is beyond me. Maybe it’s because it had a naked Lea Thompson. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-guy-who-rips-your-ticket-at-the-movie-theater/563569/13 "2010-12-09T20:00:21Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Sure, if they can find two seats together, in the dark, in an almost sold out movie theatre. This was back in the day when ushers actually ushered. Is there even such a job anymore? > > Why that particular movie sold out is beyond me. Maybe it’s because it had a naked Lea Thompson. Ah, okay. I thought you meant while the lights were still on, the way that ushers will show you to your seat to a live performance where you’ve bought a specific seat. I don’t think I’ve ever seen ushers usher anymore either. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-guy-who-rips-your-ticket-at-the-movie-theater/563569/14 "2010-12-09T20:11:27Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Ah, okay. I thought you meant while the lights were still on, the way that ushers will show you to your seat to a live performance where you’ve bought a specific seat. No, we didn’t do that! We did do a hell of a lot of cleaning between shows though. And then there was the goofing off. My, we did an awful lot of goofing off. One night we had a contest to see who could build the best aircraft out of objects found behind the candy counter. We tested our creations in the theatre when the last show got out. Nice big space, you know. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-guy-who-rips-your-ticket-at-the-movie-theater/563569/15 "2010-12-09T20:12:45Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Ah, okay. I thought you meant while the lights were still on, the way that ushers will show you to your seat to a live performance where you’ve bought a specific seat. > > I don’t think I’ve ever seen ushers usher anymore either. They have them at the Arclight theaters here in LA. All seats are assigned (you can select them online which is awesome), they have someone introduce the movie and make a few announcements. There are also fewer ads and they don’t let people in late. It’s a great movie watching experience. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-guy-who-rips-your-ticket-at-the-movie-theater/563569/16 "2010-12-09T20:17:13Z")
I always tip ticket rippers at least a thousand bucks. They’re poor deprived souls busting their thumbs to let me into the show, after all. I really oughta just turn back, and buy them a ticket so they could watch the movie with me instead of being repressed by the man. And shit. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-guy-who-rips-your-ticket-at-the-movie-theater/563569/17 "2010-12-09T20:19:27Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > I always tip ticket rippers at least a thousand bucks. They’re poor deprived souls busting their thumbs to let me into the show, after all. I really oughta just turn back, and buy them a ticket so they could watch the movie with me instead of being repressed by the man. And shit. Damn, I got out of that business way too soon. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-guy-who-rips-your-ticket-at-the-movie-theater/563569/18 "2010-12-09T21:12:06Z")
Money is so impersonal. I just give him a long, long hug. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-guy-who-rips-your-ticket-at-the-movie-theater/563569/19 "2010-12-09T21:24:28Z")
There used to be some _effort_ involved in tearing tickets, man. Heck, it was practically an art form. Then they came out with those pre-perforated tickets, and the profession hasn’t been the same since. I mean, how can these people take any pride in their work anymore? ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-guy-who-rips-your-ticket-at-the-movie-theater/563569/20 "2010-12-09T21:29:51Z")
Ha ha! Finally, one of your asinine threads makes me laugh. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-the-guy-who-rips-your-ticket-at-the-movie-theater/563569.md?page=2)