For some reason, I recently got this irresistible impulse to start tipping in strange and memorable ways. I hunted around and found a large amount of $2 bills, dollar coins, and I even have some half-dollar coins on order from a local branch of BoA (my bank). I’ve been teaching myself origami, and have come across a few really cool tricks (like making a $2 heart that will hold the dollar coin inside it, making it a 3 dollar tip).
I went out to a diner tonight with some friends, one of whom is a life-long restaurant worker. I asked him what he thought about me leaving clever/weird/odd tips, and he said that as long as I was still leaving a decent percentage (about 20%), he was all for it and thought it was cute. And of course I would never try to get away with tipping less by just tipping with weird currency folded into pretty designs! I’m still going to be tipping my standard ~20% or more.
So when the time came for our bill, I had 3 little folded shirts with a dollar coin stuck inside each of them, for a 9 dollar tip total (which came out to about 20%). My friend said that if he got a tip like that, he’d probably keep one of the 2 dollar bills, but just put the rest in the cash register and that it might be a little annoying to the restaurant to deal with them because there isn’t a spot in the register for them, but overall he thought it would be a positive/amusing story for the waitress and supported it.
But how about the dopers? What would you think of a patron who tipped in odd denominations or folded up into origami? Bellhops, doormen, barbers, hair dressers, matrons, maids, delivery drivers, etc are all welcome to chime in.
It seems there is this wacky belief among some that a $2 bill is basically worthless and getting one as a tip or as change for a transaction is no different than being stiffed entirely. I definitely don’t want to be a hassle to anyone. What say you?
I don’t have much response here, since I’ve never worked in a tip-collecting job. But this doesn’t make much sense - I’ve never had trouble spending a $2 bill anywhere. They usually just shove it under the tray where other odd things go, but I can’t imagine why anyone would be irritated to be tipped with one.
Which just supports the truism “You can’t please all of the people all of the time”.
My opinion is that as long as you aren’t stiffing the wait staff*, leave the tip however you like and don’t worry if a particular waitstaff will like it or hate it.
*or creating undue work, such as leaving $10 in unwrapped pennies (or even wrapped pennies)
Odd tips get you noticed, which can be a good thing. If you tip the cocktail waitress at the casino with a $2 bill instead of the normal $1, she will come back more often.
If I get truly exceptional service at a restaurant (or a few buybacks at a bar), I’ll often leave an unexpectedly large cash tip folded into a football, airplane, rose, or bird. Hopefully getting a $20 tip on a $30 meal (for example) is pleasant enough to make undoing my laughably clumsy origami seem not too onerous.
Bartended for a living on and off for 12 years, including owning a bar for the last five of them. If it’s a good tip, any decent bartender would be fine with it.
That being said, almost any time I’ve been tipped in $2 bills or other unusual denominations it seems the patron has tipped poorly (going strictly on what I recall - but you do tend to remember unusual tips). Seems like they think the unusual tip is worth something. I don’t get it - nor does it bother me.
One last thing, definitely don’t tip me with some card saying you’ll pray for me - you won’t get another drink. (happened once)
I would definitely never tip with rolls of coins or loose change! That’s dreadful. And I’m not religious so don’t worry about me tipping with a card. That’s stupid!!
I’ve been tipping for the last couple days with 2 dollar bills and dollar coins, but these have been “tips left on the table” or just handed quickly to someone as I was leaving, so I haven’t gotten any “on the field” reactions yet. I hope they like them. And yes, the percentages/amounts have been good! I would never leave an odd tip thinking that the “rareness” of it made up for a lower amount. That’s stupid.
I have worked as a waitress in the past. I would appreciate the thoughtful, creative tipping. I have also worked in a bank and in my experience, non-traditional currency is easier to save.
I would think it was cute and probably show my co-workers if it wasn’t too crazy. I’d be really pleased with a $2 bill. I’ve only seen a few of those in my life and probably would be a big nerd and not spend it and just keep it in my wallet to show everyone.
I’ve heard others say that stuff folded creatively is annoying because you just have to unfold it, but… whatever. Those people are party poopers. I would appreciate that you thought of me as a human and did something to amuse me. I say carry on with your bad self.
Tipping in such a way is more likely to leave a lasting impression on whoever you’re tipping… meaning that they’re more likely to remember you.
I remember people that tip extremely well or badly and those with defining features, unique orders, or a more positive or negative attitude. The ones that tip 15-20% and that don’t stand out take a few visits to remember.
I can’t see any way that I would ever be inconvenienced by the behavior you describe. If it’s somewhere you plan on returning to on occasion, give a 25% tip in this fashion (if you receive good service of course) and I can almost guarantee that you’ll get even better service upon your return.
I’m a bartender and was a server for years. In other situations that involve tipping it might be different.
I work for tips. Money is money, I don’t care how it comes.
I get tipped in quarters a lot. Like, $3-5 worth of quarters at a time. I haven’t gotten anything truly unusual though.
Actually I do care. I prefer you sign the credit card slip instead of tipping in cash. That way I don’t have to deal with cash until I get paid out at the end of the night. Easier to keep track of.
I would immediately suspect the tip was low. But if the tip were low, and the person looked less fortunate, I would be pleased they tried to dress it up a bit.
I’ve been tipped with a $2. I actually happen to collect $2 bills. It’s come in handy when I’ve needed spare cash- I can bring my pile of $2s to the bank and deposit it since I’m not spending them otherwise.
I never had issue getting weird currency as a server. What I had issue with were poor tips, items in place of money (jolly ranchers, prayer cards, play money, gift cards, etc.) and lousy tippers.
