# Tipping...Am I a weird duck? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 30, 2010, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-am-i-a-weird-duck/534339 "2010-03-30T15:53:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BlinkingDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-am-i-a-weird-duck/534339/21 "2010-03-30T18:13:58Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > How do you do this in the US? Leave some money on the table each day, or what? And how much? > > I feel remiss that I don’t usually tip hotel maid staff in the states, but I’m rarely sure how to do it. I have had instances where I left cash tucked under a lamp or something, and the staff didn’t take it. If you know they didn’t take it, then you have a good maid. The Maids know when it is your last day/that you have checked out. They should only take money left after you have checked out. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-am-i-a-weird-duck/534339/22 "2010-03-30T18:15:52Z")
> [@BlinkingDuck](#): > > If you know they didn’t take it, then you have a good maid. The Maids know when it is your last day/that you have checked out. They should only take money left after you have checked out. But I don’t always get the same maid every day, which is why I feel bad just leaving money on the last day. ---
**Author:** ![KittenKat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kittenkat/32/306_2.png) [@KittenKat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KittenKat)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-am-i-a-weird-duck/534339/23 "2010-03-30T18:19:59Z")
You can put the money in an envelope, write “Housekeeping” on it, and leave it where it can be seen. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-am-i-a-weird-duck/534339/24 "2010-03-30T18:23:15Z")
Good advice - shall I assume they will split it up (or if they don’t, it isn’t my fault that someone’s not sharing, same as restaurants where tips are supposed to go into a pool). Now - how much per day? ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-am-i-a-weird-duck/534339/25 "2010-03-30T18:27:09Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > If the teacher is a public school employee, relevant ethics laws should come into play here. You would need to check your state’s ethics laws, not to mention any local regulations. There is a possibility you could be committing an illegal act, and if the teacher accepts the gift, they would be committing an illegal act as well. At my children’s schools, the parents group would solicit money from each parent for the teachers. We were told that each teacher spent somewhere around $600 over the course of a year out of their own pockets to supply the classrooms with stuff that the school district did not. I have no problems with giving teachers money to repay what they are spending out of pocket. I don’t see any ethics issue either. ---
**Author:** ![Hakuna\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@Hakuna\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hakuna_Matata)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-am-i-a-weird-duck/534339/26 "2010-03-30T19:12:06Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > Good advice - shall I assume they will split it up (or if they don’t, it isn’t my fault that someone’s not sharing, same as restaurants where tips are supposed to go into a pool). > > Now - how much per day? I always just leave $2-3 on the pillow on my unmade bed. It is always gone when I get back to my room and the room is always clean. So I assume they figure it out! ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-am-i-a-weird-duck/534339/27 "2010-03-30T19:17:13Z")
I don’t think you’re out of line, but I was always taught to tip well (by my mom, who is by no means wealthy–by 24 I was making more money than she ever has). It doesn’t hurt that I worked as a barrista in college, so I know first-hand what a difference a decent tip can make to someone’s income. Now that I make enough that a decent chunk of it’s disposable, why \*shoudln’t \*I show appreciation for people who give good service? Plus, food delivery people always seem to be happy to see me. 😃 > [@CairoCarol](#): > > I feel remiss that I don’t usually tip hotel maid staff in the states, but I’m rarely sure how to do it. I have had instances where I left cash tucked under a lamp or something, and the staff didn’t take it. I find it works best to either (a) leave the money obviously in the center of a pillow and/or (b) put it in an envelope (or with a note) that says “Housekeeping.” :smack: This also reminds me that I totally forgot to leave a tip on my last business trip. In my defense, I had to wake up stupid early and I was tired, and I was only there for one night. ---
**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:** [March 30, 2010, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-am-i-a-weird-duck/534339/28 "2010-03-30T19:29:45Z")
My post musta got et: I find that tipping is unusual in this small town, except for waitstaff at restaurants. I continue to be shocked at all the other people that are supposed to be tipped. If the OP did what he did here, he’d be the talk of the town. Except the Christmas stuff, but that would be considered a gift or bonus. And the paperboy would stillprobably LOVE you till the day he dies, since they are the one group that people tend to ignore. ---
**Author:** ![BlinkingDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-am-i-a-weird-duck/534339/29 "2010-03-30T19:35:05Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > My post musta got et: I find that tipping is unusual in this small town, except for waitstaff at restaurants. I continue to be shocked at all the other people that are supposed to be tipped. > > If the OP did what he did here, he’d be the talk of the town. Except the Christmas stuff, but that would be considered a gift or bonus. And the paperboy would stillprobably LOVE you till the day he dies, since they are the one group that people tend to ignore. I was a paperboy many moons ago. I was shocked…extremely shocked at the tips I got at Christmas. I wasn’t expecting anything. Never even thought of it. Brought in over $250…a hefty sum for a 12 year old back then. That is why I think of the paperboy. ---
**Author:** ![lezlers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@lezlers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lezlers)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-am-i-a-weird-duck/534339/30 "2010-03-30T20:30:27Z")
I don’t think any of those things is odd at all, other than maybe the teacher thing. But I don’t have any kids, so whatever. I always thought it was very customary (meaning, an unwritten social rule) to tip the following: waitstaff nail salon hair salon shuttle drivers (if they help with luggage) bellhops maid service valets paperboys taxi drivers Does anyone think any of those things are unusual?? ---
**Author:** ![Amblydoper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@Amblydoper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amblydoper)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2010, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-am-i-a-weird-duck/534339/31 "2010-03-31T04:53:22Z")
I was a “paperboy” at 22, and I enjoyed the tips and cards from all my subscribers. Still, I only tip the “tipped employee” category of workers… the people like servers and delivery drivers that get their income through tips and make $1.37 (or whatever) an hour. with out tips. ---
**Author:** ![kidneyfailure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9f8e36/32.png) [@kidneyfailure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidneyfailure)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2010, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-am-i-a-weird-duck/534339/32 "2010-03-31T08:10:56Z")
> [@BlinkingDuck](#): > > So, am I a weird duck…or are there others like me out there on the Dope? Not only are you _not_ weird, you’re a helluva nice guy for giving a little bit extra to people who deserve it AND you’re a genius for knowing that they’ll probably be more apt to help you out with things in the future. Keep it up! ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2010, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-am-i-a-weird-duck/534339/33 "2010-03-31T08:54:01Z")
Tipping stresses me out, because it’s still so foreign to me (I lived in the US until I was 13 and didn’t go back until I was 24). Hence my recent thread. 🙂 I don’t resent having to do it but I’m always worried I’m not leaving enough or that I haven’t tipped in a situation where I’m supposed to. ---
**Author:** ![GreatStuffMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f04885/32.png) [@GreatStuffMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreatStuffMan)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2010, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-am-i-a-weird-duck/534339/34 "2010-03-31T11:26:24Z")
I found it really hard to know when I was supposed to tip people when I was in NYC in the fall of 2007. I tried tipping a waitress, but she refused to take it. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2010, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-am-i-a-weird-duck/534339/35 "2010-03-31T15:30:08Z")
> [@GreatStuffMan](#): > > I found it really hard to know when I was supposed to tip people when I was in NYC in the fall of 2007. I tried tipping a waitress, but she refused to take it. 😕 How did you try to tip her? Did you hand her extra money? Generally, tipping at a restaurant in the U.S. is done by: (a) Leaving extra cash on the table after paying the bill; (b) Adding an additional charge on the bill if paying with a credit card; (c) Adding extra cash to the bill folder after signing a bill when paying with a credit card; or (d) Giving the waitperson more cash than is required for the final bill and telling them to keep the change, or asking for a specific amount back that’s less than the change you would be due. If you just tried to hand her money, that might come off as a little odd. Otherwise, it might have been one of the rare restaurants where tips are not allowed as the extra income has been factored into menu prices and server wages. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2010, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-am-i-a-weird-duck/534339/36 "2010-03-31T15:48:12Z")
> [@GreatStuffMan](#): > > I tried tipping a waitress, but she refused to take it. 😕 You’re aware that by “tipping” we mean giving money above what is needed to settle the debt, right? That whole cow-tipping thing is totally unrelated.😃 ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2010, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-am-i-a-weird-duck/534339/37 "2010-03-31T15:51:27Z")
I don’t agree with the tipping culture in America and I think we shouldn’t tip anyone. There. That oughta be enough to bring this thread to 8 pages. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2010, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-am-i-a-weird-duck/534339/38 "2010-03-31T16:04:18Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > I don’t agree with the tipping culture in America and I think we shouldn’t tip anyone. > There. That oughta be enough to bring this thread to 8 pages. Then please don’t eat where my wife works. She does not want to pay income tax on your lunch bill. But that is exactly what happens if you do not tip. This is _partly_ why wait people get a wee bit testy. :mad: I still don’t get why foreign travelers to the US don’t understand tipping wait staff. It can’t be as simple as “Well, we don’t do that at home”. Get a clue. ---
**Author:** ![Foxy40](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9a28c/32.png) [@Foxy40](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foxy40)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2010, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-am-i-a-weird-duck/534339/39 "2010-03-31T16:07:09Z")
> [@BlinkingDuck](#): > > If you know they didn’t take it, then you have a good maid. The Maids know when it is your last day/that you have checked out. They should only take money left after you have checked out. Absolutely disagree with this. Hotel maids should be tipped daily by putting the money on the bed. If you tip on the last day, the one who made up the room that day gets the money. I tip 5 per day left on the bed. It is always gone when I return to my room. ---
**Author:** ![Foxy40](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9a28c/32.png) [@Foxy40](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foxy40)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2010, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-am-i-a-weird-duck/534339/40 "2010-03-31T16:15:23Z")
> [@BlinkingDuck](#): > > So, am I a weird duck…or are there others like me out there on the Dope? No but I think your “tip” to the teacher is more of a gift. I give a gift card each year but it never occurred to me that the teacher would give my child extra attention for it. I just assume that it is a nice thing to do. If you get the daily paper, fifty seems about right. I also tip merchandise delivery people, AAA guys who change my tire, the locksmith who helped me get into the house when I lost my keys and the airport workers when I check in outside the terminal. Pretty much anyone that is doing something directly for me but I pay their employer. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-am-i-a-weird-duck/534339.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-am-i-a-weird-duck/534339.md?page=3)