# Tipping Repair People
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-repair-people/930370
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [January 12, 2021, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-repair-people/930370 "2021-01-12T21:53:10Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Spaquaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spaquaman)
#### Post date: [January 12, 2021, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-repair-people/930370/1 "2021-01-12T21:53:10Z")
Trying to settle a friendly debate. Do you typically tip a home repair person, eg. plumber, painter, cable guy etc etc
Thank you
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### Author:  [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)
#### Post date: [January 12, 2021, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-repair-people/930370/2 "2021-01-12T22:11:46Z")
No, I’ve had the same plumber for 20 years. They come, they give you a bill and you pay them.
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### Author:  [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)
#### Post date: [January 12, 2021, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-repair-people/930370/3 "2021-01-12T22:15:32Z")
I’ve never thought about tipping repair people.
When I worked for the cable company, we were specifically _not_ allowed to accept tips.
Never had one offered either.
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### Author:  [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)
#### Post date: [January 12, 2021, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-repair-people/930370/4 "2021-01-12T22:20:12Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#):
>
> When I worked for the cable company, we were specifically _not_ allowed to accept tips.
Does that go back to the old urban legend that you’d turn on all the premium channels for a decent tip?
Nope, repair people don’t get tipped.
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### Author:  [@EastUmpqua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EastUmpqua)
#### Post date: [January 12, 2021, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-repair-people/930370/5 "2021-01-12T22:29:56Z")
I live in a rural part of Oregon, so any repair folks have to drive out here. If they do a good job, are professional, and do quality work, I usually give the person a $5 or $10.
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### Author:  [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)
#### Post date: [January 12, 2021, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-repair-people/930370/6 "2021-01-12T22:35:10Z")
> [@dalej42](#):
>
> Does that go back to the old urban legend that you’d turn on all the premium channels for a decent tip?
Maybe, but by the time I worked there, that wouldn’t have been possible.
Back in the day, it would have been, as it was pretty much just that the premium channels were desynced, and you could put a filter on the line to block them out, and on some systems they were on a separate line.
With digital encoding systems, that’s no longer the case, there is nothing the tech can do to give you free HBO.
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### Author:  [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)
#### Post date: [January 12, 2021, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-repair-people/930370/7 "2021-01-12T22:36:07Z")
No. Not expected, and not customary.
Of course, no rule says you can’t tip if you want to.
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### Author:  [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)
#### Post date: [January 12, 2021, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-repair-people/930370/8 "2021-01-12T23:12:54Z")
> [@dalej42](#):
>
> Does that go back to the old urban legend that you’d turn on all the premium channels for a decent tip?
Don’t have cable installed anymore, but when I’d have cable installed in a new place in the past I’d offer to pay the cable guy directly for extra cable runs. It was a win-win: they’d make more money, and I’d pay less than the official cable company rate for extra cable runs. One guy set me up with a complimentary signal booster.
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### Author:  [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)
#### Post date: [January 12, 2021, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-repair-people/930370/9 "2021-01-12T23:14:05Z")
I’ve occasionally given 10 or 20 bucks to someone hauling in a large appliance (like the guys who had to bring a new freezer down to the basement) - but by and large, no.
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### Author:  [@motu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/motu)
#### Post date: [January 13, 2021, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-repair-people/930370/10 "2021-01-13T00:17:37Z")
Used to work in an industrial park with a very sloppy waste removal company, at least once or twice a month somebody would get a flat tire. I used a hole in the wall used tire/repair shop that was real cheap. they were open late and even open on Sunday. I would usually give them a couple extra bucks.
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### Author:  [@CoconutPete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoconutPete)
#### Post date: [January 13, 2021, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-repair-people/930370/11 "2021-01-13T00:25:00Z")
Weird that you call it an urban legend, my Dad did this I believe in the 90’s and we had all the premium channels for free.
More recently back a few years ago a buddy of mine bought various parts online and claimed he built a satellite receiver and got free dish network or one of the big satellite companies’ services for free. Now I never personally saw his setup but he was pretty tech savvy and didn’t strike me as a liar.
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### Author:  [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)
#### Post date: [January 13, 2021, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-repair-people/930370/12 "2021-01-13T00:25:30Z")
I think tipping for repair people has the ideal tipping culture. The _norm_ is zero, a fair wage is built into the price. You _can_ tip them, if they do a particularly good job.
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### Author:  [@EastUmpqua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EastUmpqua)
#### Post date: [January 13, 2021, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-repair-people/930370/13 "2021-01-13T01:18:13Z")
Looks like I lose this bet…
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### Author:  [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)
#### Post date: [January 13, 2021, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-repair-people/930370/14 "2021-01-13T02:39:14Z")
The last time I called a repair person, he really appreciated it when I paid him cash. Not tipping, per se, but …
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### Author:  [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)
#### Post date: [January 13, 2021, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-repair-people/930370/15 "2021-01-13T04:09:57Z")
Repairmen are professionals and their pay shouldn’t need enhancement from tipping. I once gave a guy an even hundred bucks for an $80 bill because he came out on Saturday and even a hundred seemed light. I told him to use the extra to buy some beer and enjoy the rest of that fine day.
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### Author:  [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)
#### Post date: [January 13, 2021, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-repair-people/930370/16 "2021-01-13T09:55:32Z")
The only time I ever tipped a “repair person” was my car broke down and the tow truck driver was very prompt despite it being Christmas Eve so I tipped him a $50 as a Merry Christmas gesture after he dropped me off home.
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### Author:  [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)
#### Post date: [January 13, 2021, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-repair-people/930370/17 "2021-01-13T14:10:47Z")
That would probably be exactly the sort of thing that they are trying to prevent by not allowing tips.
It’s win-win for you and the cable guy, but it is theft from the company, as he is doing it on the company’s time, with their equipment, and using their resources.
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### Author:  [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)
#### Post date: [January 13, 2021, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-repair-people/930370/18 "2021-01-13T14:16:51Z")
Had carpet installed last year. Bought and installed through Lowes. Crew of 4 came to do the job. Took about 6 hours and they worked straight through.
I gave them each $20 and some adult beverages when they were done. They appreciated it.
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### Author:  [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)
#### Post date: [January 13, 2021, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-repair-people/930370/19 "2021-01-13T14:29:00Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#):
>
> It’s win-win for you and the cable guy, but it is theft from the company, as he is doing it on the company’s time, with their equipment, and using their resources.
Understood, but after years of terrible service, overcharges and generally getting nickeled-and-dimed to death for every little thing by the cable company, I lost absolutely no sleep over paying the cable guy directly.
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### Author:  [@EastUmpqua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EastUmpqua)
#### Post date: [January 16, 2021, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-repair-people/930370/20 "2021-01-16T23:06:13Z")
Not sure I follow you here. Isn’t a waiter/waitress doing their job on company time, with their equipment and resources? Why wouldn’t that be theft?
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