Hmmm… funny you mention this. Apparently where I’m living temporarily, the 1st of February was “tip the trash guy” day. A few days ahead of time, they left a little mimographed cartoon indicating that it was so: “This is the day to leave the trash man something that’s not trash” it said in good Spanish. Of course, I dropped the ball, because in Spanish if you write 1o it means “first” (“primero”). It doesn’t mean that it’s a stylized “10” as I told all of my fellow gringo colleagues that got the same message (I’m the designated translator – I just helped a guy change his tire from here in Michigan!).
In my case, I have the wife with me, so they (the garbage men) just came to the door and knocked! We had $20 (that’s read “20 pesos”) on the counter, so she gave that to them. Most of the rest of the guys, though, didn’t have anyone at home, and we’re not sure if it’s just a coincidence or not, but one of them lost his trash can lid, and another lost his entire trash can! They hadn’t left anything (thinking the 10th as I told them [oops]).
Yes, and I’m working 2pm - midnight to keep your (plural, not necessarily you specifically) internet banking servers online. Perhaps your suggesting it’s appropriate for people to wake up after midnight to come tip me?
Oh wait, I don’t get tipped at all. And according to this link, the garbage man makes a pretty comfortable salary, with overtime perhaps even more than I do.
Please explain the humor or unusual nature of my comment.
What really burns me is when someone expects to be tipped for something that I’m being forced to pay for already and/or I’d rather do myself (see: valet parking or bellboys).
Does anybody tip gas attendants? Here (Oregon) there’s no self-service, and people don’t tip the attendant. What about barbers? I usually give mine a buck or three(on a 10 dollar haircut) depending on how generous I’m feeling and how good a job he did, but I have no idea what’s “standard”.
When I was a teen I worked as a grocery bagger/carry-outer and never got a tip, although when I worked @ 7-Eleven there was a crazy old lady who would come in to play Keno(state lottery) and would try to tip me (her “dealer”) when she won.
I’m bumping this thread to ask about a tipping issue that’s come up once again for me. Do you tip on a take-out restaurant order? If so, how much? It’s really not clear how much is appropriate, since the work involved is somewhat less than with a full-service order. I know there are special rules for buffets and other places where the staff doesn’t do as much work. (I don’t follow them, though, because a server at a buffet restaurant makes about as many trips to your table as in a regular restaurant, and often carries away used plates as well.) So should the tip on a take-out order be 10%? 15% (the usual full-service tip where I live)? Nothing?
To make it even more complicated, last night’s take-order had a 10% take-out discount. Normally you’d tip on the pre-discount total, but I think it’s pretty clear that you’d tip on the final amount for a take-out order. If you get a free drink or a 2-for-1 deal, you’d tip on the pre-discount amount because you were still receiving the food you weren’t paying for – but the 10% take-out discount is applied for things you didn’t get.
I know a couple of hairdressers and I’ve been going to “high-end” salons for many years, and a 50% tip is absurd. Even for a fantastic job. Are you sure you didn’t mishear 50 for the word “fifteen”? 15% is well known to be the traditional hairdresser tip.
If 50% is the norm for your wife’s cousin, she is very lucky!