Tipping.

I am surprised at the idea of not tipping if the stylist owns the saloon, mine does and it makes no difference to me, I do still tip. I have noticed though, that the bill is nearly 20% higher than this time last year and adding a tip makes it into a 3 figure amount. I do appreciate energy bills are much higher this year but it is still scary.

I tip the hairdresser £5. More if it's a really amazing job. I take the view that my hourly rate is far in excess of service workers and consequently I try to pay it forward.

However, if I get terrible treatment, I don't tip. Bad service. No tip.

I tip too.

It's usual to tip waiters and hairdressers here in Germany. I've never really thought about it. I would like to tip hotel chamber maids ) are they still called that?)but I'm not sure how to go about it. If you leave a tip (e.g.) on the pillow, they won't take it because they are afraid of being accused of stealing. If you hand it in at the desk, there's no guarantee they'll get it. Although the desk staff sometimes deserve a tip too if they've gone the extra mile for you.

I don't mind tipping anyone as long as they say thank you or at least smile.

I tip the hairdresser,I don't go as often as I did and know quite a few others who have cut back . We tip the window cleaner and the courier at Christmas but we never have the same postie twice so don't bother. We also tip the waitress if out for a meal and not the establishment.
Many years ago on holiday with my parents in Munich, the lady in charge of the toilets was asking for a tip before she let anyone in. Two English ladies in our party barged passed her, she got her own back and locked them in until they passed the amount she wanted under the door. I can still remember the looks my mother gave me not to giggle, though she did herself when she retold the story.

I use taxis a lot and always round up the bill to nearest 50p/£.
Meaning a tip of roughly 60/80p.
However using Uber occasionally I will give the driver £1.
My GD never tips an Uber driver saying it isn’t expected, does anyone know if this is true?

We’ve been away recently and asked at the restaurants if the tips were pooled, we were told they were, but we gave a cash tip rather than what was added onto the bill. It was the same but we thought that the staff are more likely to receive it. I don’t tip my hairdresser as she is self employed and her rates should cover
We are tippers though and a Christmas box at Christmas.

Hetty58

What I really don't agree with (as a retired teacher) is the recent trend to give an end-of-year gift to teachers. We are well paid professionals, so it's quite an insult - and we're not allowed to accept them, anyway. Instead, a little note or card would be appropriate.

I’m surprised that teachers would consider a small token of appreciation an insult. My children are in their mid 40s and it was always something we did at the end of term. They have continued to do so for teachers of my 4 grandchildren over the years and it’s common practice . I think if it was unacceptable or offensive we’d have been informed at some point over the past 40 years.

Visgirl we tipped our paperboy back in the 70s we still see him and even now he says we were the best tippers £5 xmas and an egg for Easter.

In restaurants it will depend on whether gratuities are already added, but we might tip anyway if service has been exceptionally good.

I do tip the hairdresser, and at Christmas we always tip postman, milkman, bin men, and paper lady. Taxis (non Uber) usually, not that we take many.

GrannyGravy13

BlueBelle

I understand about your waitress granddaughters Nanadana but what about the glass collector, the bottle washer, the cleaner yes what about the cleaner they ususally go into a pub restaurant or offices etc very early morning or late in the evening to have it all neat and clean for the next day but no one even thanks them What about porters in hospital trundling up and down miles of corridors each day
People tip a taxi driver but never consider a bus driver or a fire engine driver who may have just saved a life

This is why I don’t tip because it’s so unequal so unbalanced and I believe thoughtless and a bit hurtful

Most do it because it’s the ‘done thing’

In most restaurants/cafes/eateries all tips are pooled and divided between kitchen staff and front of house.

Yes, GrannyGravy, that's exactly how it works in both cafes where my Granddaughters work. All tips are pooled. As for the comment that tipping is somehow "hurtful", sorry, but that's just plain silly. Somebody looking to provoke an argument? Wasting their time if they are.

I totally disagree with tipping. I think that it encourages employers to maintain the lowest wages that they can get away with legally. It infuriates me when a service charge is added on to a bill. I know that it is discretionary but it can be uncomfortable asking for it to be removed.

BlueBelle

I understand about your waitress granddaughters Nanadana but what about the glass collector, the bottle washer, the cleaner yes what about the cleaner they ususally go into a pub restaurant or offices etc very early morning or late in the evening to have it all neat and clean for the next day but no one even thanks them What about porters in hospital trundling up and down miles of corridors each day
People tip a taxi driver but never consider a bus driver or a fire engine driver who may have just saved a life

This is why I don’t tip because it’s so unequal so unbalanced and I believe thoughtless and a bit hurtful

Most do it because it’s the ‘done thing’

In most restaurants/cafes/eateries all tips are pooled and divided between kitchen staff and front of house.

I understand about your waitress granddaughters Nanadana but what about the glass collector, the bottle washer, the cleaner yes what about the cleaner they ususally go into a pub restaurant or offices etc very early morning or late in the evening to have it all neat and clean for the next day but no one even thanks them What about porters in hospital trundling up and down miles of corridors each day
People tip a taxi driver but never consider a bus driver or a fire engine driver who may have just saved a life

This is why I don’t tip because it’s so unequal so unbalanced and I believe thoughtless and a bit hurtful

Most do it because it’s the ‘done thing’

With two teenage Granddaughters who both work as waitresses in cafes during their breaks from Uni, I'm only too aware of how much of a boost tips can give to their wages. Yes, minimum wage has helped, but it's still a "minimum". On that basis, I always tip where I've had good service. Also tip our regular Postie at Christmas too. However, when we visited the U.S.A. just before Covid kicked in, we felt that the whole tipping culture there had got out of hand. 15 to 20 % is expected as a right, regardless of the quality of service. Hope that attitude doesn't develop here!

Yes, I tip taxis, waiters, the bin men and postman at Christmas - but not the (owner) hairdresser. If the service is bad, I don't tip.

What I really don't agree with (as a retired teacher) is the recent trend to give an end-of-year gift to teachers. We are well paid professionals, so it's quite an insult - and we're not allowed to accept them, anyway. Instead, a little note or card would be appropriate.

GrannyGravy13

I always tip hairdressers, beauticians, waiter/waitresses, taxi drivers whenever I use them.

Window cleaners, cleaner and gardener at Christmas.

Same here. Plus paperboy.

Our lovely bin men always return our bins into position along the side of our house because ‘ you look after us’ (at 🎅 🎄) despite me telling them they don’t need to.

No regular tips. Sometimes at Christmas depending how the year has been with the various services.

I used to tip my hairdresser but I now see the owner so I’ve stopped, also she’s quite an expensive compared to others in the area . But she’s a brilliant colourist and cutter so I don’t mind paying .
I used Uber mostly or a local cab company, where they have my payment details , so no cash used and I rarely tip taxis .
As for restaurants, I always check to see if a tip or service has been added . If good service I tip 10% . I’ve also waitressed in the past .
And in hotels I leave any left over currency for the maids .

I no longer go to the hairdresser but always tipped generously. The window cleaners, postman and our most regular courier are always given a good tip at Christmas.

We tip.

Hair salon, house cleaners, gardeners, window washers, oven cleaners, pet walker/watcher - anyone self employed.

I always tip. I hate being with non tippers or tight tippers.

My late stepmother and I were in a cinema in Paris back in the late 50s and she tipped the usherette (remember those?) as we'd been told it was expected.

Unfortunately, in the dark, my stepmother was not properly able to see the coins she was taking out of her purse - handed them to the usherette who examined them with her torch and promptly threw them on the floor with a contemptuous 'tut'!

A kind French gentleman who saw the whole thing picked up the coins and handed them back to my stepmother telling her with a wry smile, "I'm afraid we French can be very avaricious".

The memory has stayed with me. The whole business of tipping is ridiculous. People should be paid proper wages and not be put in that position - it's degrading... the whole idea of hanging around for a tip, 'holding your hand out', ingratiating yourself for a few coins.

Do I do it? Of course - I feel obliged. But I still do not agree with it.

We were just having a discussion yesterday at work about this. A co-worker saw a tip jar by the till at a gas station! Yes, we pump the gas ourselves, and either tap to pay or go into the store. We all agreed that this was ridiculous.

The American style tipping culture is trying to sneak into Canada, but a lot are not falling for it. Our service workers are paid a minimum wage, and I think the standard for restaurants is 15% for good service. Hairdressers, nail salons, taxi, I think these are fairly standard tipping practices in UK as well as here.

We have noticed at most point of sale tap machines, an option to tip is set for 18% and 20%, with an option to change (which I do).

Vintagenonna, I have heard of people being chased down for tips in the US, and find it shocking. I think a worker here would be fired for that behaviour.