I don't believe in standard 15% tipping. It's not a gift. It's an expression of appreciation for value received. Or something like that.

I've tipped a lot more, and I've tipped ZERO. You have to exceptionally suck to get ZERO, incidentally.

The one I always have trouble with is ... how much do you give the valet parking guy?

(One strategy I have used so far is that I leave the valet parking tip in the ashtray of my car. If it's still there when they return my car to me, they get the tip.)

15% is just a recommended benchmark. No standard.

Edit: Following on wolf's post, who else do you/don't you tip? I always tip parking attendants a $1 or two, but ONLY if they pull my car up to the front. I've had guys throw me the keys and point to my car in the single-level parking lot (those fuckers on 3rd St. just north of Market). First they double the price for overnight parking (I guess that's reasonable), then they're jerks about it.

I give cab drivers either:about $1 for every $5-8, or about a $1 for each person if there are a whole bunch of us (depending on the length of the ride, of course).

The worst are coat-check girls and the guys in the bathroom that hand you a towel and give you soap. I only tip those dudes if I take a cigarette or some gum. Sometimes more if I need a condom, but that's only been once - I generally try to be prepared at all times. :)

So, you ALWAYS tip the valet, then.

I mean, if you reward his service and his honesty with the tip left in the ashtray, goody for him.

But what do you do if the tip isn't in the ashtray when you get back? Um, where did the tip go?

:eyebrow:

I usually only use the valet service when I'm staying in a fancy-ass hotel ... I'm a park and walk because I'm cheap kinda girl usually ...

Do you vary the valet tip based on the number of times he gets your car out of car purgatory for you? Like if you get it out twice during your stay, do you tip smaller amounts to equal what you'd give at the end??

This last time my car was in valet parking for five days. So the dudes basically watched over my vehicle and kept it safe from harm for that period of time. They put it away once, and brought it out once, so I pulled $5 out of the ashtray and handed it to the guy.

I prefer to do as much stuff on my own as possible ... but the friend I went to Baltimore with had entirely too much crap AND wasn't capable of carrying any of it herself, although why you need and 80 pound suitcase, a carry on bag, and a shopping bag full of snack foods for five days in a hotel with concierge lounge access is beyond me ... so while I had one rolling suitcase, a laptop case and a purse, she need a fucking flatbed to get her stuff up to the room. Under those circumstances, I figure the bellman is worth a buck a bag, right?

i think it depends on where you are at too.

at the really nice places i tip the guy who takes my car from me so that he will keep it somewhere accessible and free of damage. i tip the guy who brings it back to me. dammit, i tip just about anyone who talks to me in those places.

vegas used to make me really uncomfortable because i wasn't sure who i was supposed to tip and who i wasn't. then i just decided i'll tip everyone. everyone with some qualifications, though. i shake damn near everyone's hand. if they shake my hand after providing me with a service (valet, bell service, etc.) they get a tip. no handshake, no tip. if they stick their hand out like they are expecting something - THEIR OUTTA THERE!

when we travel i keep stacks of fives in my wallet for this purpose alone. i never spend $5 bills - they are for tipping only. my wife rolls her eyes, but it is more for my own comfort than anything. i know for $5 to anyone who helps me and shakes my hand, i'm not leaving out anyone who deserves it. and it's built into our travel budget, so what does it hurt?

That's when the manager gets to feel the full wrath of wolf. I don't take any of that "not responsible for valuables" shit.

restaurants are ripping me off?
 

Welcome to the Cellar, Jenlove30. :D
What do you do with your cash tips, pocket them all or give some to the busser?....kitchen? Have you asked the other waiters what they do? When you were hired did anyone explain policy or custom?

getting ripped off
 

Hi :)
The boss told me that she would tip the kitchen from my credit card tips. She told me to keep my cash tips. I do not believe her. There are no industry standards so I don't know what is expected of me. I only work 1 day a week, but it seems fishy. The kitchen keeps complaining that they want me to pay them. But I told them that the boss is supposed to pay them from my credit cards tips. They have complained that they are not getting anything.

I think the boss is taking all the money for herself. How do I prove this?

There is no situation where one coworker should "pay" another directly. If tips are shared, they are collected by a boss/manager and then redistributed. Either the kitchen staff is trying to scam you into just giving them money, or the boss is scamming them by not actually giving them the 20% she is withholding from you. Either way, it isn't really possible for you to prove anything unless you have access to the bookkeeping, which I'm sure you don't. It's the kitchen staff's problem--if they're not getting paid, they should talk to the boss.

It might be customary at that resturant to share with the kitchen but this is your first month isn't it? It's possible, depending on the time frame, your boss took money for the kitchen from you and plans to give it to the on their next payday? I'm just guessing, here.

You could ask your boss why the kitchen is bitching about not getting their money, go to the boss with the kitchen help, or just tell them to see the boss.

Or take a shotgun to work and watch 'em sweat. :lol: