Do Americans tip enough?
We just read an article about tipping, which suggested that just about anyone who provides a service to you should be tipped. This is part of our research about, ” Do Americans tip enough?”. This includes the taxi driver, the person who delivers furniture to your home. Also the person who cuts your grass, the restaurant waitress, the bartender and on and on and on. There have been some acceptable norms in terms of tipping and most people will tip 15% for average service.
But it does not include everyone that provide services to the average consumer. For most people they will tip the waiter or the waitress, the bartender. People who generally provide service in the tourism industry.
Do Americans tip enough?
But recently barristers at coffee shops have tip jars out. Just about anyone who is providing service who didn’t traditionally collect a tip is now suggesting that they should be tipped for the job that they’re doing.
We strongly believe that people who are being paid for the job and doing a job and don’t do anything out of the ordinary in terms of providing service to you should not receive the tip.
For example the taxi driver who does not get out of his car to open the car door for you. Or help get your bags out of the trunkĀ does not deserve a tip. The coffee shop person who fills your coffee, makes change and get you your cup should not get a tip for just doing their job. Many people will disagree with us, but that is our thoughts on the question, “do Americans tip enough?”.
If any of these people do something special then obviously you should consider tipping. But this new trend of tipping everybody even if they don’t do anything special for you is just another way for people to get ripped off. They pay extra for the services that they should be getting free.
Examples
An example is worth talking about. We think it will illustrative of the kind of location and time that should be considered for tipping. A hotel that we go to quite often, approximately every two weeks provides coffee and drink service.
The waitress only sees us every two weeks among thousands of people that she provides coffee service and drink service for. Yet she remembers our faces. How we like our coffee including how much cream and sugar we take in our coffee without us having to tell her. When we order coffee it is delivered promptly and with a smile. A small conversation inquiring how we are with the coffee exactly how we like it. Consequently this is an example of great service and well worth the tips that we provide to her.
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