Tipping - Where is it appropriate?
By saundyl
@saundyl (9783)
Canada
June 10, 2009 4:45pm CST
I typically tip at restaurants where you sit down and the waiter/waitress takes your order and brings it to you. I rarely tip at a place where you have to place your order at the counter and then go back up to get it yourself.
I know you should tip bellhops or taxi cab drivers and valets - but i've never used their services.
The one that puzzles me right now...is I'm going to the massage therapist for MEDICAL massage the interac/debit machine actually asks what tip you are going to leave when you go to pay. Now i didnt think that medical professions were supposed to be tipped. I tipped the last time i went but really I'm not going for it as a treat I'm going for it because my doctor told me to. You aren't expected to tip say...the lab technician or the dentist when you go there why a Massage Therapist? I find the massages pricey enough without adding another 10 or 15% on top of that.
So who do you tip?
3 people like this
19 responses
@heathcliff (1415)
• United States
10 Jun 09
The only tips I authorize are tips to me. Anyone who ever feels the need to tip someone just think how much better my life would be if you just send that money to me.
If you HATE me so much that you don't like that idea, you could at least give it to St Jude's or Nationwide Children's Hospital (My fave charities), or do you HATE sick children too?
So sad, all those tips wasted.
@heathcliff (1415)
• United States
11 Jun 09
Yeh, pimping for charity is such the sign of a jacka**. I'd rather have seen my old boss have to pay me what I was worth than hide behind some antiquated idea of economics, you hateful Sith wannabe.
1 person likes this
@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
10 Jun 09
I really can't afford to tip. A lot of people say that if you can afford to eat out, you can afford to tip. Excuse me? Think of all the tips one "should" leave at such places, and you could feed yourself and a partner for a week! There is a coffee shop where I go every day, and the people are wonderful to me. If I left a tip every day, i woulnd't be able to afford my coffee. HOWEVER, when I go to the Danmish baker every couple of months, I pick up a cake, or a large pastery, or some kind of treat that they can share, and I give it to the owner to put in the break room. I like to let people know they are appreciated, but I like to do it in untraditional ways.
2 people like this
@sparkofinsanity (20471)
• Regina, Saskatchewan
10 Jun 09
People in the service industry, no matter what their job, deserve to be tipped, if only because they usually aren't professionals and are working at minimum wage. Masseurs used to fall under that category. But times have changed and Masseurs are making pro wages now when their services are linked to the Medical Profession.
So I agree with you on this one Sun, don't tip your masseur. You need this for medical reasons, and that places your Masseur in the Pro class, and therefore out of the realm of being tipped.
2 people like this
@lelin1123 (15595)
• Puerto Rico
10 Jun 09
I tip at a restaurant that serves you, if I go to the airport I tip the car service,
I tip at the beauty parlor and I use to tip my paperboy. I would not tip a therapist of any type let alone a massage therapist not at all. They get enough pay!
2 people like this
@saundyl (9783)
• Canada
11 Jun 09
For the beauty parlor I tip if the girl that does my hair is an employee - if i go to a salon thats operated and owned by one person - i dont tip because its illegal for a business owner to accept tips plus...she's setting her prices so shes making what she needs to make to live.
@leyisa (486)
• Canada
11 Jun 09
HI - I usually tip generously at restaurant where you have to sit down and order but I do not tip too much at restaurant where it's a buffet, since the wait staff isn't really doing anything..
I also tip hair dressers, nail salon ppl, etc etc...I dont' think you are suposed to tip a message therapist...they already get paid enought :)
1 person likes this
@chikadee21ph (438)
• Philippines
11 Jun 09
I do not usually tip in the restaurant as most of the restaurants are already charging service fee. Like you, I, too give tip to my hair dresser.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160696)
• United States
10 Jun 09
I only have gone for a massage once. My thought is that if they are in a salon or spa they may be having to pay for the space and then it might be nice. I certainly do not tip the chiropractor. I do tip a hair dresser. You would not tip a physical therapist. I do not know if the massage therapist has additional medical training or not.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160696)
• United States
11 Jun 09
If it is clinic hours, no, I would not tip them.
1 person likes this
@saundyl (9783)
• Canada
11 Jun 09
I dont know if they do or not have additional medical training but they sure have a bunch of letters after their names on the receipts!
The place i go to is the only place locally so they are a clinic during the week days during the evenings and weekends they call the treatments spa treatments not Massage therapy on the receipts.
1 person likes this
@frankiecesca (2489)
•
11 Jun 09
I do the same and tip waiters and those that provide a service to me but, here in the UK it is not as expected nor as expected to get as higha percentage of tip. When I was last in the US I was tipping the recommended 17% but here it is more like 10% so it is a lot easier to leave a tip without feeling guilty! x
Just kidding. Seriously, I don't give tip to any waitress
or butler or anybody. Maybe I'm not just used to it.
@thenextnoel (396)
• Philippines
11 Jun 09
I tip my barber and the waiter. There's also a bunch of hoodlums in my area that asks if they could "watch over" your car while it's parked. I just say yes and give them their "tip" after I do my errands. If you refuse, the car repair bill is gonna be a lot larger than tipping these thugs.
1 person likes this
@sophisticated_boy (1457)
• Indonesia
11 Jun 09
People in my country does not tip regularly, only in quite fancy restaurant, bars or clubs. Sometimes, the restaurants force us to tip by charging us service charge, which usually around 5.5-11%, the more fancy the restaurant usually the more expensive you pay. What amazed me in travelling to London, American are a big tipper, they can give tip like 20% of the bill, meanwhile I was only give them less than 5%. I don't know if any other business requires tip, I only know the foof and beverage business and taxi to give a tip.
1 person likes this
@sublime03 (2339)
• Philippines
11 Jun 09
For me it is appropriate to tip when you enjoyed the service of the particular establishment that you are in. I do not tip in all the establishments I go to because sometimes they are not on time or sometimes they are rude to their customers. For medical professions, I have not heard anybody tip them. To me they are there because they would like to help people and should not expect people to tip them.
1 person likes this
@chikadee21ph (438)
• Philippines
11 Jun 09
As for the question as to who I tip, I tip for no particular person. If I am happy with the service provided to me, I am became generous. But most of them are the baggabe boy in the supermarket.
@blackcoffee9699 (3)
• United States
11 Jun 09
I am a Licensed Esthetician and more often then not, I get tipped about 15%. My close friend is massage therapist and also receives about the same. The hourly rate for those professions is often low unless yo have your own room or business. Doctors or owners pay low due to the fact that it is expected that you will be tipped. I'm not sure who wrote the rules on who to tip and who not to tip but for the most part, you massage person is expecting it.....sorry
1 person likes this
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
11 Jun 09
well, i only tip when i am in a restaurant and if i feel that i receive a very good service there... otherwise, i won't... it is not mandatory here to tip because the price of the food is already quite expensive... so i hardly tip... anyway, i can't afford to give tip everytime i went out to eat as well as it will be too costly... take care and have a nice day...
1 person likes this
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
11 Jun 09
Hey saundyl! I have never heard of such a thing! If they
are a medical massage therapist and not one that you are going
to just for a pleasure massage then I would think that this
asking for a tip would definitely be against medical rules
and guidelines! As you already said, it is not a custom to
tip a medical professional so why would you tip a medical
massage therapist! There is something wrong here! Is this
a medical therapist or not? It doens't sound like it is because
if it is then it should be reported to the medical board! I
think that there is no way that this is a medical person or
they know that they are not allowed to ask for any type of
gratuity! You need to check into this!
1 person likes this
@saundyl (9783)
• Canada
11 Jun 09
I was sent to they by my doctor. My receipts say medical massage - However i do know that during evenings and weekends they offer spa services but not during weekdays. If you go on the weekend even if its for a massage it will say something along the lines of spa treatment - massage.
I think they are a combination of both - but they are the only place to go to unless i drive an hour and a bit to the city.
I did ask about the tips - the answer was when you come for spa services that yes a tip would be nice but not expected the machine asks automatically so dont feel obligated. If you are coming like i was for medical treatment then a tip is definitly not expected because its for professional services then.
@ionsquare (530)
• Singapore
11 Jun 09
Hi,
I think when it comes to tipping it depends on the culture of a country. If you dine at a restaurant, you are already paying certain percentage of service charge and so I don't think tipping is required. From my point of view, when consumer pays for a product or service, part of the revenue will definitely goes to the salary of the waiter and there is no need to give them tips.
@jules67 (2788)
• Philippines
11 Jun 09
I check out the bill first. If it says that there is a service charge then, I won't bother giving tip. Then, if it doesn't then that is the time that I would give. But then of course, it all depends on how much money left in your pocket. I think that is understandable enough.
@ckmnstr24 (3)
• United States
11 Jun 09
I tip at restaurants. I usually leave about 20%. Occasionally I tip the gas man who pumps my gas but only one or 2 bucks. I don't think you should be expected to tip a massage therapist because you have been doctor ordered to go. It's not something you chose to go to. It is more like an appointment. If I saw the tip line I would feel obligated to tip but I would be thinking the same thing as you.
1 person likes this
@saundyl (9783)
• Canada
11 Jun 09
I've never even thought to tip when i stop at a full service station for gas - there arent very many around here. I havent stopped at one in ages because the gas cap on my car is very tricky and i always have to get out and close it again after the guy is done anyways.
