Author Topic: How much to tip...?  (Read 5424 times)

Goldielocks

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How much to tip...?
« on: November 20, 2014, 03:45:33 PM »
Hi. I have a travel question...

How much to tip a hotel shuttle driver who does not touch your bag, or your bag is so light (under 20 lbs) that you would prefer to handle it yourself?

I am specifically asking about north america-- should it be different by state?  Eg Georgia with low or no min wage you would\could tip often to many, versus a high minimum wage/ union environment where you guess the folks earn at least $10-$12 per hr as a starting wage?

In the past, I only tip where help was needed or asked for, special service like a different drop off location, heavy bags or great directions given...   But after realizing how low $ per hr are in some states, I have started to tip a lot more in some regions.

Thoughts?


This is NOT about taxis or restaurants.. But others like valets where the hotel did not give you a choice and is charging parking at $30 per day, maids , and most of all, rental car, airport and hotel "free" shuttles.

More info:
I travel for buysiness, but cash tips are not reimbursed and I don't have a per diem.

Zikoris

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Re: How much to tip...?
« Reply #1 on: November 20, 2014, 04:12:35 PM »
I've never tipped hotel shuttle drivers anywhere I've traveled. They're not like restaurant staff who make below minimum wage in the states.

mak1277

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Re: How much to tip...?
« Reply #2 on: November 20, 2014, 04:14:38 PM »
For me, I never tip shuttle drivers unless they're helping me with multiple bags.  This policy prevents me from feeling guilty if the driver wins the inevitable "race" to the bags at the end of the trip.

Catbert

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Re: How much to tip...?
« Reply #3 on: November 20, 2014, 04:22:45 PM »
I usually tip a buck.

Numbers Man

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Re: How much to tip...?
« Reply #4 on: November 20, 2014, 04:36:50 PM »
I tip the driver that drives me from the local parking spot to the airport 1-5 dollars depending on what he's doing. The reason I tip him is because he's providing me with a valuable service. He picks me up at my car, handles my luggage or family's luggage. He picks me up at the terminal and delivers me to my car.

One could argue that this is part of the service. But the driver will wait for you if you call and haven't reached the meeting spot yet. It's especially useful living in the desert to get in and out of that air conditioned bus without having to wait around for an extended amount of time.

Also, if the hotel didn't have that service. Your travel expense would significantly increase. So share the love and tip the driver.

chucklesmcgee

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Re: How much to tip...?
« Reply #5 on: November 20, 2014, 06:10:45 PM »
I don't believe tipping a hotel shuttle driver is considered obligatory whatsoever. You can always tip a dollar or two if they really helped you. But it's kind of like tipping a bus driver- you don't.

Zikoris

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Re: How much to tip...?
« Reply #6 on: November 20, 2014, 07:17:20 PM »
I also deal with my own luggage (typically just a backpack that goes on my lap during the ride), so all a driver does is get me from point A to point B - which is definitely in his/her job description.

surfhb

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Re: How much to tip...?
« Reply #7 on: November 20, 2014, 07:38:05 PM »
Only reason i tip waitresses is because they legally work below min wage......which is bullshit.

I dont tip cabbies either

Goldielocks

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Re: How much to tip...?
« Reply #8 on: November 21, 2014, 11:33:37 AM »
Thanks all, I realized Georgia has no min.wage and the shuttle drivers are pretty aggressive about asking for tips....

Thoughts now?

KCM5

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Re: How much to tip...?
« Reply #9 on: November 21, 2014, 11:40:38 AM »
While Georgia may not have a minimum wage, there is a federal minimum wage. It's $7 something an hour right now, maybe? So as long as they're not considered a tipped employee, like a waitress, they're getting paid that. Now, choosing to supplement that wage is up to you. I usually tip a dollar or two and do feel bad if I don't have any cash. But really, its up to you.

dodojojo

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Re: How much to tip...?
« Reply #10 on: November 21, 2014, 12:52:40 PM »
I only tip when they actually handle my bag(s).  If I don't feel like tipping, I try to sit close to or with my bags so the driver can't out-race me...

Homey The Clown

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Re: How much to tip...?
« Reply #11 on: November 21, 2014, 12:58:50 PM »
This to me is at the heart of the cheap vs frugal argument. How many situations are you in where you can tip on a regular basis? Many people in these positions (cab and shuttle drivers, hotel maids, etc) are in low paying, hard jobs and are trying their best to make ends meet. I make significantly more than they do. If I can make things better by dropping a couple bucks them, I feel better about it. I probably spend less than $5 per month on these types of tips. Someone traveling extensively for work is going to be in this position far more often, but hopefully they are well paid for all the traveling they do.

Zikoris

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Re: How much to tip...?
« Reply #12 on: November 21, 2014, 01:03:11 PM »
This to me is at the heart of the cheap vs frugal argument. How many situations are you in where you can tip on a regular basis? Many people in these positions (cab and shuttle drivers, hotel maids, etc) are in low paying, hard jobs and are trying their best to make ends meet. I make significantly more than they do. If I can make things better by dropping a couple bucks them, I feel better about it. I probably spend less than $5 per month on these types of tips. Someone traveling extensively for work is going to be in this position far more often, but hopefully they are well paid for all the traveling they do.

I don't think you're making things better. I think you're contributing to keeping things bad, both for the workers and customers. As long as we continue to have the expectation of tipping, employers will continue using it to justify paying ridiculously low wages.

Homey The Clown

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Re: How much to tip...?
« Reply #13 on: November 21, 2014, 01:12:59 PM »
I don't think you're making things better. I think you're contributing to keeping things bad, both for the workers and customers. As long as we continue to have the expectation of tipping, employers will continue using it to justify paying ridiculously low wages.

You're trying to change the system, and I'm trying to help the individuals. How long do you think it would take to change the system? The prices of things will have to rise to offset the increase in wages to offset the loss in tips. If someone puts up a sign that says we pay our employees well, please don't tip, I'll be happy to not tip. But you are enjoying the fruits of low employee pay, lower prices. If you refuse to tip, you're not changing the expectation, you're being cheap.

All that said, I don't generally tip more than my spare change to counter service and other places with tip jars, and usually not even that, as I use a card. I still only tip the "traditional" fields (plus musicians in restaurants, and a couple others) that I mentioned above.

Goldielocks

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Re: How much to tip...?
« Reply #14 on: November 21, 2014, 01:58:45 PM »
This to me is at the heart of the cheap vs frugal argument. How many situations are you in where you can tip on a regular basis? Many people in these positions (cab and shuttle drivers, hotel maids, etc) are in low paying, hard jobs and are trying their best to make ends meet. I make significantly more than they do. If I can make things better by dropping a couple bucks them, I feel better about it. I probably spend less than $5 per month on these types of tips. Someone traveling extensively for work is going to be in this position far more often, but hopefully they are well paid for all the traveling they do.

ssjimbo -- I think this is where I am coming to, as well.   I look at a job and ask myself if it were I job I would take if I needed to make ends meet for a couple of years, and then I ask myself what $$'s it would take for me to accept and what I think the person doing the job is actually making.

In some regions, it is really clear that the person(s) are underpaid for what I think the job is worth, without tips.   The same job in other areas are very well paid for the work involved.

Zikoris -- I agree with a lot of what you are saying, which is why I have trouble with the idea of tipping maid service -- if this became a position where more than 20% of the money is made on tips alone, then the hourly rate goes way down -- like the bellhop service and valet providers.    As I can't choose to eliminate maid services, and it is the same service regardless of tipping, I would rather encourage hotels to fairly compensate great employees in housekeeping.  Instead, I sometimes leave a note for the manager complimenting a specific person or service, if very well done.

After all -- no one tips their office cleaning (night) staff, so why the different argument for hotels?   -- hmmm  so many views on this...




Cassie

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Re: How much to tip...?
« Reply #15 on: November 21, 2014, 03:28:36 PM »
I tip the shuttle driver $1.00/bag because usually they lift it on & off the shuttle.  When I stay at a hotel I tip the same for every night I am there.