If it did nothing else, the recent ballot initiative to increase the minimum wage in Colorado reminded us that many people with whom we interact every day don’t make a lot of money.
The most shocking news to a lot of folks: that restaurant servers and other “workers who regularly receive tips” get only $2.13 an hour (Amendment 42 proposed to increase that to $3.83 per hour). Technically, it’s an offset – employers are allowed to assume that a portion of a worker’s pay will come from tips and make up the difference between the legal minimum and what they actually write a check for.
A group of servers make their case for required 20 percent gratuities at fairtip.org. They point out that along with the lower minimum, many restaurants take 3.5 to 4.5 percent of server sales out of the tip pool to compensate food runners, busers, hostesses and other floor staff. Then the boss is required to report to the Internal Revenue Service what a server’s tip income ought to be, based on 12.5 percent of sales.
A quick roundup
Consider how you would feel if your boss regularly put 58.65 percent of your salary at risk, or arbitrarily gave your co-workers a share of what you earned, or took withholding on money you didn’t actually make, and you will understand why tipping is such an emotional subject.
Travelers run into many situations in which a tip is required, expected or at least a nice idea. Here’s a roundup:
(Please note: The Lisa Everitt Philosophy of Gratuities is informed by being a working-class kid who has worked a number of lousy-paying jobs. If you can afford to travel, you’re better off than most of the world and you can afford to leave a fiver on the bureau for the chambermaid. I believe in both karma and noblesse oblige.)
Tip anybody who brings you food or drink. That includes your bartender, your coffee barista, everybody except chain fast-food places where tipping is not allowed. I tip 20 percent because the math is easier. Round up, tuck a buck under your plate, dump your change in the jar.
To improve restaurant service, be friendly and polite to your server from the time you sit down. Before you sit down, actually – be friendly and polite to the greeter lest he or she seat you next to the men’s room. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. I’ve seen otherwise reasonable people turn surly, whiny or demanding as soon as they walk into a food establishment. It’s not your server’s fault you’re having a bad day.
Tip anybody who handles your stuff: the doorman, the bellman, the airport shuttle driver, the skycap, somebody who delivers something to your hotel room. They are shlepping your suitcase so you don’t have to. Give that person a buck or two per bag. Yes, your briefcase counts.
Tip the chambermaid. It surprises me how few people know to do this. Frequent travelers know that if they’re staying for a while, tipping the chambermaid in advance can lead to a cleaner room, more towels or extra snacks. A couple of bucks a day works for this. If you’re traveling with kids or other messy people, round up.
Taxi drivers should get 10 to 20 percent. A friendly cab driver can be an excellent source of information.
If somebody does you a favor, give them a tip. The tour guide, towel boy and concierge don’t work for tips but often deserve an extra thanks. Make sure you deliver that “thanks” when you hand them some cash.
Talk to the server
If you’re not happy with your service, don’t just stiff the offender. You owe it to the person who sits down after you to bring problems to your server’s attention. If that doesn’t work, go to management. Most people want to be helpful and nice. Some people are inveterate jerks, however, and need to be educated or encouraged to find a career where they don’t have to interact with other human beings.
It’s always a good idea before you travel to break at least one $20 bill, so small bills will come readily to hand when you need them. If you’re traveling overseas, stop at an automatic teller in the airport and get some local currency, then hit the newsstand or coffee shop and break the bills.
The Original Tipping Page (tipping.org) has all kinds of rules for unusual situations. It suggests, for example, that on chartered flights, it’s not necessary to tip the pilot.
I wouldn’t know.
Lisa Everitt is a freelance writer and editor who lives in Arvada. Contact her at lisaeveritt@comcast.net.
The details
Want more information? Math- impaired? Print out a wallet-sized tip table at people.howstufforks.com/tipping5.htm.
Guidelines for all kinds of tipping, including ones not covered here (like lap dancing) are collected on The Original Tipping Page, tipping.org/TopPage.shtml.
Denton Software built Tipper, a nifty freeware application for the PalmOS. It contains all the gratuity rules on the Original Tipping Page, plus a calculator. denton software.com/Products/Free/Tipper/Tipper.htm
