A topic brought up at lunch today got me thinking about tipping: when, where, how much, and why?
If you're at dinner, any restaurant where you're seated and someone is bringing food to you, I agree, tipping (20% in the city) is appropriate. However, I cannot stand the places where you wait at a counter, and then likely take the food with you, that have "tip jars" set up on the counter. What is this crap? You're not going out of your way to bring me the food. As a matter of fact, I'm waiting for you to bring it to me, and I'm standing, and probably pissy. No tip for you.
What about at a hair salon/barber (whatever you prefer to call it)? Ladies, I can see how you should tip everyone and their uncle who comes in contact with your heads as you have a ton of hair. However, men, I say a tip is in line, but given that we don't usually have that much hair, anything more than a couple bucks is extravagant. Of course, I don't pay more than $25 for my haircut anyway, so adjust accordingly.
Finally, taxis. Now this pisses me off. Just the other day a friend and I were headed uptown from Union Square. My friend said 41st and 6th, and the driver starts up park ave. Out of NOWHERE, he makes a right, going east.... Now, why, if you're heading uptown from a point south and east, to get to a point north and west, would you go further east? He claims he heard "Washington Avenue" and not "6th"...... I know of no such Washington Avenue in New York City (if there is one, my apologies) but "6th" does not sound like "Washington" in anyone's book. So for this, the total was $5.40 and I gave the man $6 and went on with my night. NO, he does not deserve a tip for driving me clear across Manhattan in the wrong direction and charging me more money than it should have been. So I say, tip a taxi driver a good amount if they manage to get you somewhere quicker than you expected. If not, round up to the next whole dollar and call it a day. I'm not cheap, I'm grumpy.
4 comments:
Noonan...Your point on tipping is fun...have you ever taken a tip away from the tip jar when you felt someone was undeserving? I can see you doing that...like at Jamba Juice...when all the freakishly happy people try to make you feel good about yourself and your day when all you want is a f'ing smoothie-
I've yet to actually take from the tip jar, but I have revoked a tip at a bar, as 1) I was about 2 bucks short of my next beer and 2) the bartender took too much time in my book.
Tipping is 20% in the City? Not 15%?
I thought I got all those dirty looks because I smelled funny.
Donsky,
I see what you're saying man. However, my problem is more I've yet to develop a set coffee shop, aside from the Starbucks on various corners of 45th street. And we all know no matter how much/little you tip those guys/gals, you're not getting crap for free. But the theory sounds good, maybe some testing is in order. Perhaps you could fund the testing and DJO office workers will be the testers.
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