# Do we tip?



## REMFAN (5 Jan 2008)

I dropped a tyre off at a local tyre centre yesterday to be repaired as I


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## GeneralZod (5 Jan 2008)

It looks like you were cut off in mid sentence but, on the available information, not in that circumstance.


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## rabbit (5 Jan 2008)

Interesting point - after all repairing a tyre is a more difficult / dirty job than carrying a few plates to / from a dinner table - yet people tip waiters ?   In the States people sometimes tip people who do repairs.


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## CCOVICH (5 Jan 2008)

Homer Simpson tipped the guy at the tire center (sic) when his 'wheels wouldn't take a balance'.


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## Caveat (5 Jan 2008)

I tip in restaurants only and only when the service has been good.  If the service has been poor or even just average I would never tip.


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## REMFAN (7 Jan 2008)

Half a sentence got four replys,wow! I was cut off mid sentence....Anyway, I dropped a puncture off to be repaired at a tyre company over the road, went to collect an hour later and was told the nail had damaged the tyre beyond repair. I only had the price of puncture on me (7e), but the manager give me a new tyre and told me to drop in the money later.. I returned in the evening and paid for tyre plus 10e tip for trusting me, a total stranger to return. I just wondered if we Irish ever tip? Have you ever tipped? Or tipping a daft concept?


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## MrMan (7 Jan 2008)

Ya I'd leave a tip maybe if was gettin 4 tyres done at a good price, not always and generally if its a young fella doing it.


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## cole (7 Jan 2008)

Mr. Pink's argument against tipping.


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## Caveat (7 Jan 2008)

cole said:


> Mr. Pink's argument against tipping.


 
Thanks Cole - was going to refer to that myself!

For me, I tip at restaurants for the _peripheral_ service - I'm there first and foremost for the food. This service can include the correct balance of attentiveness, friendliness, helpfulness, attitude... etc etc. 

In restaurants, sometimes I tip but often I don't.

In most other situations you are paying simply for a costed, _actual_ service - technical skill, labour, the ability to drive a car safely - whatever. There is absolutely no way that anyone is getting any extra money from me in these situtations unless the circumstances are exceptional.

"Ah that taxi driver was nice - I'll give him an extra €2...."

why?!?!


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## Marion (8 Jan 2008)

Do people tip before tax (vat) or after tax?

I prefer the former.

Marion


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## Sn@kebite (8 Jan 2008)

REMFAN said:


> I dropped a tyre off at a local tyre centre yesterday to be repaired as I



If it's your first customer experience of this person/company, I would say no. "Don't count your chickens before they hatch" 

If this person/company does a good job and you go back to them for more, then tip!

If they do a shoddy job and you have already tipped them, you may be encouraging their shoddy workmanship/workpersonship.


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## Purple (9 Jan 2008)

Yes, I’d tip in this situation.
I always tip in restaurants, never less than 5%. If the service and/or food was exceptional I’ll give 15-20%.


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## shootingstar (9 Jan 2008)

i dont tip. I dont get tips in work and i do my job as well as is expected of me each day. Its the waiters/waitresses choice to take up that profession. Why would one require/expect money from strange public people. Im not saying all waitress/ess expect it. Isnt it just simply their job to provide a service in a correct mannerly fashion? No?


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## Purple (9 Jan 2008)

shootingstar said:


> i dont tip. I dont get tips in work and i do my job as well as is expected of me each day. Its the waiters/waitresses choice to take up that profession. Why would one require/expect money from strange public people. Im not saying all waitress/ess expect it. Isnt it just simply their job to provide a service in a correct mannerly fashion? No?


No.
Tipping is customary and so in reality makes up part of their wage. If they do their job well they should be tipped. You should only not tip if the service is sub-standard.
I don't get tips for doing my job either but that's irrelevant.


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## Pique318 (9 Jan 2008)

Purple said:


> Tipping is *customary* and so in reality makes up part of their wage.


Tipping is discretionary, not customary. In the US it may be, but not here where minimum wage rules ensure that the tip is not necessary. Maybe since people are more flush in the last 10 years they think they 'should' but I think this is more a show of affluence than anything as tips are given even in completely undeserved cases.



Purple said:


> If they do their job well they *should* be tipped.


I disagree. If they do their job well, they *MAY* be tipped, should you so wish. I think they should be given a pay rise instead. They get customers to return, therefore the owner makes more money, therefore the owner should reward them.



Purple said:


> You should only not tip if the service is sub-standard.


Why? Do I not have the choice to tip/not tip as I see fit ? Why the automatic gesture? Doesn't that demean the giving of a tip?

If the table service is excellent, then by all means, feel free to tip but you should never feel obliged to do so.
If the service is satisfactory, well, as mentioned above, that's what they're paid for.

If the service is substandard, then make your oncerns heard on payment of the bill.


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## Purple (9 Jan 2008)

Pique318 said:


> Tipping is discretionary, not customary. In the US it may be, but not here where minimum wage rules ensure that the tip is not necessary. Maybe since people are more flush in the last 10 years they think they 'should' but I think this is more a show of affluence than anything as tips are given even in completely undeserved cases.


  So it’s a form of snobbery to leave a tip? Riiggght.  




Pique318 said:


> I disagree. If they do their job well, they *MAY* be tipped, should you so wish. I think they should be given a pay rise instead. They get customers to return, therefore the owner makes more money, therefore the owner should reward them.


 Right then comrade, we’ll have to disagree on that one as well. Basically the tip is there so that you get good service every time, it is a real time bonus for doing a good job. You would prefer to be charged the extra amount on your bill and the employer to pass this on as a pay increase, even if the service is sub-standard. I don’t agree with you on that one.




Pique318 said:


> Why? Do I not have the choice to tip/not tip as I see fit ?


 Yes, you have the choice not to give the customary tip if you so choose. 



Pique318 said:


> Why the automatic gesture? Doesn't that demean the giving of a tip?


 No



Pique318 said:


> If the table service is excellent, then by all means, feel free to tip but you should never feel obliged to do so.
> If the service is satisfactory, well, as mentioned above, that's what they're paid for.


 I disagree. If someone is too miserable to leave a tip then that's their business but they should not dress it up as a virtue. 




Pique318 said:


> If the service is substandard, then make your oncerns [sic] heard on payment of the bill.


 We agree at last!


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## Pique318 (9 Jan 2008)

waiting staff must love to see you coming, they don't have to make an effort to get a tip...

The old adage about a fool and his money is true I s'pose


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## Pique318 (9 Jan 2008)

by the way, if 'Service charge is included' appears on the menu/bill, do you still tip?


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## Purple (9 Jan 2008)

Pique318 said:


> waiting staff must love to see you coming, they don't have to make an effort to get a tip...


 Oh they do have to make an effort, that’s the point I am making. You would rather be charged extra on the bill even if the service is substandard. Anyway, I'm not that well know about town, not yet anyway.




Pique318 said:


> The old adage about a fool and his money is true I s'pose


 I hope I am never so short of cash that I can't spare €5 as a tip. I hope I am never so mean that I would spend €100 a head on a meal and not leave a 10% tip.
Money is a means to an end, not an end in itself.


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## Pique318 (9 Jan 2008)

Purple said:


> Oh they do have to make an effort, that’s the point I am making. You would rather be charged extra on the bill even if the service is substandard.


 

I never said this nor would condone it, yet you mentioned it twice.

If they do their job WELL, and give good service, I would be prepared to pay extra for it as long as I was happy that they were being suitably recompensed.

If the price goes up to include service charges and the service was crap, I wouldn't be returning any time soon.

So do you tip if service is included?


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## Purple (9 Jan 2008)

Pique318 said:


> I never said this nor would condone it, yet you mentioned it twice.
> 
> If they do their job WELL, and give good service, I would be prepared to pay extra for it as long as I was happy that they were being suitably recompensed.


 I did, because it's the unavoidable consequence of your suggestion that _"they should be given a pay rise instead."_.  My way you have a choice, your way you don’t.



Pique318 said:


> So do you tip if service is included?


 Not usually but if the service charge is low and the service was very good I do.


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## tyoung (14 Jan 2008)

I hate tipping. It's all about buying favour/influence. This Goodfella's  clip says it all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgcSlZFGE1A&feature=related


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## Caveat (14 Jan 2008)

Purple, as a seasoned tipper would you tip even if the service was a bit poor - not terrible (in which circumstances I assume nobody would tip), but just below standard?

Ironically, I often actually *do* tip in these cases: if some young guy or girl is obviously new and nervous (but not providing particularly good service) I would ususally tip purely out of sympathy - providing they didn't completely ruin things and realised their errors etc.


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## Purple (14 Jan 2008)

Caveat said:


> Purple, as a seasoned tipper would you tip even if the service was a bit poor - not terrible (in which circumstances I assume nobody would tip), but just below standard?
> 
> Ironically, I often actually *do* tip in these cases: if some young guy or girl is obviously new and nervous (but not providing particularly good service) I would ususally tip purely out of sympathy - providing they didn't completely ruin things and realised their errors etc.



Yes, in the case outlines I'd do as you do.


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## Propman (14 Jan 2008)

Tipping - in my book, "a gratuity for a small service rendered" - should be done on a _personal _basis and for a _service_ in a restaurant (i.e. you tip the server for making the meal more pleasant; you don't tip the chef for making nicer food). So I don't tip if the service is sub-standard but I always tip if the service improves the whole experience.


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