Boy what a bunch of jerks. You want the cheap prices that the cheap labor provides, but you won't give someone 50 cents once in a while. Or, not. Its OK people, there just jars, sometimes with writing on them.

"Boy what a bunch of jerks. You want the cheap prices that the cheap labor provides, but you won't give someone 50 cents once in a while. Or, not. Its OK people, there just jars, sometimes with writing on them."

Translation: Blah,Blah,Blah,.....Yak, yak, yak, yak, ......Blabbity-blah, blah,yakkity-yak jars, sometimes with writing on them ."

Was that the point you were trying to make ? Or was your intent to insult everyone here with all that gibberish !

There are a few places in Dyker Heights and Bay Ridge where I've been told by employees that the money in the tip jar gets pocketed by the owner.

Bottom line, if you're making minimum wage or above, you get NO tips. Waiters, bartenders, and cab drivers get tips, why? They're all making under minimum wage.

Problem solved.

If you're on an assembly line of sorts- i'm not going to tip.

I'm very very tight with my tips.

Always %15 to servers unless it's phenomenal.

Always $2 to cabs that I use once a month.

ALwyas my remaining metal change when at a coffee shop.

Never order delivery.

SLOW NEWS DAY?

Isn't the whole point of tipping to supplement the income of service workers who make less than regular wages, so they have incentive to give good service? The better you do, the more tips you receive. How does a barista, Dunkin Donuts employee or Subway sandwich maker fit into that scenario? Aren't those regular jobs with legal wages? Why should someone at the pizza shop have a tip jar but someone who cleans bathrooms in an office (but makes the same as the pizza person per hour) not get tipped? Just because there is no place for a physical jar?

Yeah, like the manager doesn't put some phony cause on the jar and just take it all home at the end of the week.

The tip jar is annoying. It gets divvied up amongst all the workers, which is unfair. If one person gives particularly good service and i want to tip them, i don't want their lazy co-worker getting some of his/her tip.

I've actually tried to give a counter kid a tip directly once and he was so nice he told me it had to go in the jar. I told him i didn't want it to - HE gave the good service, HE should have the money. There were plenty of others there that I didn't want to give my money to.

That's funny. I once saw a guy try to tip the girl working behind the register at McDonald's. She was so stupid that when he told her to keep the change (a couple of dollars) she put it back in the cash drawer!

Why is that stupid? Sounds like she was actually following company policy, in which case you should be commending her.

I would bet a paycheck that it's NOT McDonald's policy that when a customer tells you to keep the change to put the money in the cash drawer (as opposed to, saaaaay, giving the money back to the customer?).

Either way, he had to tell her three times before it registered that he didn't want the change, and then he was visibly pissed when she gave the money back to McDonald's. I guess you had to be there.

It depends on the company, but based on my own experience working: some companies DO tell you to put tips or extra change in the register. At some of these jobs where tips are NOT allowed, you can and will be terminated immediately if you accept a tip, so putting it in the drawer immediately is THE safest way to handle it. If a supervisor is looking over your shoulder it shows that you had no intention of taking it.

I have thought about the bartender vs barista tip issue. If you think about it a barista probably works harder to make your laite etc. than a bartender does popping open a bottle of beer or even mixing a V&T. Problem is people drink coffee every day but not necessarily alcohol at a bar. Well. Most people anyway.

I think the tip jars are out of control. When I am paying $2 for a cup of coffee and then am expected to leave a tip, I'm sorry but it adds up for me too. An extra 50 cent tip a cup every day is another couple hundred bucks out of my pocket every year.

When I go out to eat and someone is actually serving me and waiting on me I tip well between 20-25 %. For the everyday things (coffee, putting a slice of pizza on a plate, etc) I think it's getting a bit ridiculous.

re: Starbucks - I can understand why people are against putting a tip jar at the cashier, but what about these thoughts:

- I can understand if my local Starbucks leaves one because they are WICKED FAST in getting your coffee...even during rush hour, and

- The tip jar should really exist at the preparation table (where you receive your drink). You get your mochafrappajunker (sorry I couldn't help it), sip it, and if it's delish, maybe toss in some change to show your appreciation.

My 2 cents for the morning.

Oh, and @woodendesigner, it's not that you're tipping people ALL THE TIME, I mean you can if you want to, but showing a little bit of appreciation now and then is a win-win situation for the giver AND the receiver of the cash, right?

At least you didn't start your comment with "FUN FACT:"

It's SUPPOSED to be "delish", you shoudln't tip for that...

I too wish that the barrista was the one getting the tips, however they split the tips evenly per shift. Also I'm pretty sure Starbucks declares all of their employees tips to the irs, so these employees are more than likely getting taxed on them as well.

Having been in the service industry almost my entire working life I am a bit more inclined to at the very least tip just because the tip jar is there. It seems like a good kharma investment for my next shift. However I can understand how someone who has never had to rely on tips can feel that it is uncalled for.

Here are some of my guidelines:

Restaurants: MINIMUM of 20%, even if the service isn't great I can't bring myself to leave any thing less. I have been known to leave 15% if service is horrible.

Bars: Same story people 20% of the tab. Always run a tab, you have the best chance of getting buybacks when the bartender can see how much you're spending. $1 a drink doesn't cut it anymore. (exception is if you are at a crazy busy club type place and drinking bottled beer $1 for a bottle beer is okay if you don't have a tab running)

Coffee shops: Throw a dollar in for Christ's sake, especially if it is your everyday spot. It insures quick service the days you are in a hurry, and the barista will remember your drink. (However if you are just getting a quick cup of regular coffee throw the change in, even if it is only 10 cents. It will add up for them eventually)

To-Go food: always tip the person a couple bucks, they do the same amount of work as if you were eating in...i.e. taking your order packaging it etc.

Delivery: $5 MINIMUM period. Unless your bill is over $40 then around 15-20%

Grocery stores, I've only seen this recently and I don't shop for the week I go in at least once a day. I think the change is fine, or maybe a buck if you have a lot of stuff.