Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Tip Jar Wonders



Speaking as a person who survives on tips, I have noticed a huge crop of Tip Jars. Placed at some relatively unique locations. So I wonder now, are people just using tips jars for extra cash?

I went into a Dunkin Donuts. There was one by a cash register. I know for a fact that the people that work there make above minimum wage. So does handy a fat lady like me a donut require a tip? I mean, your paying a dollar a donut as it is, so what would you tip? and why?

Do the random tip jars make a mockery of the people who are actually in need of a tip? Is the result of numerous jars at outrageous locations the reason for dwindling tip amounts? Basically, are people getting tired of tipping?

You tip your hair dresser, the bell hop, your server and several other occupations. Now we are supposed to tip a cashier?
I am not saying this to degrade the random jars, hell I don't care if someone is trying to make an extra buck or two. That is what I am trying to do every day at work. But if we don't tip the cashier at the grocery store, why should we tip out someone at a donut shop? They do less then the grocery clerk does.

The next thing you know there will be a tip jar at the doctors office, the bank and the insurance company. In my opinion they all get too much of our money anyway. If they start using the random Tip Jar, are they in anymore rights then the before mentioned cashier?

Just some curious questions that have been flitting through my mind. Crazy, I know, but hey that is me.

10 comments:

Vixen said...

I used to utterly think tipping was so redundant. I still do, even though I do it anyway.

ZoeyBella said...

I tried putting a tip jar on my desk in the newsroom... no such luck. :(

Jean-Luc Picard said...

A tip jar in the doctor's office? Odd.

cathouse teri said...

Well yanno... tips are, oh what's the word, gratuitous!

So if there is a tip jar and someone wants to contribute, so be it.

I would TOTALLY put a tip in kitty bella's jar!

Adventures In Waitressing said...

Oh I would tip Kitty Bella too! She rocks!

Jean-Luc Picard said...

Thanks for that great comment in the vote list. Highly appreciated.

ZoeyBella said...

awwww.... thanks for the tips ;) I'll use them to buy new nylons (for some non-sexual reason, I just ripped a pair...)

NML/Natalie said...

In Europe, especially here in the UK we have a totally different attitude to tipping. We tip for going above and beyond. We tip for good service. Unfortunately I have found in the US that people expect a tip regardless of service and they expect you to pay above the standard. The tipping everybody thing is strange...For a fricking donut???? What do they expect a tip for? Picking up the already overpriced donut and putting it in a wrapper? It's the corporates way of not doing their duty by staff. They pay them a crap wage and we get emotionally blackmailed into making up the difference.

Gunfighter said...

I'm gonna put a tip jar on the firing line for my shooters to tip me for training them.... and one on my nightstand!

soccer mom in denial said...

Up here, the Dunkin Donuts have a big "no tipping" policy and leave out boxes for local cancer charities. So folks drop their pennies and nickels in them.

Since I have the utmost respect for serving staff, I do tip well in restaurants unless the server was a complete idiot/rude/awful. And it has to be really bad for that to happen.