Mike and I are good tippers.
I mean, I think we’re good tippers.
Hairdresser? 20 per cent. Nail salon? 25 per cent. Dinner? Usually between 20 – 35 per cent.
Mike’s big thing? Remember to keep his drink full and you’ll receive a big tip. If he could get away with it, Mike is the type of person who would leave a wad of dollar bills on the table, adding to it and taking away depending on the service he was receiving.
I, on the other hand, always feel guilty. I feel good about tipping and like to make people feel good about getting a good tip.
It’s so childish, but I giggle a little each time I write tip.
I really wasn’t going anywhere with this except I wanted to use that clip and had to make it fit somewhere.
Anyway, as I was saying – I like giving a god tip to someone who deserves it. It makes me feel good and I’m sure they don’t mind seeing a little bigger tip than was anticipated.
Doing something nice for someone gives me a little bit of a high. You know? That gushing, happy feeling you get when you give someone something they really like or didn’t expect?
I remember one night we went for dinner at a local diner. It was before Hudson born, Carter was particularly ornery; no one was in a good mood. Carter was crying while he picked everything off his tray and proceeded to litter the floor below his highchair with majority of his meal. I would have left had the restaurant been a little busier, but I was starving and very short on patience as they’d frayed to their very last thread. The waitress was no doubt a bit frazzled by the mess and the snot covered teary mug staring back at her – Carter’s not mine.
Before we left, I made a point of cleaning the food from the carpet below the highchair and leaving her a rather large tip. As we were leaving, she approached us with our change which we insisted she kept. Twenty dollars for a thirty dollar meal. She gushed about how thankful she was as I apologized for the mess my kid had created. Though I was frazzled and felt a little lot embarrassed for letting my child behave as he had rather than nipping it in the bud and leaving, I was happy that she was so thrilled with the that we left her.
Ever since then I have been a little more conscious of the amount of the tip I am leaving. Even though I think the server should be grateful for any amount they receive, I feel better thinking that it may make their day to see a somewhat larger tip then what they may have expected.
And what have I learned from this?
Clearly I put far too much thought into tipping.
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This post is brought to you by the Silicon Valley Moms Book Club. This month’s book: Do One Nice Thing by Debbie Tenzer. Check out her amazing book as well as her website dedicated to doing something nice for someone else.
Cheryl Pope says:
I have a problem leaving a tip if I don’t receive good service. My husband who is in the service industry reminds me that the wait staff makes about 4 dollars an hour and survives off tips. My response is that they should work harder for the tip. Am I wrong? Visit the Real Princess Zaria and Mommy Blog.
September 29th, 2009 at 9:25 am
Melanie says:
I used to be kind of stingy with my tip until I realized that if I was the one being tipped, I would appreciate someone realizing that this is how I made my living, and it would make my day if they were a little extra generous. Ever since then I’ve made myself give at least 2$ more than I planned.
September 29th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
MommyGeekology says:
As a former waitress of three years, I can say that it’s very, very appreciated. Because for every time that you leave a super-nice tip, someone else stiffed the server that day.
As a result of all my waitressing experience, I’m an excellent tipper – but fair to be sure. If you can’t manage to refill my drink or remember my order, sorry. You’re getting 10-15%. If you can get the basics down, and smile at my kids and I don’t have to worry about whether my food is going to be right or my drink cold? Well it’s 25-30% for you , and probably a nice note, because I LOVED it when my customers would leave me a note saying Thanks.
September 29th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
Gina says:
Mr b and I are good tippers, too. We both earned our living that way for a while, and we found that the best tippers are usually other waiters and hairdressers.
September 29th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
Chibi Jeebs says:
Both The Man-Thing and my brother were pizza delivery guys at one point. Both have relayed stories about having to drive all over hell and gone in a snow storm (so some person could stay home safe and warm), only to not even be given a penny as a tip.
The last time we had pizza delivered, I tipped 20%. That young man literally tripped over himself thanking me. It damn near made me want to cry and give him more, he was so excited and appreciative.
That being said, I won’t tip as generously if the service sucked.
September 29th, 2009 at 6:17 pm
Karly says:
I’m a big tipper too. I used to be a server (only it was a waitress way back then) and I know what hard work it can be.
I once got tipped $5 by this little old couple who came in every weekend. Nobody else ever wanted to wait on them because they were so grumpy and tipped horribly. Anyway, one night they came in and I was too busy to take their table so someone else did it. Before they left they walked up and handed me $5. I explained that I hadn’t waited on them that night, but they told me to keep it “just for being me.” They never came in the restaurant again after that and I’ve always wondered what happened to them.
And there’s my tear jerker for the day.
September 29th, 2009 at 9:51 pm
DesignHER Momma says:
Tips paid for my Big 10 college education – so I’ve been on both sides of the fence for sure. I love leaving a big tip, and feel OK leaving the big mess. Tip enough, they won’t mind cleaning up.
Oh, and since I’ve been on both sides of the fence, I have no problem leaving a crappy tip for really bad service. But it has to be downright sinfully bad.
September 30th, 2009 at 8:57 am
Michelle says:
It’s funny .. I was just reading a study that made the link between being doing a good deed and endorphine release. That little rush you’re talking about. It’s called the ‘Helper’s High’. It’s good for your health too, so I wish you many many more Helper’s Highs.
October 26th, 2009 at 3:46 pm