Argh...

[gear02]

I'm moving today and the movers are right here moving my stuff. I have a lot of boxes and stuff. It's hot. It's two flights of stairs. And there's only two people. I have some cold bottled water and I'm planning on tipping them $20 each, but I'm not sure if I should help them out and move some boxes. I'm standing here doing nothing anyway...

should I help?

[cadetevon]

Nope. Two of my four brothers did stints as professional movers and believe me, they'd rather you DIDN'T help.

Just keep them hydrated and keep outta their way.

[jstreet]

Not unless they're paying you!

[gear02]

Yeah...I guess...

I just feel weird not working while others do...I guess I'll just keep myself busy elsewhere.

Btw is $20 each a good tip?

[ShawnLee]

I think twenty bucks sounds fine, cause that's about what I'd tip. I say just stay out of the way, offer water, and thank them when they're done and you've done more than could be asked of you.

[gear02]

Thanks for the advice guys...this is my first move with movers. I'm definately out of place right now. I've been trying to keep busy by starting some of the cleaning I need to do, but mostly I've been hiding in my closet. I have all the stuff I'm taking by car (including this laptop which I'm posting with) in the closet, so it's kinda weird to be hiding here...

[Markel]

If YOU think it's weird, imagine what the movers must be thinking! :heh:

[ufcrusher]

Why are you hiding? Other than to watch that nothing walks.....its your place, just keep out of their way in the open. I dont recall if it was your thread or someone elses, but we discussed the proper amount for tipping a mover in the past.

$20 each is WAY too much. You are PAYING them to move already....they get paid out of that money. All of the etiquette books I have ever read suggest paying $5-10 tip and provide refreshments.

BTW.... I just looked and IT WAS your thread. :disa:

Edit - I forgot to mention, unless this is a short move in the same city, the people loading it, moving it, and unloading it...are likely to be all different. So tipping the ones loading it high is not going to do anything for you.

[gear02]

Why are you hiding? Other than to watch that nothing walks.....its your place, just keep out of their way in the open. I dont recall if it was your thread or someone elses, but we discussed the proper amount for tipping a mover in the past.

$20 each is WAY too much. You are PAYING them to move already....they get paid out of that money. All of the etiquette books I have ever read suggest paying $5-10 tip and provide refreshments.

BTW.... I just looked and IT WAS your thread. :disa:

Edit - I forgot to mention, unless this is a short move in the same city, the people loading it, moving it, and unloading it...are likely to be all different. So tipping the ones loading it high is not going to do anything for you.

Yeah it was my thread :) But the second to last post had a link of proper tipping etiquette. But maybe you're right in that $40 is too much. I should just give the guy the rest of my bottled water and a $20.

Look...I'm just very new to this part. I feel sorry for these guys. Both of them are sweating and very wet while I'm just standing here typing...

[gear02]

F*CK!!!

After all my worrying....I didn't tip them at all. They just walked out before I could give them anything. They said thanks for the water and goodbye. I hesitated for a second, and they left.

I did give them all my bottled water though...

DAMNIT! :(

[Jenny]

heh well, THEY walked out. You didn't. Don't sweat it. :)

[cadetevon]

Man, don't even worry about it. You didn't make them leave right away.

Are they the ones that will be unloading you too?

[gear02]

Man, don't even worry about it. You didn't make them leave right away.

Are they the ones that will be unloading you too?

Nope.

[DarkFury]

Yeah...I guess...

I just feel weird not working while others do...I guess I'll just keep myself busy elsewhere.

Btw is $20 each a good tip?
Only feel weird if these were your friends and you weren't paying them....

Otherwise, I'm sure that they don't feel wierd in taking your money. :heh:

[gear02]

Btw it wasn't that they walked out on me, it's that they were done and were just leaving. I don't know what I was waiting for, maybe some sort of gesture to ask for a tip or something, but I hesitated. And before too long they were out the door.

[DarkFury]

F*CK!!!

After all my worrying....I didn't tip them at all. They just walked out before I could give them anything. They said thanks for the water and goodbye. I hesitated for a second, and they left.

I did give them all my bottled water though...

DAMNIT! :(
Man... I've never seen anyone get THIS worked up about not leaving a tip to a person who didn't expect it in the first place. :heh:

[gear02]

Man... I've never seen anyone get THIS worked up about not leaving a tip to a person who didn't expect it in the first place. :heh:

In my mind, they do expect it.

Yeah...I recently have this tipping problem. For example, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, taxis are butt cheap. They start at 2 ringgit and a 15 minute ride will probably end up at around 5-6 ringgit. Heck, we once took a trip downtown where it wasn't that far (about 20 minutes walk) but it was really hot. There was a lot of traffic, but the fare ended up being 4 ringgit. Now here's the shocker. The exchange rate is 4 ringgit to a dollar.

In Malaysia they don't expect tips, which is nice I guess, but I always want to tip like 3-5 ringgit more compared to my parents. After all it's probably a lot of money to them, but it's less than a buck to me. But my parents say that's unnecessary and it might spoil the market. I just have some small ethical concerns...

I really don't know why I'm so concerned with tipping...

[CrystalDuck]

Do you feel guilty for being rich (or not poor)? Are you used to being poor and not able to tip? Maybe you're a socialist and just want to spread the wealth.

I find it awkward to tip because I feel like I am saying "You're a worker and I'm not, so I'll give you money to make up for my laziness." I tend to avoid situations where tipping is appropriate.

[DaFunkyUnit]

you sir, remind me of a couple of episodes of Seinfeld.

[jstreet]

These pretzels are making me thirsty...

[gear02]

you sir, remind me of a couple of episodes of Seinfeld.

Are they good episodes?

[AlpineJay]

"I'm going to put a stack of dollars right here and I will add or remove from the pile based on your service."

OK. Maybe not an exact quote, but you Seinfeld folks get the idea.

[Grimm]

I find it awkward to tip because I feel like I am saying "You're a worker and I'm not, so I'll give you money to make up for my laziness." I tend to avoid situations where tipping is appropriate.
I think that isn't a very good way to look at it.
The truth is, and is recognized to be, that they are working and you are not. Not that they are "a worker". Tips in American culture are the payment for a service. A waiter, for example, might work for 8 hours in a day for $2.50 an hour. That's about $5,000 a year (actualy less because most waiters don't get to work for 8 hours a day). How can anyone live in a city for $5,000 a year? A majority of a waiter's income comes directly from the persons being served. This ensures that the server is motivated to provide good service in exchange for good pay. It's understood that a person is expected to pay 10% to 20% of the cost of the meal in a tip. The cost of the server is not built into the charge for the meal (except the minimal salary). If people don't tip, then they can't afford luxuries like, say, food, clothing and shelter.

In asian cultures it works differently. The culture is such that polite service is the norm. The entire cost of the server is bourn by the restraunt and they compensate the server sufficently for them to maintain a reasonable lifestyle. The cost of service is built into the cost of the meal. A tip is insulting in that is says they are lacking in some way, they are not dressed appropriately or some such.

Many professions in America have a tipping expectation built into them. Service industries like hotels, taxis, and restraunts especialy.
Occupations like movers and delivery persons (excepting food delivery) are not nearly as dependant on tips for the primary source of income. It's a nice extra, but not the difference in determining if you get to eat that night. A tip primarily is to show your appriciation and recognition for their hard work. Since they only make a few deliveries a day the tips don't amount to a very high % of their yearly income. Who would do a job where you made $5000/year plus $4000/year in tips?

A problem occurs when people from one culture are in another. Asians are not comfortable giving tips. Cultural differences make them afraid to tip because they might insult. Also a different attitue is prevalent. The bill says they owe $10, why pay $12? When is the last time you got a credit card bill and tacked on an extra 20%? It's not expected, so you don't.
Every person I know that has worked in the service industry hates to see asians seated at their table (even asians working as waiters don't like getting asian customers). They say that there is a good chance on getting stiffed for their tip. They aren't bad people, it's just how they are taught growing up.
It's not all asians, mostly those raised in asia. I know for a fact Roniman tips well.

[Jenny]

man Grimm, you are certainly one of the more well-articulated people on here. It's always easy to read & understand your posts without having to try and figure out what you are saying or deciphering bad grammar/spelling/punctuation. (Oddly enough, in that sentance, I wrote grammer/spalling first. lol)

[CrystalDuck]

I don't like the practice of tipping. I was a server in a restaurant for a while and I hated tips. (I liked the money of course, I just would have preferred it to come in my paycheck.) I like to go into work with a guarantee that I will make enough money to cover my living expenses that day. If the restaurant doesn't get any business that day or the hostess doesn't seat my tables, I'm screwed, and I didn't even do anything wrong.

Expecting tips felt like begging and I saw people acting so fake just to get a good tip. I value honesty, so that just rubbed me the wrong way. I would much prefer the Asian system. It's just more logical. But I know that I'm in the minority in America, so I make a few adjustments: 1. I'll never be a server again, 2. I avoid using services where tipping is appropriate, and 3. I just suck it up and take solace in the fact that I get to calculate 15% of my bill when I do need to tip.