UKC

Getting a piece of furniture delivered tomorrow. Its not a massive piece. Its an old oak filing cabinet. Should I tip the guy and how much?

In reply to Flinticus:
Nope, the person is doing their job and getting paid for it.

In reply to Flinticus:

if he does the job better than he had to and with a smile then 'something for a beer after' wont hurt.

In reply to Flinticus:

In my totally biased opinion.

Yes.

In reply to Flinticus:
If the delivery turns up on time, undamaged and the guys polite then thank him and nothing else.

Dont see the need to tip unless he goes out of his way, waits around or carries it up stairs etc when hes not supposed too.

In reply to Flinticus:

No. I have never tipped any delivery driver, ever.

I only really tip in restaurants, and rounding taxi fares up to the nearest quid or so. In the case of taxis it's to avoid faffing for change, and in the case of restaurants just convention (though I do wish they'd just up their prices and include service).

Neil

In reply to Flinticus:

If you can Spare it, yea why not.

In reply to Neil Williams: We live in the UK. They do include service. Tipping is an unnecessary, unwelcome American convention.

In reply to Flinticus: Being a continental, I used to tip everyone from pizzamen to movers in the UK (now that I think of it I should have tried the postman). My tips have always been accepted with suspicion. I think the receivers expected to be asked for some special favours or at least to keep a shut mouth.

Now, now, we don't talk about this pizza delivery to anyone, right? Here's for your kids. If I hear of you again my next tip will be in lead.

In reply to Cardi:

Tipping is an unnecessary, unwelcome American convention.

I'm not sure you're right about that. My parents and other adults would tip in a café (restaurants were too posh for the likes of us) when I was a small boy. I'm now 68 so this was in the early fifties. They hadn't the faintest idea of American ways, but were aware that waitresses didn't make much and a sixpence or even a shilling under the saucer as you left the table would make a real difference.

In my view the opportunity to tip (or not) is not unwelcome - rather, it's a nice way to show appreciation.

In reply to Martin Bennett:

I'm OK with that - but it should never be expected.

I hate the American approach of "20% unless the service was atrocious". Round the bill up by all means, but a big tip is for *exceptional* service. Exceptional service is not "doing your job normally as you should".

And I have a rule that if I am ever asked verbally for a tip, one is not given even if I had previously intended to give one, and the offending member of staff will be told why, or depending on mood I might take it up with management.

Neil

In reply to Flinticus: I used to tip all the time but as ive gotten older and care less what people think I now tip well if the service is good and comes with a pleasant attitude, but not at all if the service is poor or the guy has a couldn't care less attitude.
with a delivery driver probably not unless he goes out of his way to put it somewhere for you he dosent have to.

In reply to Flinticus:

Give him a tip. Something along the lines of "Don't wash your woollen socks in hot water or they'll shrink". You might have a tip that you favour, if so use that one. Try and keep it simple, ie don't use climbing related tips as they will be of no use to him.

In reply to Flinticus: Offer him a cup of tea. Probably be glad of a cuppa

In reply to Flinticus:

A cup of tea yes.

He's paid a minimum wage at least already.

Mrs 2pints works for not much more than minimum wage in a department store,serving customers.

No matter how much she helps someone she doesn't get a tip.

Nor does the lady on the till at Asda who served me last night, again perhaps on a low wage.

Or the bus driver who drove me home.

So basically tipping is a load of bollox, I'm paying for a restaurant meal "experience" not the food and then a bit more to the staff who are already guaranteed a minimum wage.

Load of bollox tipping - I'm dreading my trip to New York!

In reply to Flinticus: I read the title of the thread and expected it to be about childbirth.

In reply to Sam_in_Leeds:

Just worth bearing in mind though that in the UK, by law, tips should not make up part of someone's wage, they should get a fair wage regardless. In practice this doesn't happen, but the onus shouldn't be on us to subsidise someone's low wage, especially when it doesn't apply to all low paid jobs.

In the US however, it does make up part of people's wage, hence there are set percentages depending on where you are. Just think of it like paying a service tax separately after your meal and it stings a lot less!