4 ms·

How about "Hey, this person is out doing a job that could possibly kill them, to save me from having to risk my life by going out. That's really valuable to me;

How about "Hey, this person is out doing a job that could possibly kill them, to save me from having to risk my life by going out. That's really valuable to me; I'll give them an extra $5." I really don't get people who are against tipping people in low-paid service jobs. (Even if they're making at least minimum wage.) If you're paid more than they are, and their service is providing you with value, show them some appreciation!

pnako 6y ago
Do you tip the postman? They bring you letters, which can be very valuable.
- leetcrew 6y ago
  under normal circumstances, you're usually not home when the postman brings your mail. some people give their postman some cash if they happen to run into them, especially if it's around a major holiday. as a random anecdote, I was talking to the ups delivery guy for my building the other day, and he said he's been making more money in tips than from his actual paycheck during the present crisis.
- humaniania 6y ago
  Every Christmas. The UPS guy too.
  - deleted 6y ago
    [deleted]
- DougWebb 6y ago
  My postman mostly brings me junk mail, that I throw directly into a bin next to my building's mailboxes rather than bring it up to the apartment. That's not his fault, of course. There's no mechanism for me to tip him on any regular basis, unlike the delivery apps that let me add a tip to my credit card payment.
throwqqq 6y ago
Because I shouldn't have to bribe people to do their job.
johnsoft 6y ago
How did you decide on a value of $5? Why do you tip at a restaurant, but not at a grocery store? (Why do you tip the server, but not the janitor?) What if we just charged everyone the real amount up front, and paid workers their real wage up front? I prefer each of my transactions to be one transaction, not two.
- DougWebb 6y ago
  I don't go to grocery stores; I have my groceries delivered, and I tip them well. If the businesses I buy from raised prices so they could pass the additional revenue on to their workers as hazard pay, and I had any confidence at all that they were actually doing that, I'd be glad to stop tipping.
  - ccktlmazeltov 6y ago
    I would advise not tipping, which incentivizes business not to pay their workers a fair wage. You're part of the problem.
- shepherdjerred 6y ago
  Science has proven that the average person's life is worth about $4, but I round to $5 to be generous.
1123581321 6y ago
You missed their point, which is that you hope $5 makes you seem generous but it might not be perceived that way, and knowing the deliverer’s need and reaction can’t be known creates discomfort and hesitancy to order delivery.
graeme 6y ago
In other countries those people are simply paid more. That’s why foreigners hate American tipping culture. In foreign land: delivery person gets $10 In america: service pays delivery person $6. Client must device whether to give delivery person $3-$5. Big uncertainty about which situations call for a tip, and which don’t, and how much. In restaurants you can at least say “I pay to reward good service”. But with delivery, I am getting an undifferentiated bag of food at my door. Nothing differentiates service quality level. Deciding what amount to pay absent any interaction is confusing. And why is it based on a percentage of food? Your argument is based in the assumption the worker has little pay. In america this is true, the worker gets little because tips are expected to make up for it. In other countries, no tips are expected, so salary makes up for it.
ccktlmazeltov 6y ago
It doesn't work like this, because I either don't tip, or I pass on a service because I don't want to feel guilty not tipping. It's always a loss for a business from my point of view.
gjs278 6y ago
lol ok but if you ordered $50 worth of food (not hard) now you’re only tipping 10% why are you such a cheapskate?
goostavos 6y ago
Oh, yeah? Well, I really don't get people who really don't get not tipping! Tipping is dumb. It being percentage based is silly. I have to "appreciate" the service more because... I ordered a more expensive bottle of wine? C'mon, that's silly. It's also crazy arbitrary. We don't tip fast food workers, but we do tip people at Starbucks? I recently had someone come out and fix my washer. I had no idea whether or not to tip. I think of that Mad Men scene when these conversations about "appreciation" come up. Peggy: "you never say 'Thank you'!" Don: "That's what the money was for!" I'm a simple man, but I like service exchanges being what they say on the tin. I give you money. You give me service. No hidden societal expectations that involve more out-of-band funding.

pnako 6y ago

Do you tip the postman? They bring you letters, which can be very valuable.

leetcrew 6y ago
under normal circumstances, you're usually not home when the postman brings your mail. some people give their postman some cash if they happen to run into them, especially if it's around a major holiday. as a random anecdote, I was talking to the ups delivery guy for my building the other day, and he said he's been making more money in tips than from his actual paycheck during the present crisis.
humaniania 6y ago
Every Christmas. The UPS guy too.
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
DougWebb 6y ago
My postman mostly brings me junk mail, that I throw directly into a bin next to my building's mailboxes rather than bring it up to the apartment. That's not his fault, of course. There's no mechanism for me to tip him on any regular basis, unlike the delivery apps that let me add a tip to my credit card payment.

throwqqq 6y ago

Because I shouldn't have to bribe people to do their job.

johnsoft 6y ago

How did you decide on a value of $5? Why do you tip at a restaurant, but not at a grocery store? (Why do you tip the server, but not the janitor?) What if we just charged everyone the real amount up front, and paid workers their real wage up front? I prefer each of my transactions to be one transaction, not two.

DougWebb 6y ago
I don't go to grocery stores; I have my groceries delivered, and I tip them well. If the businesses I buy from raised prices so they could pass the additional revenue on to their workers as hazard pay, and I had any confidence at all that they were actually doing that, I'd be glad to stop tipping.
- ccktlmazeltov 6y ago
  I would advise not tipping, which incentivizes business not to pay their workers a fair wage. You're part of the problem.
shepherdjerred 6y ago
Science has proven that the average person's life is worth about $4, but I round to $5 to be generous.

1123581321 6y ago

You missed their point, which is that you hope $5 makes you seem generous but it might not be perceived that way, and knowing the deliverer’s need and reaction can’t be known creates discomfort and hesitancy to order delivery.

graeme 6y ago

In other countries those people are simply paid more. That’s why foreigners hate American tipping culture. In foreign land: delivery person gets $10 In america: service pays delivery person $6. Client must device whether to give delivery person $3-$5. Big uncertainty about which situations call for a tip, and which don’t, and how much. In restaurants you can at least say “I pay to reward good service”. But with delivery, I am getting an undifferentiated bag of food at my door. Nothing differentiates service quality level. Deciding what amount to pay absent any interaction is confusing. And why is it based on a percentage of food? Your argument is based in the assumption the worker has little pay. In america this is true, the worker gets little because tips are expected to make up for it. In other countries, no tips are expected, so salary makes up for it.

ccktlmazeltov 6y ago

It doesn't work like this, because I either don't tip, or I pass on a service because I don't want to feel guilty not tipping. It's always a loss for a business from my point of view.

gjs278 6y ago

lol ok but if you ordered $50 worth of food (not hard) now you’re only tipping 10% why are you such a cheapskate?

goostavos 6y ago

Oh, yeah? Well, I really don't get people who really don't get not tipping! Tipping is dumb. It being percentage based is silly. I have to "appreciate" the service more because... I ordered a more expensive bottle of wine? C'mon, that's silly. It's also crazy arbitrary. We don't tip fast food workers, but we do tip people at Starbucks? I recently had someone come out and fix my washer. I had no idea whether or not to tip. I think of that Mad Men scene when these conversations about "appreciation" come up. Peggy: "you never say 'Thank you'!" Don: "That's what the money was for!" I'm a simple man, but I like service exchanges being what they say on the tin. I give you money. You give me service. No hidden societal expectations that involve more out-of-band funding.