[The Godfather]

I have seen tip jars in the most unlikely places: at a barber shop, where I get service by the owner himself. At the chinese take out "restaurant", where nobody stays and eats, there is no wait staff, just 3 cooks and one of them rings the cash register. Also at Subway and the taco truck, there are no employees who work for tips like dedicated serving staff in restaurants.

My common sense has always told me that these tip jars are a rip off, but I really have no knowledge of the truth inside their payday envelopes. I don't even know if the tip is split, in what proportions among the employees at the establishment. And if I have to tip, how much is not considered "cheap"?

On the other hand, if I become a frequent customer, then more money goes their way, even without tips.

[brassplayersrock²]

I consider them change jars actually. If I need change for a $1 or a $5, and it's in there, I usually swap it out. On the other hand there are a couple of family owned food places here that I usually put a buck or two in. I've seen them at one movie theater, a couple of Wendy's, subways, and the strangest place that I can think of was at a pet shop.

To answer the question: No I don't feel compelled to tip, unless like I mentioned above, it's a small family owned place that I keep going back to.

[IceEnclosure]

A tip jar at Subway, for instance, is split among the people on that current shift. When a shift change happens, they split whatever's in there. It's usually chump change and you're not expected to give a restaurant style 18%. I usually just put my change in there. The other day I got two subs and gave a dollar and change. Big deal, subs are $5 each.

At your Chinese restaurant, 3 cooks and one of them rings the register?? Maybe if they had to hire a dedicated cashier, their prices go up because they have to employ another person at $8/hr. That said, throwing your change in there will not give you bad karma.

[Cold Warrior]

I don't tip in the jar if they're just working behind a counter. If their work requires servicing tables with a lot of back and forth like at at restaurant, then I'll consider tipping.

[Chuckit]

It really depends on how much I like them. I don't make a distinction between working behind a counter vs. servicing tables, because I don't think walking 10 feet is some kind of onerous burden. For the deli next to my work where I go every day and I think they're extremely pleasant people to buy sandwiches from and the little Hispanic girl is kind of cute, sure, I'll tip. But just because there's a tip jar? No.

[The Godfather]

Originally Posted by IceEnclosure 

At your Chinese restaurant, 3 cooks and one of them rings the register?? Maybe if they had to hire a dedicated cashier, their prices go up because they have to employ another person at $8/hr. That said, throwing your change in there will not give you bad karma.

Yeah. I know that the less employees the better, and I am glad that the person who rings the register also handles the food. Having said this, it is actually kind of healthier that I pay with my credit card rather than cash. However, that way I never have any change to put in the tip jar.

Chuckit, that is one of the most sexist things I have ever read in any of your posts. Basing pay on the looks of a female worker? You are a true reflection of the corporate culture that engulfed this planet since forever.

[Wiskedjak]

Generally, I ignore tip jars. But, I always drop something in the tip jar at the sushi joint across the street from work.

Where I live, it's much more common to see give-a-penny-take-a-penny jars. Once, I mistook a tip-jar for a give-a-penny-take-a-penny jar and took a nickle out to avoid breaking a $20. *That* didn't go over well.

[imitchellg5]

I do generally if it's a place I frequent.

[Gankdawg]

No. If there's a tip jar, then it's probably a restaurant where I'm not seated or served at my table. I pay for most things with a debit card so I don't have loose change to give anyway.

[starman]

It depends on what kind of mood I'm in.

But, if I'm in NYC paying $5 for a goddamn bagel, no.

[EndlessMac]

The way I see the tip jar is that it's just an attempt to ask for free money. Most people just put their change in instead of the traditional tip amounts. I only do it if I think they gave me good service, but the problem is that the money is split among everyone working so lazy workers will get the same amount as good workers. That's one of the reasons why I usually don't put money in the tip jar. I would rather tip the person directly so I know they get the reward for good service.

It also depends on the type of business it is because I don't tip someone if they are the cashier for example or other non-traditional tipping places. Those people are just begging for free money. If you want to give it to them then that's your choice. As Gankdawg has mentioned the tip jar is usually present at places that are non-traditional tipping so the answer is that no I usually don't tip the tip jars...and before anyone mentions it I've worked in those places before and I didn't mind when people didn't put money in the tip jars. I always saw tip jars as free money and not part of my paycheck.

[introducingimacs]

Tip jars are quite uncommon here, but I do tip in my fastfood restaurant. It stays reasonable though (1 or 2 euro's a time) .
I can read the newspaper and magazines there which I see as extra service so even with very basic service for a 5 euro meal I give a tip.

[turtle777]

I never have change. Thanks, Amex.

-t

[Doofy]

You see a tip jar. Do you feel compelled to tip?

No, but I usually feel a strange urge to hurry home and roll about on a bed covered in Krugerrands, laughing maniacally.

[nonhuman]

Tip jars I treat the way tipping in general should be treated: as an extra reward for extra service (yes I understand that this model doesn't work for standard food workers given the way the restaurant industry works in America). In general I ignore them, but if the person behind the counter goes the extra mile (or is hot), I usually throw in at least the coins I got back, and often a dollar or two extra. Places that I frequent and where I've established a relationship with the owners/employees are more likely to get a tip than others (deservedly, I think, because they've earned my custom), and there are even times when I'll tip exorbitantly (such as at a particular steak house in Minnesota (Farmington Steak House, if you live in the area you know what I'm talking about) where, when I was going there quite often they would regularly undercharge me, give me free extras, and essentially give me free reign over the soda fountain, they usually get a $5 tip or more for an $8 counter-service meal).

[IceEnclosure]

Originally Posted by The Godfather 

Chuckit, that is one of the most sexist things I have ever read in any of your posts. Basing pay on the looks of a female worker? You are a true reflection of the corporate culture that engulfed this planet since forever.

What's so wrong with this scenario? It's quite familiar to me. Or do I too fail to see what's wrong with it because I'm engulfed in the corporate culture as well?

It works the other way too Godfather. I know some dudes who get paid handsomely mostly cause they're handsome.

[Chuckit]

Originally Posted by The Godfather 

Chuckit, that is one of the most sexist things I have ever read in any of your posts. Basing pay on the looks of a female worker? You are a true reflection of the corporate culture that engulfed this planet since forever.

I didn't say the tip was based on her looks; I merely noted her presence there. It's not like I tip more on days when she's wearing a tight tank-top and less on days when it's her mother who makes my sandwich. She's a pleasant person and it makes me like that place better.

Besides, I think liking hot chicks is less of a corporate thing and more of a straight male thing. I don't really do corporate.

("But you do straight males?")

[Peter]

I never tip, in the UK we have minimum wage. Anyone that works in a place that pays less on the assumption consumers will tip is a fool

[The Godfather]

Originally Posted by Chuckit

I didn't say the tip was based on her looks; I merely noted her presence there. It's not like I tip more on days when she's wearing a tight tank-top and less on days when it's her mother who makes my sandwich. She's a pleasant person and it makes me like that place better.

Besides, I think liking hot chicks is less of a corporate thing and more of a straight male thing. I don't really do corporate.

You and IE didn't see through my twisted jest. I wrote a critical sounding paragraph that actually says that you are pretty normal. If you must know, you have never wrote anything sexist, therefore anything slightly suspect becomes the worst you've ever done

[The Godfather]

[double posted]

[11011001]

Sort of a tangent, but when I was in S. Korea I wasn't supposed to tip, anywhere. It was very odd, though eating out was really great as such. Are there are any other places like that ?

[Doofy]

Originally Posted by 11011001 

Sort of a tangent, but when I was in S. Korea I wasn't supposed to tip, anywhere. It was very odd, though eating out was really great as such. Are there are any other places like that ?

I believe it's actually illegal to tip in Switzerland.

[Peter]

tip what?

[kmkkid]

I use the tip trough at the bar all the time. Bartenders need to eat too