Who are you tipping this holiday season?
Ah, the holidays. The one time of year we have to pretend to like this guy or that, enjoy gifts from this girl or that and relish a homemade meal from this relative or that.
But enough bitching about such Griswold family moments. The real holiday acting for Canadians come when it’s time to tip our maids, mail carriers and doormen.
And even though the thought of handing over hard-earned cash to the garbage man makes us look like Jets fans after finding out Rex Ryan allegedly took part in his wife’s foot fetish videos, tipping is simply a part of the gig. So, who are you tipping this holiday season?
By a new study from Consumer Reports, cleaning people (what’s the PC way to write "maids" these days, anyway?) will be the servicemen among us raking in the most tips, walking away with about $35 this holiday.
Not enough to buy that private island in French Polynesia, sure, but it’s big money compared to what others in the service biz get.
Check out the accompanying graph, which notes teachers, barbers and pet-care providers only receive a fraction of what maids can bring home.
One interesting note to Consumer Reports’ data is what’s being given to newspaper carriers in 2010. According to the watchdog agency, “in this age of electronic news, a higher percentage of respondents than in the past tipped newspaper carriers.” Now, that’s pity you can take to the bank!
Of course, anytime we run a story like this it’s our contractual obligation to pass on the general “rules” of tipping. By most measures, you’re supposed to give whoever the equivalent of a single session or week’s wage on top of your regular payments. So, if you pay your dog walker $10 to walk your schnauzer twice a week, give them $20 around the holidays. That kind of thing.
But, guidelines or not, there is no template for who we should tip. That is up to you.
Canadians: who will you tip this holiday season? How much will you give?
By Jason Buckland, MSN Money
(*Graph courtesy: Consumer Reports)
Posted by: Paula | Dec 23, 2021 10:26:07 AM
I am a Child Care provider, working 101/2 hrs. each day (no saturday or sunday) for appr. $ 13 hr.,
taking care of 5 children up to five years old. Out of that income I have to pay all the expenses,
like insurances, heating, car, snacks, toys, electricity etc.
Who tips me? Maybe some chocolates (I don't eat chocolate), maybe a bottle of wine (only at Christmas).
Am I whining? No, burnt out...
I started to hate tipping,because if one doesn't hit the 20% tipping mark, one can feel the wrath.
So, to avoid that, I avoid restaurants and hairdressers as much as I possibly can.
Posted by: Brad | Dec 23, 2021 11:43:07 AM
I think tipping has gotten a bit out of control personally. I also hate how tipping at a restaurant the tips get divided up. I'm tipping the waitress not the cook, not the other wait staff that one person. I find I tip less when this is the case.
I've been told 20% is the norm now for a tip and if that's the case I'll stop eating out!
Posted by: Shu | Dec 23, 2021 1:47:54 PM
Tipping is for rewarding good services. Once it's mandatory, it lost it's meaning. I think it should be from the heart and the amount should reflect the satisfaction you get from the service. If you are not happy, why should you have to give more than you should? Countries like China, New Zealand and Australia don't even accept tips and they have excellant services because they know it's their job to serve you. If you are proud of your service, tipping becomes secondary. So tip only what you want and who you want and enjoy whatever services you deserve.
Posted by: Merry Christmas | Dec 23, 2021 2:24:22 PM
What happened to just saying "Merry Christmas" and being thankful for Christ's birth and what we have? (I've never heard of tipping the cook. That's news to me. I also haven't heard of tipping 20%.)
Posted by: rick | Dec 23, 2021 4:01:44 PM
I don't really understand this whole tipping thing. I work in the services industry and spend alot of time and energy getting my customers what they need, do i expect a tip, NO. This is my job and that is what my boss pays me to do.As for tipping the garbage man and the mailman, in my city the only thing the garbage man is really good at is bitching whining and complaining. Here is my tip to the garbage men of Kamloops, IF YOU DON'T LIKE YOUR JOB, FIND ANOTHER. As for the mailman, he makes twice as much as i do, live with it.
Posted by: John | Dec 23, 2021 4:13:32 PM
Always tip the letter carrier it brings you good luck.
Twenty dollars should do.
Posted by: Paula | Dec 23, 2021 5:21:51 PM
Hi John,
it could well be you are a letter carrier.
Good luck, hahaha, hohoho...........
Posted by: Jerry | Dec 23, 2021 8:03:28 PM
why not give a mail carrier a tip? they have to come to your house everyday with a lot of your personal stuff and information. I;m glad they make that much, and that I can send a letter across the country for 50cents
Posted by: Jerry | Dec 23, 2021 8:06:47 PM
give them 2-5 bucks and a card, they'll always deliver your magazines neatly and letters dry
Posted by: Hilary | Dec 23, 2021 8:21:27 PM
Down under in Australia they don't tip a lot, not at restaurants or cabs. waiters make over 20$ an hour and wages are higher in jobs that in north America, expect tips. I think they still tip the post office guy. In my opinion no one should be tipped ideally, but now its how a lot of people make a living.
Posted by: Richard | Dec 24, 2021 4:39:41 PM
Paula... are any of those 5 children yours ? is it 5 children in addition to yours ? If you're at home caring for children in addition to yours, then the cost of electricity, heating are non-issues... you'd be at home anyways. And I don't understand the car expense; what ? do you drive them to and from their specific homes like a taxi or bus driver ? If so, then you should charge more. If not, then it's NOT an expense of your job. Lastly, assuming you are paying income tax on your livelyhood, all those expenses would be deductible. If you;re not paying income tax, then... think about it. It's called underground economy.
Posted by: Richard | Dec 24, 2021 4:46:30 PM
Jerry wrote: the mail carrier comes to your house will a lot of your personal stuff and information !! Yup, and they also bring a lot of JUNK and other types of admail. I don't and will never tip a mail carrier or a garbage collector... would any of you tip the guy who drives the snowplow to clean up your streets or the police officer who drives around your neighborhood making sure you're safe... or your doctor, dentist or the receptionist at their office ? Same difference.
Posted by: Andy | Dec 24, 2021 7:00:59 PM
We always tip the paperboy ( should say paperman), he's always ontime, our paper is neatly folded and protected from rain etc. He never walks across the lawn, but down the drive and out to the next drive. He makes an effort to be professional in his job and that deserves some recognition when my paper is ontime so I can enjoy my daily routine before I hit the pavement and do my job.
Posted by: sal | Dec 24, 2021 11:45:39 PM
I don't believe in tipping. It's your job. Just do it and move on. Paula keep up the good work
Grab the cash and move on.
Posted by: Shelly | Dec 26, 2021 2:36:35 PM
Hillary,
As one who has worked in the service industry and travelled extensively in Canada, Australia and around the world, may I please correct your misconception. The wages for service jobs are NOT the same in Canada and the US as in Australia. In most parts of Canada servers work for minimum wage and rely on their tips to eat. In the USA it is even worse in some places, where employers have their staff work for tips only.
In Australia, shift differentials apply so staff are paid more hourly for weekends and evenings, and the wage is enough to comfortably live on. I know a barrista in Adelaide who makes $24. per hour on weekend days and more on weekend evenings.
A tip is not a gift from the heart, it is a charge for prompt efficient service. In almost every Food and Beverage Outlet I know, and I have worked in this business for over 25 years, it is split among cooks, dishwashers, expediters, bussers, hostesses and the maitre'd and sommelier if there is one, as well as the server who earned it.
Pony up. 20% is not the exception. It is the rule.
As to those who do not wish to tip, you are absolutely right. Stay home. It is cheaper and you are not "costing a serve" to serve because they must tip out to the other staff over the amount of your inappropriate tip.
Posted by: To Shelly: | Dec 27, 2021 12:15:18 PM
No Shelly, a tip is not a charge for anything. A tip is simply a "thankyou." I could also say "Have a nice day." You should be happy with either. I don't tip more than 10% unless I have excellent service, then I tip 12%. If you are complaining, as a waitress, you should ask for a higher wage and if that doesn't work for you, get a job that you like with a higher pay. However, please don't complain about the customers. Also, my family will keep using our family hard-earned money to go to restaurants and expect good service, as it is the waiter/waitresses job, no matter how much we do or don't tip.
Posted by: tenacious otter | Dec 27, 2021 4:02:08 PM
Tipping is an untrackable, and therefore untaxable form of income. To those of you that work in the service industry, I have this to say. A tip is a gift. If you work for a business that fosters an expectation of a 20% premium, and I become aware of it. I no longer, patronize said business. I travel extensively away from my home to work, and patronize many establishments for my day to day necessities while I'm on the road. If the business you work for has an expectation that the server, serving me should receive a 20% tip, then they should state it on the menu, and include it in the price. Any expectation of a premium is rediculous.
As to the question posed by this article, my tipping habits don't change because of the season. I tip and tip well in my opinion, but this is coming from someone that still believes tipping is a gift. I've been aware of the policy that businesses require servers to split their tips, it has never seemed unreasonable to me. I pay tips as much for the quality of the product as well as the service.