How much should you tip a bus driver? If the problem never crossed your mind, maybe it should. I was faced with this problem on our recent trip abroad. We were on a bus to Dublin airport when I noticed this little note on maybe showing my gratitude to the driver. I was raised in a culture where it was customary to tip a taxi driver. When ride-sharing companies came along, it went without question that you’d still give a little something to the driver.
From what I’ve seen, tipping public transport drivers is not a thing anywhere. Yet. What we have here is a simple case of guilt-tripping. So, you’re going to the airport, traveling to someplace fancy, surely you can afford a small tip? Not to mention the whole carbon-print stigma associated with travel. You’re already destroying the planet with your flight so the least you can do is give this guy a small tip.
How much do you tip at a self checkout?
News reports from the US especially paint the picture of a tipping culture gone totally crazy. Tipping at fast-food places. Tipping at Target. Tipping at self-checkout machines?!? Is this a sign that we’re all so well off only assholes wouldn’t leave a tip? I’m afraid not. On the contrary, everybody is feeling the effects of the economic crisis and we’re being shamed into tipping more and more to make up for the fact that vast categories of people haven’t had a raise in years.
Take hospitality workers as we’re now supposed to call waiters or bartenders. The minimum wage for waiters is barely above $2/hour in many American states and they are usually paid minimum wages in Europe. The pay is so low that many European countries are complaining of an acute serving personnel shortage. Here, in Romania, beach resorts are looking to get Asian immigrants for the summer. France and Italy have been complaining about a serving personnel shortage since the end of the pandemic. Young people don’t want to get a summer gig as waiters or chef-assistant because it’s not worth it. You’d think that the restaurant owner would offer more money, but, no, you are the one expected to come up with the money. I don’t remember anyone asking me how much I’ve been earning lately. I’m making less than I did one year ago, thanks to AI. Food and utilities bills are up for me as well, thank you very much. I have zero job certainty. Still, I am expected to tip more people more money to show some solidarity.
Here’s a telling byline from a Washington Post article:
With inflation at its highest level in 40 years, err on the side of being kindhearted to service workers.
The article was advocating leaving a generous tip for takeout. A quick in-and-out in a fast-food joint and you’re supposed to tip the guy handing you a bag 15-20%. Since when? Oh, yeah, since inflation is through the roof.
I’m not responsible for inflation
The current inflation is in no way my doing. I was against lockdowns and shutting down businesses. I am against spending billions on arming Ukraine for a doomed counter-offensive. I am against green taxes of any kind that only line up the pockets of people who are already filthy rich. Since I’m not to blame for inflation, why should I pay? I suffer just as much as the waiter or the bus driver or the hapless teenager bagging food at the takeout joint.
Here’s another example - How much should you tip at Starbucks? I am proud to say I’ve never set foot in a Starbucks, because I hate them and their overpriced crap (no offense to anyone!) What caught my eye in the article is this line:
Some argued that if the customer can’t afford to tip $2, they shouldn’t be buying expensive drinks.
Now, this Starbucks culture is foreign to me. I go to a coffee shop when I travel or occasionally to meet a friend. I’m not one of those that are accustomed to going to Starbucks every day and I don’t sympathize with them. Still, I get the idea and I don’t agree these people should pay extra for the privilege of drinking an overpriced pumpkin latte. If anyone should pay more it’s the employer. Here’s the profit Starbucks made during the last fiscal year:
Starbucks' gross profit for the twelve months ending March 31, 2023 was $23.061B, a 6.57% increase year-over-year. Starbucks' annual gross profit for 2022 was $21.933B, a 7.93% increase from 2021.
Their profit is up and it’s counted in billions. Mine is not.
The tyranny of the electronic tip
In an increasingly cashless society, it was inevitable tips would also be paid by card. Traditionally, you’d go to a restaurant, pay your bill and leave whatever tip you considered decent. I still believe in the 10% and from what I’ve read this is still the norm in most European countries. However, since you are now encouraged to add a tip before paying with your card, the waiter comes with the tablet and watches you while you select how much you tip. Will it be 15 or 20% or are you a scrooge who’ll tip a measly 10%? In the US, from what I’ve read the options go up to 30 or 40%, which I find ludicrous. I can brave any waiter giving me the stink eye, that’s not the problem.
The real problem is that the waiter will go home thinking his life is miserable because of stingy customers like me. He won’t be asking himself what causes inflation or how much money his bosses are making. I am to blame. Once again, the powers that be are pitting us against each other. I hate the waiter, the waiter hates me when, in fact, we should stand together and hate those whose fortunes are growing no matter how much the rest of the society suffers.
