Should I tip the cable guy? URGENT:

[honestrosewater]

URGENT: Do I tip the cable guy?

Seriously. I'm stupid and didn't think about it. He's here right now, so I'd like to know. Actually, I'll probably tip him anyway, but I'm curious now.

He was on time and very nice. He's pretty cute too.

 

[fasterthanjoao]

I wouldn't. But I'm mean. (+See the first five minutes of resevoir dogs.)

 

[shmoe]

He's pretty cute too.

Are you talking about a financial tip or something a little more :!) ?

 

[Math Is Hard]

You should not tip him. Allow him to remain upright.

 

[Moonbear]

No tipping, they're paid well enough for the job.

How come everybody else gets cute cable guys except me? I got the guy who was so out of shape that he was out of breath by the time he got up the first flight of stairs. :yuck:

 

[Evo]

He was on time and very nice. He's pretty cute too.

Tip "I'm available Friday night".

 

[The_Professional]

i once tipped a cable guy and even offered him some food on the table. he gave me free hbo

you should definitely tip him. just common courtesy.

 

[Moonbear]

you should definitely tip him. just common courtesy.

Why? Would you tip the plumber, or painter, or anyone else who you're already paying to install something in your home? The way I look at it, if I'm paying for a service, then I don't tip the person performing the service. If the service is included free along with whatever I've purchased (such as buying food in a restaurant and the waitress provides the service of bringing it to the table without charging extra and without requiring me to pick my own food up at a counter; or I buy furniture and free delivery is included), then I tip the person providing the service...basically, then I'm paying them directly for providing the service in the form of a tip rather than paying a pre-determined service fee.

 

[The_Professional]

Why? Would you tip the plumber, or painter, or anyone else who you're already paying to install something in your home?

the cable guy is different. at least that's how i look at it.

for a couple of dollars i won't lose sleep over it.

 

[honestrosewater]

You should not tip him. Allow him to remain upright.

:rofl:

Meh, I tipped him. He seemed happy. He called me sweetie or something when he left -- in a nice way -- I was being sweet and friendly. Wow, I really need to go out sometime soon.

 

[The_Professional]

The way I look at it, if I'm paying for a service, then I don't tip the person performing the service. If the service is included free along with whatever I've purchased (such as buying food in a restaurant and the waitress provides the service of bringing it to the table without charging extra and without requiring me to pick my own food up at a counter; or I buy furniture and free delivery is included), then I tip the person providing the service...basically, then I'm paying them directly for providing the service in the form of a tip rather than paying a pre-determined service fee.

so how come you didnt tip the cashier who rung up your order at the grocery? you're still paying them by buying at the grocery place. the waitress is getting paid as well, at a minimum wage but they're getting more money from tips.

 

[honestrosewater]

the waitress is getting paid as well, at a minimum wage but they're getting more money from tips.

Not all waitresses/waiters/servers make minimum wage. I didn't. I made somewhere around half minimum wage. It was expected that we would earn tips. There are different wage rates for tipped employees.
US federal and state: http://www.dol.gov/esa/programs/whd/state/tipped.htm

I think the tipping thing is silly and everyone should just charge what they need and let tipping be optional. But what are you going to do?

 

[Moonbear]

so how come you didnt tip the cashier who rung up your order at the grocery? you're still paying them by buying at the grocery place. the waitress is getting paid as well, at a minimum wage but they're getting more money from tips.

Waitresses are actually allowed to be paid less than minimum wage with the expectation that they earn the rest of their wages from tips. You really aren't paying for their service when you buy your food. The same as with pizza delivery, where they often work for the tips they get, and aren't really paid properly at all (unless there is an added delivery fee already included in the order).

In the grocery store, the cashier isn't providing me with a service, they are the one charging me for my food! Besides, I use the self-check-out lines now anyway, because the cashiers are too slow and have a tendency to squish my bread under the milk and stupidities like that. They're more a hindrance than help.

If I had the choice of self-installation with cable, which isn't even an option, at least not here, or free installation, and opted for free installation, then I'd tip. But if I have no choice, and in order to complete my purchase of cable, they insist on sending someone to do it for me, and charge for it no less, then I definitely am not tipping for it. So, really, why would cable installation be any different than hiring an electrician? The electrician's job is much harder and requires a lot more skill.

 

[Moonbear]

I think the tipping thing is silly and everyone should just charge what they need and let tipping be optional. But what are you going to do?

I agree. Tipping should be a way of rewarding someone for exceptional service, or for doing something extra that's not considered part of the normal service, not something expected of anyone who just does their job the way it's supposed to be done. I think it's gotten entirely out of hand. So, if that cable guy tossed in an extra service that wasn't supposed to be included, like maybe helping move a large TV so you can get to the back and connect the cable to it, or having to move a table to get access to where the outlet needs to be installed, then I might consider a tip for the extra effort that was not a required part of his job, but if he just does the job he's paid to do and nothing more, then nope, no tip.

 

[honestrosewater]

Perhaps as long as income is taxed (so people have to report their tips), it might just be a natural progression that tips become factored into what people charge and are paid. I wonder how it started anyway...

 

[moose]

This is the way I see it. I would pay someone x$ for doing something. If the person did far better at whatever than I expected, then I would in fact...tip him/her...

 

[Gale]

if he's cute, tip him, then see if he wants to go for dinner sometime.

 

[Hurkyl]

if he's cute, tip him, then see if he wants to go for dinner sometime.

Isn't that supposed to happen the other way around?

 

[Gale]

well, it'd be nice if he tipped her and took her on a date, but i think that's prostitution.

 

[Cyrus]

I wouldn't tip a cable guy. Hes doing his job, and he's not working on commissions. I would just offer him a glass of water.

 

[Gale]

i think generally, you should tip if you intend to use their services again. its just nice, and they're likely to do a higher quality job.

 

[Cyrus]

But he's a tech. That means he gets a modest salary, and paid vacation time. I don't see the need to tip him. I wouldn't tip the pepco guy, or the guys that cut the lawn, why would I tip the cable guy? Its their job .

 

[Moonbear]

i think generally, you should tip if you intend to use their services again. its just nice, and they're likely to do a higher quality job.

How often do you get cable installed? I agree with Cyrus, it's his job. If he wants a repeat customer, he'll do the job well; I shouldn't have to tip to get the job done right. Those cable guys probably get paid pretty well too, it's not just some minimum wage thing.

 

[Cyrus]

I agree with Cyrus

That must have been painful for you.

 

[Moonbear]

That must have been painful for you.

Horrible. I'll need to be in therapy for years now. :grumpy:

:rofl:

 

[Cyrus]

Just don't leave the doc too big of a tip. :tongue2:

 

[Moonbear]

Just don't leave the doc too big of a tip. :tongue2:

Ooh, but a psychiatrist is a good one to marry...they work nice, normal hours, are really good listeners, make lots of money, never give their home number out to their patients, so no calls in the middle of the night. I just have to figure out how to meet one without getting myself committed to the psychiatric ward. :uhh:

 

[Cyrus]

Have you seen the movie solaris with george clooney? He was a psychiatrist in it, so what his wife. I thought it was an ok movie. I enjoyed the flash backs to the times he had with his wife back on earth.

 

[Orefa]

Has anyone here been to Japan? I've heard that tipping is frowned upon in Japan where they consider it charity. Which is offensive. Or something like that.

[Begin Rant]

Well, if this is so then I think Japan has it right. If I had my way, tipping would be illegal and everyone would received a salary commensurate with the abilities required for their job. If you don't like the service at this restaurant, don't go back. It's the same thing as if you don't like the food. You don't go to the kitchen to tip the cook, do you? No. You just don't return if you don't like it. Food and service is a package and there's no reason to tip one employee and not the other.

That said, I do tip servers exactly the same percentage of the bill 98% of the time, as I am expected to according to the high priests of the service industry. I have done it for years. But it's only because I realize that many of them don't get minimum wages, as permitted by some irrational law. Virtually everyone else already gets paid what they are worth and don't need to be tipped. I don't get tipped. You don't get tipped. Down with tipping.

[End Rant]

 

[Orefa]

Have you seen the movie solaris with george clooney?

Yes, I've seen it. Not bad overall, but was it supposed to mean anything in the end?

 

[Cyrus]

Was it supposed to mean anything in the beginning?

[Begin Rant]

Well, if this is so then I think Japan has it right. If I had my way, tipping would be illegal and everyone would received a salary commensurate with the abilities required for their job. If you don't like the service at this restaurant, don't go back. It's the same thing as if you don't like the food. You don't go to the kitchen to tip the cook, do you? No. You just don't return if you don't like it. Food and service is a package and there's no reason to tip one employee and not the other.

That said, I do tip servers exactly the same percentage of the bill 98% of the time, as I am expected to according to the high priests of the service industry. I have done it for years. But it's only because I realize that many of them don't get minimum wages, as permitted by some irrational law. Virtually everyone else already gets paid what they are worth and don't need to be tipped. I don't get tipped. You don't get tipped. Down with tipping.

[End Rant]

This issue has got you on tilt.

 

[JasonRox]

Why? Would you tip the plumber, or painter, or anyone else who you're already paying to install something in your home?

No, they don't give you free HBO.

 

[Orefa]

This issue has got you on tilt.

:grumpy: Ding! :tongue2:

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

Well, if this is so then I think Japan has it right. If I had my way, tipping would be illegal and everyone would received a salary commensurate with the abilities required for their job. If you don't like the service at this restaurant, don't go back. It's the same thing as if you don't like the food. You don't go to the kitchen to tip the cook, do you? No. You just don't return if you don't like it. Food and service is a package and there's no reason to tip one employee and not the other.

Most jobs where people get tipped are low paying sorts of jobs to begin with. Even if they were to get higher wages their employers wouldn't be able to pay them as much as they get in tips. Tips and the potential to make rather large sums of money from tips for working a rather menial position that would not make much money otherwise is the whole reason why people take these jobs.
Most people who receive tips at their jobs also "tip out" the cooks and busboys. The ones that don't will probably find that they are getting fewer tips as the orders for their tables seem to not come as fast as they used to and their tables are never cleaned up for them fast enough to seat new customers in a timely manner.

 

[Moonbear]

Most jobs where people get tipped are low paying sorts of jobs to begin with. Even if they were to get higher wages their employers wouldn't be able to pay them as much as they get in tips. Tips and the potential to make rather large sums of money from tips for working a rather menial position that would not make much money otherwise is the whole reason why people take these jobs.
Most people who receive tips at their jobs also "tip out" the cooks and busboys. The ones that don't will probably find that they are getting fewer tips as the orders for their tables seem to not come as fast as they used to and their tables are never cleaned up for them fast enough to seat new customers in a timely manner.

Oh, so they have a whole racket going, huh? Does that mean if I don't like the food, but the service was still good, I should stiff the server and tell them to take it out of the cook's cut?