Is Tipping Your Cable Technician Expected?

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The discussion revolves around whether to tip a cable technician, with opinions varying widely. Some participants argue that tipping is unnecessary since the technician is already compensated well for their work, similar to other service professionals like plumbers or electricians. Others believe that tipping is a common courtesy, especially if the technician provides good service or goes above and beyond, such as helping with additional tasks. The conversation also touches on cultural differences regarding tipping, with some participants noting that in countries like Japan and Belgium, tipping is not customary and service is included in the price. The debate highlights differing views on the expectations of service workers and the appropriateness of tipping based on the nature of the job and the quality of service provided. Overall, the topic reflects broader societal attitudes toward tipping practices and compensation for service roles.
honestrosewater
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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. :wink:
 
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I wouldn't. But I'm mean. (+See the first five minutes of resevoir dogs.)
 
honestrosewater said:
He's pretty cute too. :wink:

Are you talking about a financial tip o:) or something a little more :!) ?
 
You should not tip him. Allow him to remain upright.
 
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.
 
honestrosewater said:
He was on time and very nice. He's pretty cute too. :wink:
Tip "I'm available Friday night". :biggrin:
 
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.
 
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The_Professional said:
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.
 
Moonbear said:
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.
 
  • #10
Math Is Hard said:
You should not tip him. Allow him to remain upright.
:smile:

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. :smile: Wow, I really need to go out sometime soon. :redface:
 
  • #11
Moonbear said:
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.
 
  • #12
The_Professional said:
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?
 
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  • #13
The_Professional said:
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.
 
  • #14
honestrosewater said:
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.
 
  • #15
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...
 
  • #16
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...
 
  • #17
if he's cute, tip him, then see if he wants to go for dinner sometime.
 
  • #18
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? :confused:
 
  • #19
well, it'd be nice if he tipped her and took her on a date, but i think that's prostitution.
 
  • #20
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.
 
  • #21
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.
 
  • #22
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 .
 
  • #23
Gale said:
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? :confused: 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.
 
  • #24
I agree with Cyrus

That must have been painful for you. :smile:
 
  • #25
cyrusabdollahi said:
That must have been painful for you. :smile:
Horrible. I'll need to be in therapy for years now.

:smile:
 
  • #26
Just don't leave the doc too big of a tip. :-p
 
  • #27
cyrusabdollahi said:
Just don't leave the doc too big of a tip. :-p
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. :biggrin: I just have to figure out how to meet one without getting myself committed to the psychiatric ward. :rolleyes:
 
  • #28
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.
 
  • #29
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]
 
  • #30
cyrusabdollahi said:
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?
 
  • #31
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. :smile:
 
  • #32
Moonbear said:
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. :biggrin:
 
  • #33
cyrusabdollahi said:
This issue has got you on tilt. :smile:
Ding! :-p
 
  • #34
Orefa said:
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.
 
  • #35
TheStatutoryApe said:
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? :rolleyes:
 
  • #36
You should send it back moonbear. Honestly, I would. I am not paying money for bad food. Unless the waitress is HOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT, then ill just shut up and eat it with a smile. That happened to my friend and I once, she was like did you enjoy your meal, we were like it was great thank you :smile:, when we walked out the door we just looked at each other and said great food my ass. (I think it was a Hooters...)
 
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  • #37
cyrusabdollahi said:
You should send it back moonbear. Honestly, I would. I am not paying money for bad food. Unless the waitress is HOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT, then ill just shut up and eat it with a smile. That happened to my friend and I once, she was like did you enjoy your meal, we were like it was great thank you :smile:, when we walked out the door we just looked at each other and said great food my ass. (I think it was a Hooters...)
If it isn't inedible, I don't bother sending it back (I did that once, and then everyone else is done eating before your food comes back, so it just isn't worth bothering), though if there is something wrong, I usually do let the server know, just so they know to give the feedback to the cook to correct the problem. One example was ordering a burger at one of those chain restaurants. I know they don't usually cook them rare, so I specifically asked the waitress about that when I ordered and she said I could order it rare, so I did. It came out not just medium, but fairly well-done. I was too hungry to bother sending it back, and it wasn't like I was surprised they couldn't cook a burger rare there, but when the waitress came around, I let her know that it wasn't rare. I ended up deciding to get a dessert that day too (yeah, I was really hungry), and when the check came, she told me she comped me the dessert since the burger wasn't done right...so I added the cost of the dessert to her tip. It was a nice gesture, and I hadn't asked her to do anything about the burger, just let her know so she could inform the next customer correctly, and I was prepared to pay the price for the full meal, so it didn't really matter. Besides, I suspected she must be new to have made that mistake, so figured it would show her that it's worth it to do the right thing for the customer even if they don't ask for it.
 
  • #38
Hmm, I think I remember a prono starting out with the same scenario.
 
  • #39
mattmns said:
Hmm, I think I remember a prono starting out with the same scenario.
yep. Saw that.

baow tikka waow waow..

HRW: Ooh, I'd really like to get ALL those channels...
Cable Guy: Sure. But that will be.. you know.. extra...

baow tikka waow waow..

HRW: What do you think I would be missing if I didn't get Showtime?
Cable Guy: You might miss something like this..

baow tikka waow waow..

HRW: Like that? Oh, no, I don't want to miss that..
Cable Guy: Or this...
HRW: Do you think I would.. ooh.. miss this..?

baow tikka waow waow..

(seven minutes later)

Cable Guy: OK, 14 extra channels. I'll just need your signature.
 
Last edited:
  • #40
Math Is Hard said:
yep. Saw that.

baow tikka waow waow..

HRW: Ooh, I'd really like to get ALL those channels...
Cable Guy: Sure. But that will be.. you know.. extra...

baow tikka waow waow..

HRW: What do you think I would be missing if I didn't get Showtime?
Cable Guy: You might miss something like this..

baow tikka waow waow..

HRW: Like that? Oh, no, I don't want to miss that..
Cable Guy: Or this...
HRW: Do you think I would.. ooh.. miss this..?

baow tikka waow waow..

(seven minutes later)

Cable Guy: OK, 14 extra channels. I'll just need your signature.
:smile: :smile: :smile:
 
  • #41
Seven minutes?
 
  • #42
honestrosewater said:
Seven minutes?
Hey, I'm just bring honest. o:)
oh, I believe the name of that film was "Cable Ready".
 
  • #43
Math Is Hard said:
Hey, I'm just bring honest. o:)
oh, I believe the name of that film was "Cable Ready".
I wasn't actually complaining. I was going to say something else, but my good angel won. o:)
She's only supposed to work Mondays.
 
  • #44
People don't tip here. Well, hardly ever. If you go the bars at the casino, they leave your change on a little dish so you can leave them a tip if you want, and some of the really really high class restaurants expect it (not that I can ever afford to eat there). But otherwise people here get a wage for their job and that's it.

Now, if someone goes out of their way to do something nice of course I'll leave them a tip. And I tip the local businesses that I frequent often. But generally here we just don't tip people.
 
  • #45
I gave him some cookies and water that I made (I only made the cookies). You may or may not allow him to take a look and/or eat your cookies.
 
  • #46
The cable guy I met ddid't know what was Kazza trafic:-p
 
  • #47
honestrosewater said:
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...

Here in Belgium the service is factored in the price. Tipping is unheard of. I find the idea of paying someone to be nice with you rather odd. I mean, professionalism should mean that they would have to provide good service anyway, no?
 
  • #48
Kazza_765 said:
People don't tip here.
Good!

Dimitri Terryn said:
Here in Belgium the service is factored in the price. Tipping is unheard of.
Excellent!

I knew tipping was redundant. Let's all rally against this absurd concept. Revolution! Revolution! I'm so excited! Someone get me down! :biggrin:
 
  • #49
hey , here in new zealand you hardley ever tip anyone. its not expected in the least. but it is still a nice guesture if you do.that was directed at you moon
 
  • #50
I knew tipping was redundant. Let's all rally against this absurd concept. Revolution! Revolution! I'm so excited! Someone get me down!
Should I used the bat or the mace?
 

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