Tipping Pros. Thoughts?

[TobiasFunke]

I don't tip because the illegals are just going to send the money to their families in Mexico

PLOT TWIST!

[HeavenlyHalos]

Tipping prostitutes? Yeah, if they do a good job, or give an additional job at no extra cost, they should get more than just the one tip.

[HuntingtonMike]

If I'm on business travel and its just me I don't even use the maids unless I'm there more than 2 nights. I'm only in my room to sleep and shower. I just leave the DND on the door my whole trip.

This. I usually do the same. I don't let them in. I will get fresh towels from them when I see them in the hall. I hate them knocking the door and yelling housekeeping. Just keep the DND sign up and don't have to deal with them. Also dont have to worry bout them taking shit.

[Slegnaac]

...

I don't even know how much you'd tip a maid, $5 a night? What if they never come in and clean the room? ...

If they never come in the room your tip will still be there.

Definitely under appreciated job.

Is it really that big of an effort to leave 1 or 2 bucks a day?

[Brandon]

Gotta save that money to tip servers. I saw the website that said tip 18% or stay home.

[Hollyw00d]

They should just pay their maids more.

that means the hotel would be obligated to pay more money instead of the customers. That's just silly

[Slegnaac]

This. I usually do the same. I don't let them in. I will get fresh towels from them when I see them in the hall. I hate them knocking the door and yelling housekeeping. Just keep the DND sign up and don't have to deal with them. Also dont have to worry bout them taking shit.

Put a lock on your Shit if you are that worried or do you have more faith in a paper DND sign?

[Jay]

Disappointed to see such a low level of generosity in this thread.

[wopphil]

Disappointed to see such a low level of generosity in this thread.

I don't think you are correct. Some people simply had no clue (myself included) that you are now supposed to tip maids.

Where do you draw the line? If I am tipping the maids because they are paid only minimum wage, should I also tip the people who assemble my tacos at Taco Bell? If I am tipping the maids because they are providing me a "service," should I also tip my mechanic? If I am tipping them just to be a good person, shouldn't I tip everyone I encounter who could use an extra dollar or two?

I don't generally allow maids into my room, and therefore wouldn't be put into the situation to begin with, but I don't think anyone should feel obligated to tip them.

By the way, never once has one of my clients tipped me.

Edited September 22, 2014 by wopphil

[Hollyw00d]

The maids still come into your room after you've left and clean up your shit. It's not like they just leave the room as it is for the next person.

[Angel Dog and Beer]

Nope, never tipped a maid. Only if I specifically call and ask they bring something to my room.  I don't leave the room a mess, so I feel there's no point to it. I suppose if you trash your room, shit on the bathroom floor, vomit on the bed, then yeah, you should definitely leave something.

[AngelsFaninGA]

For me, it's not even about the money, since I'd just add the tip to one of my meals and expense it to the client anyway. It's about having to carry cash, in particular small bills. First, I have to go the ATM to withdraw the cash, and since I can't withdraw the cash in denominations of less than $20, I then have to find a way to break the 20 into 1's and 5's. That's a major nuisance. If I could just add the 5-10 bucks to my bill at the end of my stay and have it charged to my credit card I would gladly tip. 

[mp170.6]

I don't think you are correct. Some people simply had no clue (myself included) that you are now supposed to tip maids.

Where do you draw the line? If I am tipping the maids because they are paid only minimum wage, should I also tip the people who assemble my tacos at Taco Bell? If I am tipping the maids because they are providing me a "service," should I also tip my mechanic? If I am tipping them just to be a good person, shouldn't I tip everyone I encounter who could use an extra dollar or two?

I don't generally allow maids into my room, and therefore wouldn't be put into the situation to begin with, but I don't think anyone should feel obligated to tip them.

By the way, never once has one of my clients tipped me.

 

Another problem I have with tipping maids is if you inadvertently leave cash (or property) behind, they're going to start assuming it was a gift. 

[Jay]

 

I don't think you are correct. Some people simply had no clue (myself included) that you are now supposed to tip maids.

Where do you draw the line? If I am tipping the maids because they are paid only minimum wage, should I also tip the people who assemble my tacos at Taco Bell? If I am tipping the maids because they are providing me a "service," should I also tip my mechanic? If I am tipping them just to be a good person, shouldn't I tip everyone I encounter who could use an extra dollar or two?

I don't generally allow maids into my room, and therefore wouldn't be put into the situation to begin with, but I don't think anyone should feel obligated to tip them.

By the way, never once has one of my clients tipped me.

 

It's not something new to tip the hotel staff.  It's not that you are "now" supposed to tip maids.  This has been standard practice for as long as I can remember, going back to my Air Force days I would always leave something for the housekeeping staff when I would be TDY staying in the base billeting.  It's not like an E-3 is rolling in dough either.

 

You would tip almost anybody else on the hotel staff: bellhop, valet, room service, doorman for getting you a cab.  Why not housekeeping?  Especially if they do a good job.  A good tip is the sincerest "thank you" that there is.

 

You can feel free to tip the people at Taco Bell if you like.  You would tip your bartender, and it's arguably more complicated to assemble a taco than it is to open a bottle of beer.  I always shove a buck into the Jar at Chipotle or sandwich shop or Starbucks.  Spread it around!

 

Come to think of it, when we're at the baseball game we don't tip the people at the hot dog stand but we tip the people behind those beer carts.  Why is that?

 

Your mechanic's compensation is likely not structured around tips.  He's a skilled tradesman and probably makes a decent hourly wage.

 

If you don't allow housekeeping into your room and they only have to clean the room once, then a small tip is fine.  I usually put some cash in one of the envelopes in the desk and write "housekeeping" on the envelope.

 

We should be looking for reasons to tip, rather than reasons not to tip.

[wopphil]

It's not something new to tip the hotel staff. It's not that you are "now" supposed to tip maids. This has been standard practice for as long as I can remember, going back to my Air Force days I would always leave something for the housekeeping staff when I would be TDY staying in the base billeting. It's not like an E-3 is rolling in dough either.

You would tip almost anybody else on the hotel staff: bellhop, valet, room service, doorman for getting you a cab. Why not housekeeping? Especially if they do a good job. A good tip is the sincerest "thank you" that there is.

You can feel free to tip the people at Taco Bell if you like. You would tip your bartender, and it's arguably more complicated to assemble a taco than it is to open a bottle of beer. I always shove a buck into the Jar at Chipotle or sandwich shop or Starbucks. Spread it around!

Come to think of it, when we're at the baseball game we don't tip the people at the hot dog stand but we tip the people behind those beer carts. Why is that?

Your mechanic's compensation is likely not structured around tips. He's a skilled tradesman and probably makes a decent hourly wage.

If you don't allow housekeeping into your room and they only have to clean the room once, then a small tip is fine. I usually put some cash in one of the envelopes in the desk and write "housekeeping" on the envelope.

We should be looking for reasons to tip, rather than reasons not to tip.

I admire your generosity, I just think tipping is out of control. And I think the vast majority of people don't tip housekeeping staff, so I don't think I am in the minority for having failed to do this previously.

[Jay]

I admire your generosity, I just think tipping is out of control. And I think the vast majority of people don't tip housekeeping staff, so I don't think I am in the minority for having failed to do this previously.

The majority of people are cheap, they only tip because they think it's required.

[Tank]

For me, it's not even about the money, since I'd just add the tip to one of my meals and expense it to the client anyway. It's about having to carry cash, in particular small bills. First, I have to go the ATM to withdraw the cash, and since I can't withdraw the cash in denominations of less than $20, I then have to find a way to break the 20 into 1's and 5's. That's a major nuisance. If I could just add the 5-10 bucks to my bill at the end of my stay and have it charged to my credit card I would gladly tip. 

 

this is probably true for more and more people these days. it is for me.

[mp170.6]

The majority of people are cheap, they only tip because they think it's required.

 

You seem to have the "holier than thou" complex on this matter. 

[CaliAngel]

You seem to have the "holier than thou" complex on this matter. 

 

Rare form indeed.

[Jay]

Here's something I found:

 

http://www.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/06/24/hotel.housekeeping.tipping/index.html

 

http://www.ehow.com/how_4841973_tip-housekeepers.html

[mp170.6]

I think Jay must be working for the hotel maids union. 

[Hollyw00d]

Another problem I have with tipping maids is if you inadvertently leave cash (or property) behind, they're going to start assuming it was a gift.

What does that mean? Are you afraid the maid is going to think you're trying to ask her out?

[mp170.6]

What does that mean? Are you afraid the maid is going to think you're trying to ask her out?

 

No, nothing like that.

 

Just because money or valuables were left behind, that doesn't mean it was intended as a tip for the maid.  Case in point:  A couple years ago, I attended a conference and a buddy of mine paid for my dinner on his credit card.  I stopped by his room afterwards with $40 in cash and set it down on the table.  The maid apparently gobbled it up as a tip because it was gone when he returned that evening. 

 

Yeah, he screwed up leaving it there, but this was not a particularly expensive hotel and we were only there two nights.

[AngelsFaninGA]

The majority of people are cheap, they only tip because they think it's required.

 

Maybe it's true for waiters and cab drivers where it's common knowledge that you tip, but there's a lot of confusion beyond that. I had no idea you were supposed to tip maids until about a month ago. This past week, I read that it's actually rude to tip a tailor. Who knew? What about valets, or airport/hotel shuttle drivers? At least outside the US where the tipping culture isn't as rampant as it is here, you don't have to worry about whether you offended someone because you didn't know you were supposed to tip people employed in that profession or you just didn't have cash on you at the time. 

[gotbeer]

No, nothing like that.

 

Just because money or valuables were left behind, that doesn't mean it was intended as a tip for the maid.  Case in point:  A couple years ago, I attended a conference and a buddy of mine paid for my dinner on his credit card.  I stopped by his room afterwards with $40 in cash and set it down on the table.  The maid apparently gobbled it up as a tip because it was gone when he returned that evening. 

 

Yeah, he screwed up leaving it there, but this was not a particularly expensive hotel and we were only there two nights.

 

Which is another benefit of the envelope.  In my experiences, I have left money out, and never had it taken.  But at the same time, I have also left a few dollars on the pillow, and that was taken as a tip.  But at the end of the stay I have left change in ashtrays (clean of course) and on tables.  So I can see a confusion factor on what is a tip and what is mine.  And lately, I have seen envelopes more often, so it's convenient.

 

Now I wonder, though.  Have mints on pillows been a thank you from the maids for your tips you left on the pillow?  And when you first get there, have the mints on pillow been a subtle reminder to put tips there?  Because mints on pillows seems to be one of those things that just doesn't make sense.