How much do you tip your garbagemen on holidays?

[dualstow]

For, say, a 3-man crew?

I only started doing it the past few years because I have to get up early to get it done. 
Now I'm concerned about giving the right amount.

[l82start]

i have no idea what an appropriate tip would be, but it seems a bit old fashion, modern garbageman are high payed union members, with government contract jobs, extraordinary benefits and they are running mechanized garbage pickup trucks they seldom need to get out of the cab of...  i suppose if your garbageman are doing things the old fashion service industry way a tip might not be out of line, but i cant remember the last time i saw men riding the back of a truck lifting garbage or helping little old ladies get the trash to the curb ...seems very 1950's... 

[Jan Van]

Here in Charlotte there are two men on the back of the truck. They jump off and get the garbage bin and hook it up to some contraption at the back of the truck which then picks it up and empties it. So three men total. In Houston it was just one man and his truck, all automatic.

[Reub]

In this age of forced recycling, garbagemen can make or break you!

[MediumTex]

In my neighborhood it's one guy in a truck and the driver changes often.

Maybe I could somehow tip the truck itself with a quart of high quality motor oil or something like that, but I wouldn't know how to make it stop because it spends no more than 5-10 seconds in front of my house one day a week.

[Tortoise]

From what I've heard, tipping is far more common in the U.S. than in almost every other country. Not sure why that is, but evidently tipping is not the norm worldwide--it's the exception.

Isn't the general concept behind tipping that it's supposed to incentivize workers who provide services that are (1) personal, i.e., one-on-one, and (2) "luxury," or at least above and beyond what is absolutely necessary to get the job done?

If those are the criteria for tipping, then I wouldn't think garbage men would necessarily deserve a tip. They are not spending a lot of time on you personally (just a few seconds, as MT noted), and they are usually not doing anything "extra" for you personally compared to your neighbors. Are there any exceptions I may not be aware of?

If somebody responds with something like, "I tip my garbage man because he's nice enough to put my trash bins back where they were, instead of leaving them tipped over in the middle of the street," isn't that what garbage men are supposed to do? Maybe I should tip my mail carrier for putting my mail inside the mailbox instead of strewn about on the ground?

[WiseOne]

Tipping garbagemen??  Please.  Those guys earn six figure salaries as it is!

My criteria for tipping is some kind of personal service that is beyond what the person is paid to do. If a garbageman routinely went out of his/her way to go to the back of the house to get trash for, say, a disabled person, then maybe a tip is in order. 

Tipping is sort of a way of life here in NYC...after making the office staff, car parking attendant, doorman, concierge, handyman, and superintendent happy, I'm flat broke!

[Ad Orientem]

Ummm... no.

I live in California. The garbage men probably make more than I do.

[Coffee]

A tip? I don't even think those guys deserve a pension.

[AdamA]

I have no idea how much to tip anyone other than waiters and waitresses (15-20%).

Movers?
Taxi drivers?
Car wash?
Hair stylist?
Bellhop?
Valet?
Bathroom attendant?

[Ad Orientem]

I have no idea how much to tip anyone other than waiters and waitresses (15-20%).

Movers?
Taxi drivers?
Car wash?
Hair stylist?
Bellhop?
Valet?
Bathroom attendant?

• Waiters: 15-20% (only in the US) / 0-5% in most other countries

• Airport or train porter: $1-2 per bag

• Airport wheelchair assistance: $3-5 upon arrival at the gate

• Cab drivers: 10-15 percent of the fare, depending on the speed of the cab, your comfort level and how safe you feel during the drive.

• Courtesy shuttle drivers: $1-2 per bag

• Hotel bell staff: $1-2 per bag

• Hotel concierge: $10-20 depending on request, at departure

• Hotel doorman: no tip, unless they handle luggage or call a cab

• Hotel maid: $2-3 per night

• Parking valet: $3-5 at pickup

• Barber - Hair stylist: $1-2

• Bathroom attendants: $.50-1

• Movers: Nothing

• Car wash: Nothing

[Pointedstick]

• Movers: Nothing

See, in this case I think I would pre-tip. You can have nightmares imagining what the movers might do to your stuff if they didn't like you or felt gypped.

That said, the last time I moved, I preferred to get rid of nearly all my possessions than hire a bunch of guys to truck it all across the country.

[Wonk]

What about the tip jar at the sandwich or coffee shop?  Anyone tip there?

I'm not sure why, but a tip jar in those establishments drives me nuts.  I don't tip them--ever.  They get paid a normal wage (unlike servers) and don't need a tip, imo.  I will tip if I order take out from a restaurant.

[Tortoise]

What about the tip jar at the sandwich or coffee shop?  Anyone tip there? I'm not sure why, but a tip jar in those establishments drives me nuts.  I don't tip them--ever.

+1. The concept of a visible tip jar is obnoxious and presumptuous. If I want to tip, I'll hand the money to you. Don't ask me for it, verbally or visually.

They get paid a normal wage (unlike servers) and don't need a tip, imo.  I will tip if I order take out from a restaurant.

Why at restaurant take-out but not at a coffee or sandwich shop? Those three all seem very similar to me, so I don't tip for any of them. I'll tip at a restaurant if I'm sitting down and a waiter is bringing my food out to me, because that involves more personalized service ("Everything okay here? How does everything taste? Anything else I can get for you?").

I don't think valet drivers or car washers deserve tips the same way waiters do. I've never thought to myself, "Wow! The way that guy drove my car around the corner and held my door open for me--that was AMAZING!" Likewise, I've never thought, "This is the most incredible car wash I've ever seen; I won't have to wash my car again for months!" Either it's clean or it's not. But at a restaurant, by contrast, the waiter can make the difference between a wonderful evening and a painfully frustrating experience.

Regarding movers, since the tip is usually a relatively large dollar amount, maybe a 50/50 pre/post split might make even more sense than a pure pre- or post-tip. Give them half of the tip up-front, and say, "You'll get the other half when everything is delivered to the new home in good condition." That way they'll know what the tip is and that you're not just making an empty promise, but also that they'll have to do a good job to get the full amount. Similar to the concept of a security deposit.

[RuralEngineer]

• Barber - Hair stylist: $1-2

I hope you get your haircut at the local superclips.  Otherwise a $1 tip is asking for an "Oops!" type moment to happen in the back of your head next visit.  Enjoy your bald spot.

I tip 15% - 20% at the barber...which does work out to about $2 or $3 because I DO visit the local Sportclips for a cheap haircut.  I'm married, who do I have to impress?

[dualstow]

I appreciate the replies, guys.
Even in the States, garbagemen are among the least tipped. I think the stats are something like 12% compared to a much larger % for mail carriers. I often don't tip my mailman, because it's always a different person. I only tipped one mail guy whom I knew was retiring soon.

My philosophy is this: I don't know how much money garbagemen make but I appreciate what they do for me. I don't *have* to tip them because I pay taxes. But, they do a good job unlike the mailmen here, I can afford it, and it feels good to spread a little cheer on the holiday season. They were very appreciative when I handed them the envelope with the card and cash.

This is not the first year I've done this, but this year is also special because we're moving out for renovation. Lots of trash coming their way. :-)

[dualstow]

P.S.

Tipping is sort of a way of life here in NYC...after making the office staff, car parking attendant, doorman, concierge, handyman, and superintendent happy, I'm flat broke!

I hear you, WiseOne. I'm not looking forward to moving out of a house and into a building for that very reason, even though it's temporary. I don't like doormen watching me come and go, and I don't like having all those people to tip. It was always a hassle for me on top of the expense.

[WiseOne]

P.S.

Tipping is sort of a way of life here in NYC...after making the office staff, car parking attendant, doorman, concierge, handyman, and superintendent happy, I'm flat broke!

I hear you, WiseOne. I'm not looking forward to moving out of a house and into a building for that very reason, even though it's temporary. I don't like doormen watching me come and go, and I don't like having all those people to tip. It was always a hassle for me on top of the expense.

Thanks dualstow.  If you've been thinking of moving into a full-service building - be aware there are worthwhile reasons to do so that counter the tipping expense.  You get to share building-wide costs like grounds & exterior maintenance and heat/hot water, plus handling things like clogged sinks and packages becomes really easy (and cheap).  And there's a concierge in my building who will stay late if he knows I'm flying back from Europe or whatever, just to make sure I get home ok.  Nothing you can't live without but it's just nice, and the tipping thing only happens once a year.