March 28 2011
Gas Station Tipping Question
So over the weekend I rented a car– and this morning before returning it I filled the tank so I don’t get the smackdown suplex extra charge by Avis.
It was like $16.32 to fill the tank. I gave the guy a twenty and he gave me $3.00 in change and then he’s sort of standing there. We have a weird moment and then he said, ‘Oh! I can go back inside to get you your change…’ but I was like, ‘No… no… you keep the change….’ Feeling a little bit intimidated to let him have the .86 cents in change.
Anyway, I still can’t get a hard read if I’m required to tip gas station guys or not. I know it’s kind of up to the customer or whatever but it seems like a greyer area nowadays. I just don’t know if it’s right. Like if I went into a store and bought something for $16.32 and the cashier gave me back $3.00 and then just stood there– I’d be like, ‘Hey F–ko! Where’s my jingle jangle, biatch?!’ (Maybe not those exact words but I wouldn’t tell some cashier at the drugstore to ‘keep the change’)
And recently a gas station guy took a sloppy windshield cleaner to the car and streaked up the windshield. The fill-up was $18.00 and I gave him the full $20. I felt that effort absolutely required a tip. But it wasn’t like I was asked him to rub a windshield streaker that looks like it sits in a toilet bowl all over my rental car. Here’s $2? Thanks?
I realize pumping gas is not an easy job. Especially when it’s cold out. And if I’m willing to throw a quarter in a jar because someone pours me a cup of coffee I probably shouldn’t hesitate to give a dollar or whatever to the guy who pumps gas. But with coffay it’s pretty clear it’s up to you to decide to tip or not. With gas station attendants, the last few times I didn’t tip– I felt like I was stiffing the dude.
Or maybe they’re just more intimidating than my local Starbucks coffay bannister.
Yadda yadda whatever. I guess the question is– was there a gas station tip memo that went out and I didn’t receive it or something?
ok bye!
tOdd
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‘Hey F–ko! Where’s my jingle jangle, biatch?! Make with my clinkity clinkers!’
Awesome.
Only tip when someone goes beyond the service the job description requires. Waitress keeps your drinks topped even though it’s stupid busy? Tip. Person cutting your hair makes the $15 cut look like a $30 cut? Tip. Dude cleans all windows plus the headlamps? Tip. Cashier rings up your stuff with a facial expression like she’s always smelling something awful? Punch to the throat. It’s simple.
YOU LEAVE TIP FOR GAS STATION GUY WITH TURBAN OR I KILL YOU, INFIDEL!!!! ALLAH COMMANDS IT TO SUPPORT OUR JIHAD!!!! ALLAH AKBAR!!!
I wish I could find a gas station that pumps for you.
And why should I tip with the price of gas – F that.
Let the gas jockey pump his boss for a frikkin’ raise,it isn’t up to me to subsidize his income.
I didn’t know they even had stations that filled the car up for you anymore!
He gave you 3 bucks but didn’t have the change on him? Sounds like a scam to me.
ONLY IN OREGON AND NEW JERSEY IS IT ILLEGAL TO PUMP YOUR OWN GAS.
You don’t have to yell Anon person. Also that policy in Oregon and New Jersey being not allowed to pump your own gas is stupid. Not only stupid, just plain lazy.
next time send him back into the store for the change, but also follow him back in, when he is in front of you kick him between the legs in his manberries as hard as you can, then say don’t steal my change bitch, thats a tip he will remember
Here’s what I think most service people expect, having done many of these things:
Waitress: 18-20% if good, 15% if bad.
Bartenders: 15-20% on tabs, or at least $1.00 per drink if paying cash.
Baristas: Round up to the nearest dollar unless it’s like $1.05 for your coffee.
Fast food: Nothing
Takeout (pick-up): Usually expect nothing, but happy with $1-$2. Sometimes up to 10% if it’s a big order.
Restaurant delivery drivers: $2 min, $5.00 max.
Gas station: Nothing for just pumping, $1.00 if they do your windshield or check oil.
Car wash attendants: $1-$2 if they hand dry.
Tow truck drivers: $5.00 if you called them, especially through AAA.
UPS, USPS, FedEx delivery: Nothing (USPS cannot take tips, even for Christmas, not sure about the others’ policies, but many of these guys get paid per delivery).
Retail: Nothing.
Retail: Nothing.
The only time I ever tipped a retail worker was when I bought my laptop. I was on crutches due to a broken foot. The guy who helped me answered all sorts of questions, and I was generally a pain in the ass. He also carried all of my items to the counter. I got the laptop, a router, a wireless mouse, and other assorted items. Being on crutches, I could not drive a shopping cart. Then he also came out and loaded the items into my truck. I gave him a 20. He looked like he was stressed and the look after I tipped him was priceless.
Full-service gas stations? What is this, 1955?
In any case, why pay with cash? Pay with one of those rewards credit cards that gives you 3% back for gas purchases. None of this “keep the change” nonsense then, and you get a few pennies back at the end of the year.
There are places where it’s illegal to pump your own gas and you have to let the attendant fill it up. There’s only a few and I’m damn glad I don’t live in any of those places.
Mailmen, garbage men – No tip, no christmas gift. Get real.
Buffet – No. No tip for me serving myself.
Fast food, Starbucks – No tip. Your only job is to take a very simple order and hand it over. Get real. There is a huge difference between a waiter/waitress and a counter worker. No tip ever never ever.
Anything involving my car – Nobody other than my car dealer is touching my car ever. If they do the only tip they are getting is the tip of my shoe up their ass.
And NO I do not want to save 10% on my purchases today just by applying for your 39.9%APR store credit card. Stop asking!
To No Tips for you:
We don’t want to ask you to sign up for the dumb credit card, either, but “they” make us do it. No need to be a grouch, just say, “No thanks” and we’ll all move on with our lives.
Maybe if the weather is crappy. Otherwise, no.
I’m so glad I live in a tip free zone.
No tips for no-one, never.
Well, maybe if the waitress is really cute and I think I have a chance…..
No tips for no-one, never, amen to that.
If no one ever tipped, then no one would work crappy service jobs and the owners would need to up the pay to attract people. Those people would then have a decent wage and wouldnt need tips.
Of course there will be a stage when people will have a hard time when things transition from one tipping culture to another… and maybe it isnt worth the hardship to change something minor.
I’ll just continue to not tip and see it as a special customer discount that you tippers will never receive.
I would glance at the price of gas; in my hometown choosing to fill up yourself versus having someone pump it is a 3 cent difference. The extra difference is given to the gas boys as a tip in supplement to their paychecks, so no tip is required!
In communist Russia, gas pumps you!
The real problem here is you projecting a fear at the forefront of you conscious being. You are creating the situation in which the awkwardness of the scenario unfolds. The things we fear the most meet us more than halfway. Deprogram, decondition, and shift your conscious being out of the frontal lobe fruedian. Stop being a programmed failure. Think with your whole mind and your being will follow.
In NJ where we have low gas tax and we get to relax in our cars during the filler-up, I’ve never heard of tipping the fuel transfer technician.
Knackered do you really not tip anyone? That’s dirty. You might be getting a “customer discount” but I’m sure there’s boogers in all your food.
Never tip a gas station attendant. It should be a golden rule. People expect too many “tips” these days….
I’ve got a tip for you. Don’t bet on horses (or goats).
@ Knackered
I sure hope you are not a repeat customer at any restaurant where you deprive people of their rightfully earned pay. Stiffing customers’ faces are remembered, waiters talk. Retribution in these cases is repaid. Perhaps you should take a minute to examine the word tip, perhaps you should take a minute to look up wages paid by restaurants in your area.
My guess is you are either a complete cheap a$$ or just a complete a$$.
I do agree that the tipping thing has gotten out of hand.
I’m totally for tipping wait staff at a restaurant(I believe waiters in restaurants used to get paid less than minimum wage legally b/c it was assumed they’d make it up in tips), a valet or a bell boy but tipping a person who just handed me a bag when I drove over to a restaurant to pick up the food??
Or tipping the cashier/barista at a fancy coffee house for taking my order?? Isn’t the $4 cup of coffee which helps pay for your full benefits package (even for part time employees) enough??
As far as the gas attendant, I never remember those guys getting a tip…..they just did their job!
Maybe there should be a face time minimum to determine whether or not a service person gets a tip.
A waiter who waits on you for an hour long dinner (or even 1/2 an hour) should get a tip. Someone who spent less than a minute talking to you before they took your $$ and ended the transaction , no tip. Home delivery people (pizza person, chinese food delivery person, etc) are exempt from the previous and should definitely get a tip b/c *they* came to you, the customer.
My 2 cents.
Yeah I tip when someone goes above and beyond but I’m also a firm believer of Mr Pink’s mantra from Reservoir Dogs (Youtube it if you haven’t seen it).
Do you tip the guys who deliver your furniture even if you paid for delivery at the store?
What is an acceptable amount to tip a prostitute? Going by JT’s ‘face time’ factor, do you tip less for doggy style than you do for missionary?
LOL!!! Well, I guess it depends on if she (or he) came to your house or you went to her (or his)street corner/alley/park bench!
people who don’t tip are pretty much the scum of the earth. the only reason NOT to tip is for rude/lousy service.
In some places, tips are almost required for standard service. Such as in a restaurant. Those people make less than minimum wage and work hard in order to earn the necessary tips to make up for it. Other places are more touch and go.
The easiest method is to first see if they bring the correct change back. If they don’t bring your change back, demand it! And since they were stealing, they shouldn’t get anything. Now if they bring your change back, that’s when you make the decision if the service was good and/or requires a tip.
Thank you Spellman. A rational explanation from someone. Cb1, go fuck yourself!
Assman is wrong about the USPS. They can receive gifts. They can receive tips under 20 dollars as well.
Tipping/gifting the postman is a Christmas tradition dating back to the birth of the country.
The only time you don’t tip/gift the postman is if he or she is rude, temperamental, etc., or if you’re an asshole who never gives the mailman a thought until you have an issue. Remember your postman does not know where everyone in the world lives, is not in control of every piece of mail in every part of the delivery process, and is not as in love with your dog as you are.
you know what all of u can lick adickens all of u are queer as deer and like to take it in the ass with a bit of gas