People frequently tip my BMW dealer courtesy van driver $5 or more. Am I a cheapskate for not tipping?

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by Phillies8008

This is the biggest problem I have with it – it's just business owners putting their labor costs on my back so that they can further underpay employees. And the worst part is that it works.

My son took a job at Coldstone Creamery (stupidly expensive ice cream place). When he was interviewing, they told him that though they only pay minimum wage he'd make it up in tips, and boy howdy does he; his effective hourly wage can top $20/hour during their busy season, and around $17 during the Winter. It just amazes/disgusts me that this franchise owner is able to pay his employees minimum wage while letting his customers pay more than half of his labor costs on top of the insane profit on the ridiculously overpriced ice cream. And of course outside of the store's manager he has zero full-time employees, so no he's not paying for any benefits. Scummy, but genius.

Everyone expects a tip these day – I picked up some to-go sandwiches the other day and was presented with the tip screen on the payment terminal (that started at 20%, I might add). They literally handed me a bag with the sandwiches. That's it. And I should tip them why? The "but they only make..." argument doesn't really hold much water, either. If they're worth that extra $5 or whatever, perhaps the business owner should pay them what they're worth, no? Why are we okay with these guys screwing their employees as we happily make up the difference? I just don't get it.

To be clear, I'm not entirely anti-tipping. I always tip servers in restaurants, for example, because I know that they get completely screwed without them. But that's stupid too – just put the real cost of the meal on the menu and pay your staff a real wage. Why go through this whole Kabuki? But it's so embedded in the restaurant industry and tax code that I doubt it'll ever change.

I have similar problems with the increasing trend of vendors passing on their credit card processing fees to me and taxpayers subsidizing Walmart's billions in profits, but those are a different rants.

You should listen to Europeans complain about the U.S. restaurant server tipping culture, …… right up until they start talking and thinking about the service they get at their restaurants in Europe and comparing it to the service we get in restaurants and all of a sudden they have an epiphany and end up changing their mind and deciding tipping restaurant servers is a pretty good thing. This is the reason good servers choose this job. They get paid for the level of service they provide and they have very flexible schedules.

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by jkoral

Requested a quote from the tint shop, 1 hour work and was handed tablet with tip amount. I requested a quote and they set the price ($250), should have included all costs. I tipped but won't be going back there again.

Why didn’t you just decline to tip?? I don’t understand why so many people feel obligated to tip just because it’s there on the screen you’re using to pay.

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by JonathanR

The driver is probably on minimum wage. So YES tip the guy, your driving a BMW!

When I had minimum wage jobs it never once crossed my mind the people I was providing service to should give me a tip.

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by Reborn_

The tipping of the cashier for takeaway food kills me every time. If I'm feeling generous, or it's mom and pop, I will do it, but 90% of the time no tip there.

I have a masseuse that comes to my house. I tip her 20% even though every dollar is going straight to her. I have a car wash guy that comes to my house. I tip him ~10-20% (depending on how many cars he did) even though every dollar is going straight to him. Some of this is because I feel they gave me a great price in the first place, so I'm trying to "make it up."

Here's one: Doing a $10k+ job on the house with a legitimate contractor; do you tip each of the 4 guys on the crew? And how much?

I do not tip people for doing the job they are paid to do.

[jefe2000]

Originally Posted by DanG

Last time I needed a ride BMW Seattle called an Uber and they paid for it.

Yes, same: my local BMW dealership’s service department arranges an Uber ride home and another to take me back to the dealership when the service is complete. They arrange and pay for the whole thing.

[Westside Guy]

Originally Posted by jefe2000

Yes, same: my local BMW dealership’s service department arranges an Uber ride home and another to take me back to the dealership when the service is complete. They arrange and pay for the whole thing.

Next time your dealer does this, you should inquire whether or not they tip the Uber driver. 😉

[automaz_]

The whole tipping concept has gotten out of hand. It is to the point now that business owners utilize this culture to pass on their expenses to the customer. A bmw dealership should NOT be paying minimum wage to any employee (with the labor costs they put on their services). You got driven 2 miles to your house and you weren’t wrong in not providing a tip to that driver. BMW more than made up for the drop off service they included for you in some other customers repair bill.

Another concept that drives me nuts is seeing many restaurants now adding on a fee for credit card usage. We live in the year 2026, no one is trying to carry around cash to pay for goods. So these restaurants now want the customer to pocket THEIR business expenses through these fees. The restaurant chose to open the business and should be able to cover any fee for processing their accepted payments. Sorry for the rant lol just got back from vacation in Europe and my mind was blown again coming back to this outrageous culture we’ve become used to in the states.

[Phillies8008]

Originally Posted by automaz_

The whole tipping concept has gotten out of hand. It is to the point now that business owners utilize this culture to pass on their expenses to the customer. A bmw dealership should NOT be paying minimum wage to any employee (with the labor costs they put on their services). You got driven 2 miles to your house and you weren’t wrong in not providing a tip to that driver. BMW more than made up for the drop off service they included for you in some other customers repair bill.

Another concept that drives me nuts is seeing many restaurants now adding on a fee for credit card usage. We live in the year 2026, no one is trying to carry around cash to pay for goods. So these restaurants now want the customer to pocket THEIR business expenses through these fees. The restaurant chose to open the business and should be able to cover any fee for processing their accepted payments. Sorry for the rant lol just got back from vacation in Europe and my mind was blown again coming back to this outrageous culture we’ve become used to in the states.

10,000% agree. If they don't like the credit card processing fees, the answer is simple: don't accept credit cards.

[MisanoblueZ4]

Another one, EVERY TIME I tip on the authorization screen, the employee NEVER acknowledges the fact I’ve tipped them. So I’m now done with tipping unless it’s sit down restaurant service. (Executive order signed by me)

The automated 15/20/25% screens are not even paid attention to by the cashier….leave a tip no response, don’t leave a tip no response.

[wb8164]

I'll go the other way. I had to drop my car at the dealer a little while back for a headlamp replacement under warranty. They did not have a loaner, but gave me a ride home and then gave me a ride back days later once the part was obtained and installed. In both instances a young kid was doing the shuttle driving. He did a good job on both trips and was a good kid who was into cars and was working until 7:30pm. I shot him $10.00 for each ride. He was really appreciative, and I was happy to help out the next generation of auto enthusiasts.

[Westside Guy]

Originally Posted by wb8164

I'll go the other way. I had to drop my car at the dealer a little while back for a headlamp replacement under warranty. They did not have a loaner, but gave me a ride home and then gave me a ride back days later once the part was obtained and installed. In both instances a young kid was doing the shuttle driving. He did a good job on both trips and was good kid who was into cars and was working until 7:30pm. I shot him $10.00 for each ride. He was really appreciative, and I was happy to help out the next generation of auto enthusiasts.

I would have done the same thing.

I even give a few bucks to the kids working at my dealer's service center when I pull in to get air in my tires. 😉

[Janjohn]

Here’s just my personal opinion from back in the day I had a job that didn’t pay minimum wage so I relied on tips to pay my rent. Many people depend on tips to make a living. My retirement income allows me to purchase a new BMW, so I can easily afford to tip a fin for a free van ride, especially if the driver is courteous. I haven’t had to leave this bimmer at the my dealership yet, so I don’t know how easy it is to get a loaner. I typically don’t tip for deliveries to my mailbox or front door, but will tip if the package requires my signature. Since I’m in a fairly spread out neighborhood we never get food delivered to front door but if we did, I’d definitely tip the delivery person.
Good tippers get better and faster service so I try to be generous. BMW drivers are “flashing their good fortune” so it’s somewhat disappointing for the van drivers to deliver the bimmer fortunate to their door to get nothing. Just sayin’

[Phillies8008]

Wouldn't it just be better if employers paid their employees a livable wage? Why should they have to depend on the randomness and variability of people deciding to give them extra cash?

If your employer had paid you enough to actually pay your rent, you could've just relied on your job to pay it, rather than hope that customers would give you money. Seems simpler, fairer, and more reliable.

[Tejas1836]

3 pages, jeez.
BLUF- yes OP you are

[peterfromsd]

Mandatory 20% service charge for all of you. Let the service industry commercialize what we do with our money.

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by wb8164

I'll go the other way. I had to drop my car at the dealer a little while back for a headlamp replacement under warranty. They did not have a loaner, but gave me a ride home and then gave me a ride back days later once the part was obtained and installed. In both instances a young kid was doing the shuttle driving. He did a good job on both trips and was good kid who was into cars and was working until 7:30pm. I shot him $10.00 for each ride. He was really appreciative, and I was happy to help out the next generation of auto enthusiasts.

In this case I might have done similar. But generally I only tip for jobs where it’s specifically understood the hourly wage is lower than normal because tipping is part of the compensation arrangement, which is mostly wait staff at sit down restaurants.

[Janjohn]

Originally Posted by Phillies8008

Wouldn't it just be better if employers paid their employees a livable wage? Why should they have to depend on the randomness and variability of people deciding to give them extra cash?

If your employer had paid you enough to actually pay your rent, you could've just relied on your job to pay it, rather than hope that customers would give you money. Seems simpler, fairer, and more reliable.

True. Unfortunately that would make the overall price more expensive for the dealership and business which is then passed on to the customer.

If I’m looking to save money I’d be buying a Toyota RAV4.

[Phillies8008]

Originally Posted by Janjohn

True. Unfortunately that would make the overall price more expensive for the dealership and business which is then passed on to the customer.

If I’m looking to save money I’d be buying a Toyota RAV4.

But if we're tipping, aren't we already bearing that cost? What's the difference between paying the bill and then adding 20% versus the bill being 20% higher and not tipping?

[wb8164]

Originally Posted by Phillies8008

But if we're tipping, aren't we already bearing that cost? What's the difference between paying the bill and then adding 20% versus the bill being 20% higher and not tipping?

My thought is that if I'm tipping it's based on the level of service I receive. If I get good service, I'm tipping well. However, if I'm not happy with the service, then I either don't tip, or reduce the tip based on the level of service received.

For example, iF I received a shuttle ride from the dealer and the shuttle driver made me wait 20 minutes so that he could also give two other customers rides and then ends up dropping me off last, even though I wasn't the farthest stop, then no tip.

I like that I am not locked into paying the quoted 20% just because it's baked into the bill.


Just my two cents.

[Janjohn]

Originally Posted by wb8164

My thought is that if I'm tipping it's based on the level of service I receive. If I get good service, I'm tipping well. However, if I'm not happy with the service, then I either don't tip, or reduce the tip based on the level of service received.

For example, iF I received a shuttle ride from the dealer and the shuttle driver made me wait 20 minutes so that he could also give two other customers rides and then ends up dropping me off last, even though I wasn't the farthest stop, then no tip.

I like that I am not locked into paying the quoted 20% just because it's baked into the bill.


Just my two cents.

Agreed. If I’m driving a courtesy van for a BMW or Mercedes Dealership I would expect to see better tips than if the courtesy van is for Kia.

It reminds me of friends that owned a big motorhome and constantly whined about gas or diesel prices.

[ubercruise]

Originally Posted by Phillies8008

Wouldn't it just be better if employers paid their employees a livable wage? Why should they have to depend on the randomness and variability of people deciding to give them extra cash?

If your employer had paid you enough to actually pay your rent, you could've just relied on your job to pay it, rather than hope that customers would give you money. Seems simpler, fairer, and more reliable.

Of course it would be better. But until that reality becomes widespread (if ever), not tipping to make a point just hurts the employee.

This thread makes me want to rewatch reservoir dogs lol

[Phillies8008]

Originally Posted by ubercruise

Of course it would be better. But until that reality becomes widespread (if ever), not tipping to make a point just hurts the employee.

This thread makes me want to rewatch reservoir dogs lol

I'm not, nor have I ever said, that I'm against tipping anyone. I'm just against tipping everyone, which is where we're headed.

I get your point, but at the same time it's never going to end if everyone just keeps doing it – it's not like these peoples' employers are all of the sudden going to see the light. They'll take it as long as we'll give it to them.