Tipping: service provider asks for tip (1 Viewer)

[chet]

Nice vanity. Here in NC I would consider the request for a tip to be highly irregular and would respond accordingly--but IIRC Massachusetts is a union State, and not only is a tip expected but even the amount could be standardized. Is this the case?

. I'm trying to give the driver some benefit of the doubt here. I'm thinking he was not required to bring the thing up to the bathroom... probably only deliver to the door. So he probably (and perhaps correctly) feels a tip is in order since he did more than was required. And he probably sees (1) she's a woman and most women probably don't tip when he delivers; and (2) she's Chinese... tipping is not customary in China, even in restaurants. So he probably (and correctly) felt he needed to ask in order to get anything. To which my response would be, "ok... then he should have said up front, "I only need to bring this to the door... for $30, I'll help you get it up to the bathroom".

I was going to ask what he was required to do. If he was required to bring it up to the bathroom then tell him to pound sand. More likely, however, is that he was only required to leave it at the door in which case a tip is in order.

I agree with that. It was called for. But he asked for the tip afterwards... Does that change the equation, or should my wife simply have tossed him a $20 and said thanks for the help? Probably didn't take more than 10-15 minutes of labor.

I don't think him asking changes the equation because he asks after the work is done and he will leave empty handed if he doesn't ask. Ideally, he'd have made his request prior to moving it to the bathroom but he's a delivery guy and order of operations probably wasn't his strong suit. There's also a cultural issue with your wife not being familiar with tipping procedures.

 

[jon_mx]

What kind of construction related supplier only delivers stuff to the door? It would be one thing if it was delivered by UPS or some non-related entity, but from the actual company that would be very unusual.

 

[Brony]

2500 bucks for a vanity????

Don't worry, they probably have models that sell for $5,000

 

[belljr]

What kind of construction related supplier only delivers stuff to the door? It would be one thing if it was delivered by UPS or some non-related entity, but from the actual company that would be very unusual.

My kitchen cabinets were delivered to driveway only. They did put them in the garage for me

 

[johnnycakes]

Nice vanity. Here in NC I would consider the request for a tip to be highly irregular and would respond accordingly--but IIRC Massachusetts is a union State, and not only is a tip expected but even the amount could be standardized. Is this the case?

. I'm trying to give the driver some benefit of the doubt here. I'm thinking he was not required to bring the thing up to the bathroom... probably only deliver to the door. So he probably (and perhaps correctly) feels a tip is in order since he did more than was required. And he probably sees (1) she's a woman and most women probably don't tip when he delivers; and (2) she's Chinese... tipping is not customary in China, even in restaurants. So he probably (and correctly) felt he needed to ask in order to get anything. To which my response would be, "ok... then he should have said up front, "I only need to bring this to the door... for $30, I'll help you get it up to the bathroom".

I was going to ask what he was required to do. If he was required to bring it up to the bathroom then tell him to pound sand. More likely, however, is that he was only required to leave it at the door in which case a tip is in order.

I agree with that. It was called for. But he asked for the tip afterwards... Does that change the equation, or should my wife simply have tossed him a $20 and said thanks for the help? Probably didn't take more than 10-15 minutes of labor.

I don't think him asking changes the equation because he asks after the work is done and he will leave empty handed if he doesn't ask. Ideally, he'd have made his request prior to moving it to the bathroom but he's a delivery guy and order of operations probably wasn't his strong suit. There's also a cultural issue with your wife not being familiar with tipping procedures.

OK. At first I (and she) were put off by his asking, but after I processed the whole thing as we have, I'm thinking the guy did more than he had to, and he wouldn't have received anything had he not asked. So, yeah. I need to talk her down off the cliff, now.

 

[xulf]

Did she tip him and if so how much?

 

[Sinn Fein]

Did she tip him and if so how much?

No, but she offered driving lessons in lieu of a cash tip.

 

[gianmarco]

So what did she actually do?

 

[GOB]

I will play arong.

I went to pick up some wings at a local place the other day. $21 or something and they were probably sitting in their kitchen for months.

Anyway I go in, hostess cashes me out. I pay with my CC. She hands me the slip to sign and circles the tip part and put an arrow bringing it to my attention I assume.

I wrote "No" in the tip line. What a #####. I showed her!

 

[fantasycurse42]

A few things:

- I'll tip more on weight than cost (within reason). If this vanity has to go a few hundred feet from truck to location and weighed > than 50 pounds, I'd throw him $40-50 if he was moving it himself or let two guys split that amount.

- I've never once in my life been solicited for a tip on a service at my house. It is usually the last order of business upon completion of the service. Usually you'll have to sign for something, and after I do this and I'm walking someone out, I'll give them a tip. If they ask for it, they can get the #### out empty handed.

- I'll typically discuss the tip with my wife in advance if I'm not home for a delivery. At this point she knows the deal and if we're expecting something, she will ask me how much before it comes.

 

[St. Louis Bob]

I assume you all know my wife is Chinese.

My link

 

[Chemical X]

think their rines were crossed. oh, I'll have the number 7 spicy with extra peanuts too.

 

[grateful zed]

china is a big country, can you be more specific?

Hunan province. She is a great cook... other Chinese families around here hire her to come make dinner for their family.

hunan is a big province, can you be more specific?

 

[George Jefferson Airplane]

2015: the year of the handout

 

[General Malaise]

What's a vanity?

 

[Dondante]

Nice vanity. Here in NC I would consider the request for a tip to be highly irregular and would respond accordingly--but IIRC Massachusetts is a union State, and not only is a tip expected but even the amount could be standardized. Is this the case?

. I'm trying to give the driver some benefit of the doubt here. I'm thinking he was not required to bring the thing up to the bathroom... probably only deliver to the door. So he probably (and perhaps correctly) feels a tip is in order since he did more than was required. And he probably sees (1) she's a woman and most women probably don't tip when he delivers; and (2) she's Chinese... tipping is not customary in China, even in restaurants. So he probably (and correctly) felt he needed to ask in order to get anything. To which my response would be, "ok... then he should have said up front, "I only need to bring this to the door... for $30, I'll help you get it up to the bathroom".

I was going to ask what he was required to do. If he was required to bring it up to the bathroom then tell him to pound sand. More likely, however, is that he was only required to leave it at the door in which case a tip is in order.

I agree with that. It was called for. But he asked for the tip afterwards... Does that change the equation, or should my wife simply have tossed him a $20 and said thanks for the help? Probably didn't take more than 10-15 minutes of labor.

I don't think him asking changes the equation because he asks after the work is done and he will leave empty handed if he doesn't ask. Ideally, he'd have made his request prior to moving it to the bathroom but he's a delivery guy and order of operations probably wasn't his strong suit. There's also a cultural issue with your wife not being familiar with tipping procedures.

OK. At first I (and she) were put off by his asking, but after I processed the whole thing as we have, I'm thinking the guy did more than he had to, and he wouldn't have received anything had he not asked. So, yeah. I need to talk her down off the cliff, now.

This is pretty ridiculous. The answer is no, you don't need to tip the guy. I mean, if you're made of money and you hand out 20s all the time, sure, tip him. I'm in residential construction and have been for 20 years and I've never even heard of tipping for deliveries. If there's an up charge for taking the material to the exact freaking spot the work is being done I'd expect that info up front.

 

[chauncey]

Did you pay a delivery fee to the manufacturer/store?

 

[parasaurolophus]

I would only tip a furniture, lumber, mulch, etc driver if they did something above and beyond. They are not paid tip wage and I usually pay a delivery fee. Responsibility is on the store to take care of their pay.

If they were paid tip wage, the prices would be lower and I wouldn't have an issue tipping. I am not falling for the push these days to tip everybody and their brother.

 

[Da Guru]

2500 bucks for a vanity????

Don't worry, they probably have models that sell for $5,000

2500 for a vanity is nothing. I have a heated sleep number bed for my dog that was 3K

 

[jon_mx]

2500 bucks for a vanity????

Don't worry, they probably have models that sell for $5,000

2500 for a vanity is nothing. I have a heated sleep number bed for my dog that was 3K

What is his number?

 

[johnnycakes]

What's a vanity?

Link provided in first post.

 

[CurlyNight]

A quick "No speak English" always works well in these types of situations.

The beauty of being bilingual, with your accent not being american... Works like a charm when you need it to!

 

[TheAristocrat]

Should I be tipping the Schwan's delivery person?

 

[Fennis]

What's a vanity?

its what perverts drive

 

[RUSF18]

The type of delivery is the key question here. Delivery can be to the inside of the front door or to the actual room within the house. These are different levels of service, and that is built into the delivery charge. I'm going to guess the situation here:

- delivery service was to the front door

- delivery guy saw your China doll wife and knew she couldn't move it from there

- delivery guy went ahead and delivered to the final room as additional service, which is a $30 upcharge to their delivery service fee

- delivery guy asked for the $30 upcharge but planned to pocket it as a tip instead of adding it to the invoice

I've had similar situations with furniture delivery...I'll ask for help moving out the old couch. They'll say "I'm not really supposed to", which is probably true from a liability stand point. $20 later, the old couch is at the curb and the new one is in its place.

Having a bed delivered on Friday. Headboard, platform, footboard, the whole deal, just no mattress. I paid $160 for delivery and assembly. Elevator building. Don't know how many guys will show up...assuming two. $40 tip seem right?