Day Spa and tipping

jrc · 05-27-2014, 10:00 PM

If someone gave me a gift to a service that normally required a tip and the tip was included, I would think kindly on the thoughtful giver. Otherwise my gift of a free service, now cost me money for a tip.

I guess that the possibility of the service being poor enough to withhold a tip does exist but how often does that happen? Do you really buy gift certificates at establishments that frequently give poor service? I doubt it, so we are talking about a pretty rare circumstance.

If your wife comes back from her day spa and complains that the service was poor, then you call the spa and complain. You picked a reputable company, so they will make it right, maybe a refund, or at least a discount on future business.

winnisummergal · 05-28-2014, 10:56 AM

I wouldn't appreciate the business taking my choice away. Tipping is a choice, not a necessity. (For the record, I bartended my way through college and am very aware how important tips are to one's income.) Often, I tip over 20%, sometimes under depending on the level of service I receive.

I like to have the choice to decide what to give my service provider based on the experience I receive at that time.

Rusty · 05-28-2014, 06:36 PM

We have enough laws in this country but there should be one that forces a gratuity charge on anything.

The gift certificate should say that the gratuity is not included. That way whoever goes to the spa he/she can give what they feel they deserve.

I still think that the owner of the spa gets some of the gratuity when it's charged up front. Maybe not a lot, but they'll take some of it.

Pam · 05-29-2014, 09:56 AM

Personally, I love it when a spa or restaurant automatically adds an 18% tip (as long as they tell me, of course- if they don't, that's another matter), since it saves me a little math, and also saves me some money, since I'd usually tip 20%.

If the service was really bad enough to affect the tip amount, I'd bring it up to the management. Otherwise, I'm more than happy to go with what's easiest for me. Of course, I'd love it if tipping became a thing of the past- for all the reasons mentioned in this thread, but that's not likely to happen.

chipj29 · 05-30-2014, 08:34 AM

I was recently at a larger chain restaurant in the area. At the bottom of the printed bill there were some tip calculations based on the check total, 15%, 18% and 20%, intended to show how much tip to leave. The funny thing is, the calculations were way off. I was going to leave a 20% tip on a $60 tab. $12, right? Well their calculation for 20% was a few dollars less.
I wondered if their calculation was based on the pre-tax amount. Didn’t wonder enough to really try to figure it out.

And yes, I left the full 20%. Math isn’t really that difficult, and it is (at least to me) sorta offensive that they feel the need to tell me how much to leave. But whatever, at least it wasn’t a forced gratuity charge.

jrc · 05-30-2014, 09:12 AM

You are supposed to tip on the cost of the food or service. You don't tip on the tax, they didn't serve you tax.

That being said, for food I always double the last two digits and round up to the nearest dollar. I aim for 20% but I can't be bothered with coins on a pricey restaurant meal. Alone at a diner I would be more accurate.

Can we just stop pretending that tipping is optional? Unless your service was outright horrible, you're stealing from the service provider if you tip less than 15%. They earn crap in wages and this is their pay. You don't have to like this system but it is the system. You're not going to fix the system by screwing the lowest paid people in the system. If you don't want to tip, eat at McDonalds and cut your own hair.

Oregonrain · 06-02-2014, 07:37 PM

I guess I don't get out enough... I thought tips were supposed to be 10%. At least it was many years ago. When did it change? I like leaving big tips, I'm just curious when it changed from 10% to 20%.

winnisummergal · 06-02-2014, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oregonrain

I guess I don't get out enough... I thought tips were supposed to be 10%. At least it was many years ago. When did it change? I like leaving big tips, I'm just curious when it changed from 10% to 20%.

I was being tipped on average 17percent while bartending back in the early 90's.

brk-lnt · 06-02-2014, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oregonrain

I guess I don't get out enough... I thought tips were supposed to be 10%. At least it was many years ago. When did it change? I like leaving big tips, I'm just curious when it changed from 10% to 20%.

Around the time they stopped making nickels out of wood

05-28-2014, 10:56 AM	#2
winnisummergal Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: North Carolina and Wolfeboro or Alton Posts: 123 Thanks: 188 Thanked 38 Times in 20 Posts	i like to have my choice I wouldn't appreciate the business taking my choice away. Tipping is a choice, not a necessity. (For the record, I bartended my way through college and am very aware how important tips are to one's income.) Often, I tip over 20%, sometimes under depending on the level of service I receive. I like to have the choice to decide what to give my service provider based on the experience I receive at that time.

05-28-2014, 06:36 PM	#3
Rusty Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 2,028 Thanks: 603 Thanked 687 Times in 425 Posts	We have enough laws in this country but there should be one that forces a gratuity charge on anything. The gift certificate should say that the gratuity is not included. That way whoever goes to the spa he/she can give what they feel they deserve. I still think that the owner of the spa gets some of the gratuity when it's charged up front. Maybe not a lot, but they'll take some of it. __________________ It's never crowded along the extra mile.

05-30-2014, 08:34 AM	#5
chipj29 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Bow Posts: 1,874 Thanks: 521 Thanked 308 Times in 162 Posts	I was recently at a larger chain restaurant in the area. At the bottom of the printed bill there were some tip calculations based on the check total, 15%, 18% and 20%, intended to show how much tip to leave. The funny thing is, the calculations were way off. I was going to leave a 20% tip on a $60 tab. $12, right? Well their calculation for 20% was a few dollars less. I wondered if their calculation was based on the pre-tax amount. Didn’t wonder enough to really try to figure it out. And yes, I left the full 20%. Math isn’t really that difficult, and it is (at least to me) sorta offensive that they feel the need to tell me how much to leave. But whatever, at least it wasn’t a forced gratuity charge. __________________ Getting ready for winter!

05-27-2014, 10:00 PM	#1
jrc Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: NH Posts: 2,689 Thanks: 33 Thanked 439 Times in 249 Posts	If someone gave me a gift to a service that normally required a tip and the tip was included, I would think kindly on the thoughtful giver. Otherwise my gift of a free service, now cost me money for a tip. I guess that the possibility of the service being poor enough to withhold a tip does exist but how often does that happen? Do you really buy gift certificates at establishments that frequently give poor service? I doubt it, so we are talking about a pretty rare circumstance. If your wife comes back from her day spa and complains that the service was poor, then you call the spa and complain. You picked a reputable company, so they will make it right, maybe a refund, or at least a discount on future business.

The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to jrc For This Useful Post:
brk-lnt (05-28-2014), Den65 (05-28-2014), rander7823 (06-05-2014)

The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to winnisummergal For This Useful Post:
chipj29 (05-29-2014), Den65 (05-28-2014)

05-29-2014, 09:56 AM	#4
Pam Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 63 Thanks: 22 Thanked 58 Times in 22 Posts	Personally, I love it when a spa or restaurant automatically adds an 18% tip (as long as they tell me, of course- if they don't, that's another matter), since it saves me a little math, and also saves me some money, since I'd usually tip 20%. If the service was really bad enough to affect the tip amount, I'd bring it up to the management. Otherwise, I'm more than happy to go with what's easiest for me. Of course, I'd love it if tipping became a thing of the past- for all the reasons mentioned in this thread, but that's not likely to happen.

The Following User Says Thank You to Pam For This Useful Post:
brk-lnt (05-29-2014)

05-30-2014, 09:12 AM	#6
jrc Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: NH Posts: 2,689 Thanks: 33 Thanked 439 Times in 249 Posts	You are supposed to tip on the cost of the food or service. You don't tip on the tax, they didn't serve you tax. That being said, for food I always double the last two digits and round up to the nearest dollar. I aim for 20% but I can't be bothered with coins on a pricey restaurant meal. Alone at a diner I would be more accurate. Can we just stop pretending that tipping is optional? Unless your service was outright horrible, you're stealing from the service provider if you tip less than 15%. They earn crap in wages and this is their pay. You don't have to like this system but it is the system. You're not going to fix the system by screwing the lowest paid people in the system. If you don't want to tip, eat at McDonalds and cut your own hair.

The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to jrc For This Useful Post:
brk-lnt (05-30-2014), winnisummergal (06-02-2014)

06-02-2014, 07:37 PM	#7
Oregonrain Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: For now I live in Lebanon, OR, but this summer I'll be living somewhere in the Lakes Region Posts: 144 Thanks: 199 Thanked 26 Times in 19 Posts	I guess I don't get out enough... I thought tips were supposed to be 10%. At least it was many years ago. When did it change? I like leaving big tips, I'm just curious when it changed from 10% to 20%.