W in T actual F? I am bringing my own Do Not Disturb sign. Unfortunately, I fear this could lead to my death by cop.
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I think you’re choosing to see this in a way that infuriates you.
Hotels put envelopes like that out for a simple reason: so that the cleaning staff doesn’t accidentally assume any cash laying out might be a tip. Some people don’t take the time to leave a note on the cash they leave. An envelope makes it easier to avoid confusion and mistakes.
This is exactly the argument I hear from people who walk out of restaurants with a note written on the bill that says “Here’s a tip: get a better job!”
And yes, I have tipped trash collectors $10 or so when it’s spring cleaning and we’ve put out a ton of stuff for them to collect. And sometimes people tip me for doing extra work. People who work hard appreciate it being acknowledged, who woulda thunk?
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My last few stays I’ve had a knock on the door to check on things since I had the DND tag on the door for several days consecutively. Few weeks ago I came in to find housekeeping had straightened the room (tossed trash, made the bed) in spite of the DND sign.
$3 per-night per-person is what my day showed me.
And that man never spent a penny if he could help it.
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I put out the DND sign most days, but I do it to reduce waste not to avoid tipping.
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I worked as a professor at a large midwestern state university. The janitorial staff used to work for the university, so they got a decent wage, benefits, etc. In our building it was a husband and wife team, and the wife had some kind of disability. Every year we would take a collection for them at Christmas, usually amounting to $1000 or so.
Then in the name of cost savings the janitorial staff was privatized with the usual outcome. They lost their jobs and were rehired at a lower salary, no benefits, etc. For doing EXACTLY the same job. So the next Christmas when the call went out for their Christmas bonus, I did a “reply all” explaining how ironic it was that we were taking a collection for these workers while a significant percentage of the savings was going to the CEO of the cleaning company, thus it was especially important to give.
Then I stepped on my dick and went on to warn the support staff (secretaries, copy machine people, etc.) to watch out because clearly they were next. The Dean was pissed, said it was terrible to “scare” the support staff at Christmas. Christ - what an asshole. So glad to gone from that hypocrisy factory.
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i worked in housekeeping briefly at a casino, and let me tell you, it’s hard and often thankless work. we’re supposed to be invisible. ever since then, i’ve tried to leave a tip for the cleaning staff. i will say one thing: if you are leaving a tip, DO NOT leave it on a desk or table, put it on your pillow or somewhere that it is perfectly clear that you are intentionally leaving it for the cleaning staff. we were instructed that if anything was left in the room on tables or anywhere else that seemed plausible that the guest left it unintentionally, we had to turn it in to lost and found and fill out a form about it.
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$5 a night?
(Granted, that’s from a quarter-century ago)
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From the tenor of this thread, I think there needs to be a guide for who to tip when. Oh wait, there is.
Every etiquette guide I’ve ever red, and every comprehensive travel guide, tells you who and what to tip.
In America, it is a fact that servers, cleaners, bellhops, bartenders, and the like are not paid a decent living wage. They’re paid a couple of bucks and hour and expected to make up the difference through tips.
Trying to change this system by not tipping only shortchanges the employee; the management won’t change because you didn’t leave money for the person who deserved it and probably earned it by taking care of you.If you’re offended by the hotel, restaurant, or entertainment venue, call/email the management of that place and express your displeasure.
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Yes, this exactly.
It is well known that corporations don’t give a fuck about paying their employees a decent wage, especially the ones that do menial labor.
That’s a messed part of reality, but people who say “it’s not my problem!” even as they enable the problem by being consumers of those corporations are not helping.
And I’m not suggesting that people just stop being consumers; I know that’s not realistic or very feasible.
What I am saying is no matter how corrupt or unethical any business is, it’s pointless to take it out on the people who work for them, because everyone has gotta make a living, one way or another. They don’t deserve any resentment; the people who get ‘golden parachutes’ even when they fail epically do.
Tipping isn’t required, it’s a simple courtesy that says “I appreciate the hard and often unpleasant work you do, so others don’t have to.” It’s a way of showing respect for a job well done.
And treating service people with respect goes well beyond monetary gestures; personally I make sure to make eye contact and smile at the janitorial staff in the building where I work, often engaging them in polite small talk when we pass each other by in the course of our duties. Not because I “have to” but because they’re real people, that I see everyday; it costs me nothing to acknowledge their humanity.
Even if we lived in a perfect utopia where everyone was paid a fair wage no matter what field of work a person is in, I’d still tip the server who does a good job, and the maid who cleans my room whenever I need to stay at a hotel.
One thing I do agree with is those who have brought up tip jars or pooled tips; whenever possible, I do make sure to tip the person directly, hand to hand.
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If you’ve chosen to stay at a place that doesn’t pay appropriately and you’ve chosen not to tip you are receiving the services and are a massive part of victimizing the labor. Tipping is a part of ameliorating the harm of patronizing somewhere that doesn’t pay appropriately.
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Not sure what you meant by that first part (unless it was some kind of brag) but yes, I’ve been in a room where university administrators, who in polite company would have styled themselves committed progressives, were trying to work out a way to get around union rules and pay the cleaning staff less.
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Wikitravel is a godsend for this. Went to Romania, it gave rough amount to leave at the end of the stay. 10/10, would use again.
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What do you mean by where am I from? Probably not where you are from.
Both completely valid points! But that doesn’t solve the current situation, does it?
Someone has to step up, offer a living wage and benefits to hospitality workers, and include an efficient way to compensate for effective (or ineffective) performance, while also removing tips. This is a big ask. I will gladly support such an initiative. Until then, I will tip regardless of performance to make up for the laws that should be ensuring all of the above already.
Because otherwise, saying essentially ”tipping is terrible, so I won’t do it” hurts you none at all and corrects the injustice on the worker even less.
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It’s fine to believe this. Just don’t stay in hotels or go to restaurants with table service.
I’m a little shocked at the number of people trying to make a economic/political statement by stiffing their servers and their janitorial staff. If your mother or father had held one of these jobs, they might feel differently.
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Well, I do tip, but feel sickened by the practice. If not tipping becomes a movement, I will probably join to end this classicist practice. It’s a job, and it should be a fucking job just like mine. No one should “serve” me for money.
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I mean what country are you from.
Yes, we have different ideas of what tipping is, and I was wondering if it was different customs.
I’m an american. And yes, tipping makes me sick.
