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Tipping point: Who and how we tip in the Rio Grande Valley [The Monitor, McAllen, Texas :: ](Monitor (McAllen, TX) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) April 21--After paying for his meal, Mohammed Mreish stuck a toothpick in his mouth, got change for a $10 bill and returned to his table at Denny's in McAllen to drop a few bills. "I always tip about 15 percent," he said. "Well, 15 to 25 percent." If he takes his family out to eat, he'll generally tip a bit more. But for bad service? "I don't tip at all," he said. "If you don't have a happy customer, why are you going to (get a) tip?" It seems to be a common sentiment among most consumers, but in the Rio Grande Valley, it seems tipping often only comes with exceptional service, and sometimes lower than what is considered standard: 20 percent. WHY DO WE TIP? It is believed that tips became a custom back in the 16th century when a couple of drinking buddies at a bar in England wanted faster service, so they began leaving a few extra coins for their server, said Michael Minor, a professor of marketing and consumer behavior specialist at the University of Texas-Pan American. "The 'p' in 'tip' is for 'promptness,'" he said. Gratuity in the rest of the world varies greatly. In France, tipping is not customary, but a couple of euros would be appreciated. Leaving money for a server in Greece may be viewed as an insult. Tip in Australia only for exceptional service. Tipping in Mexico is common, but usually a bit lower than in the United States, at about 5 to 15 percent. "In Europe, wait staff is paid a reasonable wage, if you will, and therefore (tipping) is not expected," Minor said. Servers in the United States rely on tips in order to make a livable wage. A federal law allows servers in the food industry who make at least $30 in tips per month to be paid only $2.13 per hour by their employer. If a server doesn't make enough tips to equal at least minimum wage ($7.25), then the employer must make up the difference. Gratuity in the Valley doesn't differ too much from other U.S. metropolitan areas. For the most part, servers said they receive 15 to 20 percent. Most servers also have several stories of when they waited on a table of four or five people who stayed for hours and racked up a bill of $100 or more and left literally change as a tip. (Tables of six or eight and more are usually charged an 18 percent gratuity fee.) Low tips are to be expected sometimes, and Minor said it's a combination of factors. "I suspect because many people who live in the Valley are relatively poor or their parents were relatively poor," he said. "And watching their parents' behavior perhaps we've learned to tip less than the expectation elsewhere." It may also be a unique cultural issue for border towns. "Sometimes internationals aren't used to the custom or are used to tipping less, so there are frustrations on the servers' part," said Rick Macias, who manages Roosevelt's at 7 in McAllen, and has worked as a server. "You hope for the best." There are certain days and events that could mean feast or famine for servers. Traditionally, prom weekends mean busy restaurants and low tips. Mother's Day often makes up for that, though, with full dining rooms and generous tips. Deborah Salinas, a former server, recalled several instances when she didn't receive tips, in spite of not only her hard work, but others. "A lot of restaurants tip out 3 percent to the host or hostess, bus (people) and bartenders," she said. That 3 percent -- 1 percent to each worker for their duties -- comes from each server. "So, if you get stiffed, you're paying (the customer) to eat," Salinas said, "out of your own pocket." As with any job, there are good days and bad, she said. "At the end of the day, it all evens out. Some days you'll leave with like $5, but the next day you'll leave with $150. It balances out." WHO DO(N'T) WE TIP AND HOW MUCH? Tipping for good service in a restaurant is expected, but what about at a buffet or when you pick food up to go? Do we tip landscapers or a tattoo artist? It can be tricky determining who requires a tip, but in the end, it's at the discretion of the customer. Baristas at coffeehouses typically earn minimum wage, so tips aren't necessary, but if you're a regular or you're offered an extra service, it might be a good idea to offer a buck or two. Eating at a buffet means you won't be waited on hand-and-foot, but you're not clearing your table or refilling your drink, so a 5 to 10 percent tip would be nice. Ordering food to go doesn't require a tip, but it does take a while to pack up lunch for 12, so a 10 to 15 percent tip isn't unheard of. The standard tip for a hair stylist is typically 15 to 20 percent, and in Claudia Merino's experience, her clients stick to that standard. The stylist at Jacquelin's Hair Studio said she typically gets a $5 tip on a $25 bill. It's rare for her to get a client who won't tip at all, but it does happen. Many stylists rent their space in a salon with other stylists or they will get paid a percentage of the cost of a cut or color job, so tips help supplement their income. The same goes for tattoo artists. Bartenders are generally paid the same hourly wage as a server, so tipping is important for them, too. At full service restaurants, they may receive 1 percent from each server during their shift. There are a few services for which one does not need to tip. For example, if you have a landscaping service mow your lawn every two weeks, a tip is not necessary. If you go out to eat with a large party, an 18 percent gratuity is usually included in the final cost of the bill, but you might want to throw in a bit more for exceptional service. There are several hotel services for which you may need to tip -- concierge, housekeeping, bellhop, doorman -- but room service may not be one. Make sure you check your bill to see if it's already added to the total. In the end, it's all subjective and depends on what you think is fair for a job well done (or poorly done). "It began as a courtesy and now in the United States it's an expectation," Minor said. "You obviously don't have to, but it is an expectation that you will." [email protected] ___ (c)2014 The Monitor (McAllen, Texas) Visit The Monitor (McAllen, Texas) at www.themonitor.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |