Tipping the Excursion Owner?

Although I've seen plenty of threads on how MUCH people are tipping on excursions, I haven't seen this question addressed.

If your guide/driver/etc. is also the owner of the excursion company you've privately booked, do you still tip on top of the amount you've paid? That's assuming that there's no other outside help on the tour, just the owner of the company.

Although I've seen plenty of threads on how MUCH people are tipping on excursions, I haven't seen this question addressed.

 

If your guide/driver/etc. is also the owner of the excursion company you've privately booked, do you still tip on top of the amount you've paid? That's assuming that there's no other outside help on the tour, just the owner of the company.

I would say no - I don't tip the owners of businesses, as they set prices and their percentage of profit is within their control. Well, not unless they do something truly special (like helping you get to an English speaking doctor if you suddenly feel ill - stuff that truly isn't part of their regular job).

There are no guidelines on tipping on excursions. And no...you don't tip owners!!!

There are no guidelines on tipping on excursions. And no...you don't tip owners!!!

When I had a small business with a few employees, it was important to me that my employees felt valued. When I got a tip, it was split among the employees, because without them I wouldn't have been able to do whatever it was that got "me" the tip. Lots of people tip owners; I think it depends on each situation individually.

Lots of people tip owners; I think it depends on each situation individually.

That's because they're not thinking about what a tip is for (unless they don't know they're dealing with the owner). Or maybe they don't know how owning a business works.

The ridiculousness of tipping everyone for everything is well on it's way to creating a monster. Maybe we're already there. As you can tell, the issue of tipping drives me batty.

If your guide/driver/etc. is also the owner of the excursion company you've privately booked, do you still tip on top of the amount you've paid? That's assuming that there's no other outside help on the tour, just the owner of the company.

In that case ... YES ... we would certainly tip the owner!

LuLu

We do not tip owner/operators. We only tip employees when it comes to excursions.

Not big on tipping.

But if I am gong to tip the tour guide [and in some countries I certainly would] it wouldn't care if he was the owner or an employee, if the service deserved a tip what does it matter and half the time, who'd know if he was an employee or owner anyway.

We have tipped the owner of the tour company usually 5-10% of the cost

depends on the service we received

It is a personal decision

I think it depends a lot on what you are doing and the time it take also.

I was thinking about this myself recently since we have a very limited time in Freeport on our cruise (7am - 1:30pm) and what I really wanted is only scheduled in 6 hour tours with private companies.

With that being said, after looking at places with lots of reviews I found a great review on this little older lady who does tours. She is a one person company and did a tour like we wanted. It was also again 6 hours, but she was willing to modify it to make sure we got where we wanted to go and everything.

With that all, we are taking what is normally a 6 hour tour and condensing it into 4 hours. The price is still the same though at $100pp for 4 people. She will be getting a full days pay for only 2/3rd of the time spent. What we are really cutting out is the shopping/lunch that others have rolled into the tours. Because of this, unless there is something really extraordinary I probably won't be tipping extra. But this is also a special case IMO.

If you want to tip the owner/operator - tip. If you don't- don't. Simple.

I tip my barber and he owns the business. I don't tip my plumber and he owns the business. Why? My plumber drives a Porche, my barber drives a Civic. ;)

If you want to tip the owner/operator - tip. If you don't- don't. Simple.

 

I tip my barber and he owns the business. I don't tip my plumber and he owns the business. Why? My plumber drives a Porche, my barber drives a Civic. ;)

so if your plumber came in a beater you would tip him ??? :D

Although I've seen plenty of threads on how MUCH people are tipping on excursions, I haven't seen this question addressed.

 

If your guide/driver/etc. is also the owner of the excursion company you've privately booked, do you still tip on top of the amount you've paid? That's assuming that there's no other outside help on the tour, just the owner of the company.

A fair question. Only once have I ever been on an excursion and the owner identified himself as such. He did make a point of saying that his crew would appreciate any tips. There was a tip jar that he said would be split among his crew.

so if your plumber came in a beater you would tip him ??? :D

:D Yep, that would mean he had 5 ex-wives to support! He'd need all the help he could get!;)