How do you tip a porter?

[declansdad]

I am really glad you recognized it as such, that was the intent.

 

I am amazed at how many folks try to justify not tipping for the convenience of having someone carry their bags, wait on their tables or drive them in a taxicab. It is nothing more that a rationalization of the parsimonious among us to avoid payment for a helpful service. Tipping is not a secret to Australians visiting the US or boarding cruise ships in US ports. It amazes me that many of you will spend big money on a cruise but then try to avoid tipping a porter by schlepping your bags on and off of the ship. Probably te same folks that remove the automatic tip.

 

 

You certainly keep making rude posts.

[imtired1959]

The situations that I have faced are:

 

1) I am not solicited for tips, the porter takes my bags, I give him $5 a bag.

 

2) I am told that to make sure my bags get on board that I need to guarantee this by giving the extortionist $5 a bag.

 

In either case: I give $5 a bag. BUT... in one situation, I am comfortable with. In the other, I feel ripped off.

 

I will leave it to the fine folks in this thread to figure out which is which.

[jak378]

You certainly keep making rude posts.

 

Yes, I try to be rude to the ignorant folks who go out of their way to avoid tipping when it is an accepted practice. If you don't want to tip, don't go, or stay in Australia where you needn't tip. I believe that tipping is an accepted practice in your home territory of Canada.

[declansdad]

Yes, I try to be rude to the ignorant folks who go out of their way to avoid tipping when it is an accepted practice. If you don't want to tip, don't go, or stay in Australia where you needn't tip. I believe that tipping is an accepted practice in your home territory of Canada.

 

 

Please show me where I said I don't tip? I and other Canadians certainly do tip but not because it is a requirement but rather because we want to reward exceptional service. Unfortunately with porters at the cruise ports you are not tipping for exceptional service, above and beyond what they are required to do.

 

I was simply commenting on the rude and unneeded manner in which you responded.

[jak378]

Please show me where I said I don't tip? I and other Canadians certainly do tip but not because it is a requirement but rather because we want to reward exceptional service. Unfortunately with porters at the cruise ports you are not tipping for exceptional service, above and beyond what they are required to do.

 

I was simply commenting on the rude and unneeded manner in which you responded.

 

Please tell me where said that you do not tip. I only said that tipping is an accepted practice in Canada, which it is. When tipping is an accepted, general practice one does not tip only for exceptional service, but for all service. It is not meant to be a reward.

[babyher]

Please tell me where said that you do not tip. I only said that tipping is an accepted practice in Canada, which it is. When tipping is an accepted, general practice one does not tip only for exceptional service, but for all service. It is not meant to be a reward.

 

 

Tipping should not be for all service . This has only happened to me once, but I have no problem not tipping for bad service.

 

I think some tipping has totally gotten out of hand. Its getting to the point where people expect tips for doing what they are paid to do in the first place.

 

The convenience store I go to for coffee and cigarettes in the morning has a tip jar at the counter . I walk in , pour my own coffee , get my own bagel or donut from the counter, get my own newspaper from the rack, then go to the counter and the clerk reaches 2 feet over his head to get me a pack of cigarettes and rings me up , and for this he expects tip ?

 

But we aren't expected to tip the person at the checkut counter at the supermarket who not only rings up a carriage full of groceries , but also bags it and puts it in the carriage for me.

[dsrdsrdsr]

It amazes me that many of you will spend big money on a cruise but then try to avoid tipping a porter by schlepping your bags on and off of the ship. Probably te same folks that remove the automatic tip.

If you insist we ought to tip a porter for carrying bags that don't need carrying, should I also tip a taxi driver even though I'm going by bus, tip the waiter because I've brought sandwiches, or the crew on the ship berthed next door?

 

I will tip people who perform a service for me and where they are deliberately underpaid because tips are expected to make up his salary. I will not tip an already well-paid man who is doing a job that I don't need him to do.

[gentle@spici]

I run a grocery store here in Michigan and today during a raging snowstorm with 25 mph winds I tried to get a customers trunk open to get some weight in it for her. Went back in and took some de icer off the shelf and 15 min later it still wouldn't open. Finally had to put the cat litter in her back seat. I didn't expect a tip and didn't get offered one. We deal with similar situations every day here and never get tipped or offered one. Wouldn't take it any ways. It's part of what we get paid for. Im probably a cheapskate, we usually tip $3-$5 bucks for 2 bags. We take $100 in dollar bills for the whole vacation for various tipping. But I still chuckle inside every time we tip since it's all part of my job back here at home.

[AZbeachboy]

I run a grocery store here in Michigan and today during a raging snowstorm with 25 mph winds I tried to get a customers trunk open to get some weight in it for her. Went back in and took some de icer off the shelf and 15 min later it still wouldn't open. Finally had to put the cat litter in her back seat. I didn't expect a tip and didn't get offered one. We deal with similar situations every day here and never get tipped or offered one. Wouldn't take it any ways. It's part of what we get paid for. Im probably a cheapskate, we usually tip $3-$5 bucks for 2 bags. We take $100 in dollar bills for the whole vacation for various tipping. But I still chuckle inside every time we tip since it's all part of my job back here at home.

 

The whole tipping system is archaic. It is time these employers pay a fair wage and charge a fair price. If that means higher prices then let that be the way. It is time for businesses to be held accountable for how they treat people. They just want to hedge their bet. Just as some on this thread are heading the bet on the porter. Some avoid the tip thinking nothing will go wrong with with bags. Others tip just in case the person might mishandle their bags.

 

Some people want keep tipping in place so they can get a cheaper price by avoiding the tip. It is time for tipping to go back to when it was a show of appreciation for the service rendered and not to pay to make up for a lousy wage that a company will pay.

[AZbeachboy]

The best post on this thread was to put the porter at a 45 degree angle and push. It reminded me of cow tipping.:D

[babyher]

I run a grocery store here in Michigan and today during a raging snowstorm with 25 mph winds I tried to get a customers trunk open to get some weight in it for her. Went back in and took some de icer off the shelf and 15 min later it still wouldn't open. Finally had to put the cat litter in her back seat. I didn't expect a tip and didn't get offered one. We deal with similar situations every day here and never get tipped or offered one. Wouldn't take it any ways. It's part of what we get paid for. Im probably a cheapskate, we usually tip $3-$5 bucks for 2 bags. We take $100 in dollar bills for the whole vacation for various tipping. But I still chuckle inside every time we tip since it's all part of my job back here at home.

 

 

I was an EMT for 6 years and have been a 9-1-1 dispatcher for going on 31 years . I have personally brought back 3 people who had stopped breathing. One an infant. I've delivered 3 babies I don't know how many people I have saved just by sending them help when they called (not just me every dispatcher) and lets not even get into the firefighters and cops who are out on the line .

 

Yes I got a few commendations and some pretty certificates and a nice plaque , and some beautiful letters , but no one ever gave me 2 cents (and I did not expect it either)

 

So hearing someone getting 5 bucks a bag to put them on a cart , kind of makes me wonder

Edited January 8, 2015 by babyher

[sail7seas]

Tipping should not be for all service . This has only happened to me once, but I have no problem not tipping for bad service.

 

I think some tipping has totally gotten out of hand. Its getting to the point where people expect tips for doing what they are paid to do in the first place.

 

The convenience store I go to for coffee and cigarettes in the morning has a tip jar at the counter . I walk in , pour my own coffee , get my own bagel or donut from the counter, get my own newspaper from the rack, then go to the counter and the clerk reaches 2 feet over his head to get me a pack of cigarettes and rings me up , and for this he expects tip ?

 

But we aren't expected to tip the person at the checkut counter at the supermarket who not only rings up a carriage full of groceries , but also bags it and puts it in the carriage for me.

 

 

 

I'm one who could be accused of being too 'liberal a tipper' but your post made me think. Now that you mention it, I have seen tip jars beside a cash register where the clerk clearly expects a tip for ringing out my sale. That' is going too far and even I won't tip in that circumstance.

 

I've taken to trying (unsuccessfully) for at least one of them to say thank you when they give me my change. I'm sick of 'here ya go' and they plunk it on the counter. My new line is: "Wow, did you just blow it. I carry around lottery tickets and anyone sales person who says thank you to me gets one of those tickets. You might have won something just for being polite." The looks I get are fabulous!@!!! :D I tell them to keep that in mind as the next customer may be doing the same thing with lottery tickets. I tell them it's a new trend. :D :D

 

[babyher]

I'm one who could be accused of being too 'liberal a tipper' but your post made me think. Now that you mention it, I have seen tip jars beside a cash register where the clerk clearly expects a tip for ringing out my sale. That' is going too far and even I won't tip in that circumstance.

 

I've taken to trying (unsuccessfully) for at least one of them to say thank you when they give me my change. I'm sick of 'here ya go' and they plunk it on the counter. My new line is: "Wow, did you just blow it. I carry around lottery tickets and anyone sales person who says thank you to me gets one of those tickets. You might have won something just for being polite." The looks I get are fabulous!@!!! :D I tell them to keep that in mind as the next customer may be doing the same thing with lottery tickets. I tell them it's a new trend. :D :D

 

 

 

 

*LOL* Love it :)

 

Of course you know , you better have a lottery ticket on you the next time you go in there , and the guy falls all over you. *LOL*

[declansdad]

Please tell me where said that you do not tip. I only said that tipping is an accepted practice in Canada, which it is. When tipping is an accepted, general practice one does not tip only for exceptional service, but for all service. It is not meant to be a reward.

 

 

In Canada is it. We tip a standard amount and give more for exceptional service. You will not find people saying they tip because they need to to make up for lower wages like most people in the US say.

 

You will find many people in Canada who won't tip or tip very little is the standard of service is poor.

 

The are situations were people will tip because they are afraid of what will happen if they don't tip. This is sad because this is not what tipping is suppose to be about.

[timetravler]

Today I wrote a hand written letter to the port authority in SF. We did tip them $10 for 2 bags which I thought was generous. However the porters somehow expected us to stand in the pouring rain(Dec 19th) get our wallets out just to tip them. Instead we waited until after we got under cover from the rain to tip them. Yes we heard snarky remarks from them too. BTW, we greeted them with big smiles but that did not help Almost Everyone on the ship was ticked off at the porters and blamed them for our very late sailing(11pm). Sorry but I have nothing good to say about the porters in SF. They were at their WORST on Dec 19th.