Tipping taxi driver

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Taxi use is very uncommon for me. Maybe four times in twenty years have I needed a taxi. But last night was one of them. It was a 35 mile trip and the charge was $50.60. How much would you tip for that?

[sk24iam]

I would tip about $7, just about 15%.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

sk24iam, are you a regular taxi passenger?

[feh]

15% is standard for taxis, unless the driver provides some kind of extra service.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Extra service-- well, it's true I haven't had anyone to talk with about Julius Nyerere and Tanzania in the last three decades. He also gave me a tip to watch a CNN documentary on the Ogoni and Shell Oil in Nigeria. That was cool.

[sk24iam]

I wouldn't say regular, but pretty often on weekends coming home from the bars. Something I've caught on to lately is that the cab drivers don't pay any cut to the cab company so if you're a good talker you can negotiate the cab fare. Several times I have offered a flat $10 to get me where I needed to go and it was accepted.

[segmond]

I don't tip FOR ANYTHING. Unless the service is free.

[Mjenn]

Well Segumnd, then I hope in tribute to your non-tipping you also choose not to utilize the segments of the service industry whose salaries are calculated on being tip based.

Waiters and waitresses and other service workers are paid much less than minimum wage in most states due to the expectation that a majority of their wages come from tips. That means, if you do not tip your waiter, they do not make an even close to livable salary.

If you choose not to do this, I respect that, however I do hope that you also then do not waste their time in serving you. As they are thus doing it 'for free.' As if you were to calculate the amount of time a waiter spends on set up and taking down of service he/she might rack up minimum wage with using all of the hours of a lower wage that are the basis of his/her shift.

[wraddylan]

Be smart man.

[segmond]

Originally Posted by Mjenn

Well Segumnd, then I hope in tribute to your non-tipping you also choose not to utilize the segments of the service industry whose salaries are calculated on being tip based.

Waiters and waitresses and other service workers are paid much less than minimum wage in most states due to the expectation that a majority of their wages come from tips. That means, if you do not tip your waiter, they do not make an even close to livable salary.

If you choose not to do this, I respect that, however I do hope that you also then do not waste their time in serving you. As they are thus doing it 'for free.' As if you were to calculate the amount of time a waiter spends on set up and taking down of service he/she might rack up minimum wage with using all of the hours of a lower wage that are the basis of his/her shift.

Actually, I will use any service that is available to me. If you don't like the wage you are paid, get another job. Nothing is guaranteed, not even tips. There are good nights, there are bad nights. I'm that bad night, I'm just fulfilling my duty in keeping things in balance or else those in the service industry who rely on tips will earn more than they ought to. LOL.

Frankly, I tip, but in rare circumstances and because the person went out of their way when they didn't have to. Besides, I consider tip reverse bribery. In other countries, you give someone in the service industry some little money then they do things for you right, in US, after they do it, we give em. I rather bribe em upfront and know that I will get a great service.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by sk24iam

cab drivers don't pay any cut to the cab company

I find that hard to believe. The company must get something out of the deal. Otherwise, why would they even exist? Perhaps the drivers pay a flat fee to the company, rather than a percentage of income.

[Mjenn]

Originally Posted by segmond

Actually, I will use any service that is available to me. If you don't like the wage you are paid, get another job. Nothing is guaranteed, not even tips. There are good nights, there are bad nights. I'm that bad night, I'm just fulfilling my duty in keeping things in balance or else those in the service industry who rely on tips will earn more than they ought to. LOL.

Frankly, I tip, but in rare circumstances and because the person went out of their way when they didn't have to. Besides, I consider tip reverse bribery. In other countries, you give someone in the service industry some little money then they do things for you right, in US, after they do it, we give em. I rather bribe em upfront and know that I will get a great service.

Yes, however in other countries waiters make a living wage and are not paid dependent on tips. That also means there are a lot fewer people employed at restaurants, service is often not as good on busy nights, and the prices are much higher (I have waited tables in both the US and Europe so speak from experience)

I won't waste my breath lecturing you on the fact that in industry standard is not the fault of the employee, I will only say you are a VERY brave man if you eat at the same restaurant twice after not leaving a tip. Most of the managers I worked with over the years gave us the right to deny service to customers who did not leave a tip and did not have a legitimate complaint. If my colleagues were forced to serve such a client more than once, they were certainly will get their satisfaction in other ways.. And given that the kitchen prep, bartender and waiter all share the tips, they all share in the revenge as well....

So, like most things in life, you get what you pay for

[MiikeB]

Originally Posted by disneysteve

I find that hard to believe. The company must get something out of the deal. Otherwise, why would they even exist? Perhaps the drivers pay a flat fee to the company, rather than a percentage of income.

Yea, every cab driver I have spoken too says they pay the company a fee every week or month to lease the vehicle, and the company takes care of all maintenance etc, and the drivers just keep whatever money they make and use that to pay lease fee + gas.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by MiikeB

Yea, every cab driver I have spoken too says they pay the company a fee every week or month to lease the vehicle, and the company takes care of all maintenance etc, and the drivers just keep whatever money they make and use that to pay lease fee + gas.

That makes sense and explains why a driver might be willing to negotiate the fare. If he's had a good week or month, he may feel a little more generous.

[toboramai]

15% is normal. $1 for every bag.

I use cabs all the time. The cab companies take a large cut of the money. Cab drivers in texas make around $30,000.

Be smart with your money but don't skip on your duty to tip. Flame away!

[Ima saver]

I too worked as a waitress 20 years ago and we made $2.01 an hour plus tips. Today, they still don't make much more than that an hour and they have to work hard. (We had to clean the entire restaurant except the kitchen) If you can't afford to tip, you should really not eat out.

[cptacek]

Originally Posted by Mjenn

If my colleagues were forced to serve such a client more than once, they were certainly will get their satisfaction in other ways.. And given that the kitchen prep, bartender and waiter all share the tips, they all share in the revenge as well....

Awesome. What restaurant was it where you worked? Sounds like a call to the health department might be in order.

[Ima saver]

We had a group of six that came in several times a week. They never left a dime. Of course, once I served their food, I did not return to their table.

[atomicrc11]

Tipping a cabbie for me really depends on the ride. The are situations where I have a great cab ride and tip well. Sometimes not. Generally it is about 15%.

The times I leave no tip:

1. When the driver continually talks on his cell phone after I ask him not to. Technically this is illegal and the driver must get off his cell phone upon your request. (At least where I live.)

2. When the driver goes a different way after I specifically ask them not to. This happens a lot and there are reasons I ask for specific routes.

3. When the driver gets into an accident that was their fault. I've had this happen twice. Once they rear ended someone while talking on thier cell phone (this is the reason for rule #1). The other was the driver went the wrong way down a one way and hit a car head on coming out of the one way street.

4. When the driver drives on the right side of the road.....in the Bahamas. This was a scary ride and just an fyi for those who don't know, the Bahamas are closesly tied to the UK, so you should drive on the left side of the road.


Otherwise if the trip is good and the cabbie goes for the quickest route, a tip is deserved.

[supersaversam]

I'd pay him between $55 and $60 depending on how much you liked him, and that he took the quickest route possible.