tipping? do you tip waiter/waitress only or tip the Starbucks guy?

[Kathryn STone]

this incredibly rude girl was behind me in line at a Starbucks-kind-of-place in an independent bookstore in Dallas (where I live.) I was looking at the tip jar with a buck and some change (a plastic carafe like they serve wine by the litre).
Well, she goes, "you really shoulc tip them, they don't make very much."
I just stared at her like anybody should if a stranger said that to you. So I get this frozen drink it's like $03.50 +tax. Well blow me down I didn't tip. THEN!
Ugh she walks by my table and says (I guess she saw I didn't tip) the same thing "they don't make much." Jesus! so I say, "you know, I am unemployed-ok?" her reply? "then you shouldn't be having a drink like that" and she walks over to her VW Passat and drives away.
So - tell me? do I tip the guy at the counter making me a smoothie? or is it like "houses of worship" and you throw something in the plate if you can? I mean who says something to a stranger like that?

[amitten]

1. A bitch. n/t

[Kathryn STone]

3. thank you I feel the same way I was like huh?

[BlueJazz]

2. I don't get the whole "Tipping Thing" for making a coffee at Starbucks.

Christ..I tip 20-30 percent to working folks but I'm suppose to give
some guy a quarter or fifty cents for filling a cup?..I think not...

[Kathryn STone]

5. I know I know! I mean yeah your skill is making a cup o coffee or latte

how much skill is that? do I need to tip the person behind the counter at McDonalds because he/she speaks spanish "and" english?

[fudge stripe cookays]

4. My reply:

"Well neither do I, I'm unemployed. Why don't you mind your own fucking business?"

I really hate people like that. A coffee jones is a serious thing, even unemployed.

fsc

[Kathryn STone]

6. No Doubt!!! Caffeine makes the world go round, lady. My bf insists she was

a RE-PUKE!

[amitten]

7. Actually, I doubt a Republican would give a rat's ass if you tip.

The welfare of others is not a concern to them.

But anyway, I love how this stranger decided that somehow they should have a say how and when you spend your own money. I would have told them to stick it sideways, but that's just me and I'm a little nuts.

[petronius]

8. Sometimes I tip at the counter, sometimes not

It's very odd that she made that comment to you (?) in line before you ordered. As for her second comment, I wouldn't have mentioned being unemployed - you don't owe her any explanation - and her third comment was so far beyond the bounds of acceptable behavior that you would have been justified in following her outside and slapping some sense into her.

To answer your question, the only people who behave like that in public are worthless, pathetic, bitter, spiteful, childish, ignorant arguments for post-natal abortion.

[Redstone]

9. Not a problem for me. I doubt I'll ever be inside a Starbucks; not only

will I be damned if I'm going to spend six bucks for a cup of coffee, there's also the fact that I'd sooner wear a damn dress than order something called a "law-tay" in public.

Redstone

[tinfoilinfor2005]

10. We live in a popular tourist town, and unfortunately it is very expensive

to live here, but at the same time, wages aren't any higher than anywhere else in the country. And because the prices are outrageous during tourist season, the tourists aren't overly generous with tips. So we locals all support each other, and tip pretty generously, especially to the kids who don't make shit after eight hours on their feet waiting on some pretty obnoxious characters.

My husband and figure charity begins at home, and we would rather throw a few bucks to these kids than to a huge charity fund that eats up most of the profits.

[Kathryn STone]

11. that's cool sounds like you live in like Aspen CO r/o

I appreciate all the feedback. Dallas is strange it's owned by republicans as you can imagine.
I remember being in Key West for vacation and having the same philosophy as you.

[tinfoilinfor2005]

12. Actually, I live in the Florida Keys, very close to Key West.

And last week while I was in Key West, I tipped a buck to the young girl working at Starbucks. Chances are she worked for minimum wage. Rent in Key West starts at $1,000 per month. Usually these kids either share rent or live aboard a boat, or have to drive for at least an hour from a less expensive neighborhood.

Nevertheless, I think what THAT lady did was rude and crude, and inexcusable.

[Maddy McCall]

13. Wait staff are usually paid much below minimum wage.

Therefore, I always tip them well.

Cashiers at self-serve places (like your coffee shop, or the corner Dairy Queen, for instance) are payed minimum or above-minimum wage.

That's the difference.

I think this new movement to have tip jars for every single staff member of any eating establishment is tacky, and I just ignore the jars.

[eyesroll]

14. I'll usually throw my change in the tip jar -- BUT...

It was none of the woman's business.

Starbucks employees are well-paid. (I can't stand their coffee, but they do treat their workers well.) They do not depend on tips to make a living, nor do they have to give a portion of their tips to the host and bussers, as do most restaurant servers (which is why I ALWAYS tip at least something at restaurants, unless the server was downright nasty -- and I usually tip very well).

[Kathryn STone]

15. thanks to you and everybody who posted r/o

I think that inspite of what we may be critical about ourselves, sometime there comes along somebody so strange and bizzare like that lady at the coffee stand (you know like at Borders books, a place like that)-whew! I didn't have any reply to her I was in shock.
I have this bottom line-servers (wait staff) make less than minimum wage and "rely" on tips absolutely.
I know I been there. But I know the staff at well Starbucks, is not making $2.11 an hr-they make a proper wage.
So there you go peeps, it's just a thing that is new these tip jars, carafes.