Do You Tip Your Detailer?

[3002 tii]

Originally Posted by cbpip

Restaurants, sure. Everywhere else, NADA ! Has become obsessive, they sometimes try to guilt you into it. Not !

Yea but even when I go pick up carry out, half the restaurants in my town ask for tip lmao

[Phillies8008]

Originally Posted by 3002 tii

Yea but even when I go pick up carry out, half the restaurants in my town ask for tip lmao

I'm surprised it's only half – I can't recall the last time I went into a restaurant for pickup that didn't ask for a tip. You know, for handing me my food.

[LGetz1]

I have washed the family's/my vehicles since Junior High School. Have never taken one of my vehicles through an automatic car wash and just once used a Hand Wash guy who was recommended.
Wouldn't tip unless it was a heck of a job and service above and beyond what is normally expected.
That being said I have left 30 % tips at restaurants, bars, nightclubs because the staff was on point and drink glasses were always full.
I joke that at the beginning of every outing the good tip needle is full like a fuel tank......Mistakes, taking too long, or just bad service and the needle rapidly goes to empty.

[LDT]

The problem with tipping is the business model in the service industry. I’ll use the restaurant industry as an example. Gratuities are a significant component of the staff’s income. They receive a low hourly rate and count on gratuities to make up the difference. I’d rather the restauranteur pay a fair wage and charge the customer whatever it takes to make a profit. In the EU tipping is not expected.
Everywhere I go it seems that a tip is expected whenever I tap my card. It’s ridiculous to ask for a tip when I pick up my takeout order.
Also, this business of adding a surcharge when using a credit card is absurd. It’s a cost of doing business. Build it into your business plan you idiot. It’s a GD Scam!

[Phillies8008]

Originally Posted by LDT

The problem with tipping is the business model in the service industry. I’ll use the restaurant industry as an example. Gratuities are a significant component of the staff’s income. They receive a low hourly rate and count on gratuities to make up the difference. I’d rather the restauranteur pay a fair wage and charge the customer whatever it takes to make a profit. In the EU tipping is not expected.
Everywhere I go it seems that a tip is expected whenever I tap my card. It’s ridiculous to ask for a tip when I pick up my takeout order.
Also, this business of adding a surcharge when using a credit card is absurd. It’s a cost of doing business. Build it into your business plan you idiot. It’s a GD Scam!

Couldn't agree more. Tipping is simply a way for a business to pass on their labor cost to me.

Example: my kid worked for Cold Stone Creamery (ridiculously overpriced ice cream place), and when hiring they told him that though they paid minimum wage (or close to it), he'd make it up in tips. And you know what? He did, and then some. So this guy who owns the place, who's already making a ludicrous margin on the ice cream, is now shaving his labor prices in half by guilting his customers into paying the other half. Genius. Scumbaggery, but genius, I guess.

As you said, it's a complete scam, right up there with Walmart underpaying employees such that they are one of the top employers of people on Welfare and Medicaid. A company with a 2025 net income of $19.436 billion. Sure am glad I can subsidize billionaires – socialize losses, privatize gains.

[eliphil]

The most bizarre is at the airport when you do self check out and the tip screen comes up. The social guilt we feel everywhere we go is terrible.

[Emily172013]

Originally Posted by TGRKush

I don’t think detailers should expect a tip besides what they charge cause not everyone is gonna tip. But you could if you want to show appreciation.

I can't understand why anyone would pay a detailer in the first place. I've always cleaned my cars and now that I'm retired I really enjoy doing it.
I remember John Boehner being asked it he was going to look for employment as a lobbyist or at a think tank after he retired. He said no, "I enjoy playing golf, and mowing my lawn". I too also enjoy doing simple chores.

[Suds]

I usually tip when I know the employee doing the work is not the owner of the business. Then it is a cash $20 or so in the hand.

I tip Discount Tire employees when they do a good job, cash in hand.

[Phillies8008]

Originally Posted by Emily172013

I can't understand why anyone would pay a detailer in the first place. I've always cleaned my cars and now that I'm retired I really enjoy doing it.
I remember John Boehner being asked it he was going to look for employment as a lobbyist or at a think tank after he retired. He said no, "I enjoy playing golf, and mowing my lawn". I too also enjoy doing simple chores.

I usually do clean mine, and I'm pretty meticulous about it, but about once a year I'll have it professionally detailed. The truth of the matter is that they're professionals who do it every day, and they'll do a better, more thorough job than I will. I'd estimate that my cleaning is probably a 90/100, but the guy I use will get damned close to 100/100. To me, it's worth it to do a "reset" once a year or so.

Like you, I find cleaning a car enjoyable and almost therapeutic. It's something that shows definitive before and after results, and having a very clean car makes me happy. The only downside is that it kind of kills a little part of my soul when I take it out after a good cleaning and then there's something dirty again. Especially the damn wheels and ever-present brake dust , Maybe I need a plastic cover like Grandma's old couch, lol.

[M3Sleeper]

Originally Posted by spazzyfry123

Curious what the etiquette is here. As a disclaimer, I generally dislike detailing/washing vehicles. I am DIY man through and through with a level of frugality that overall has me disliking paying other people for things that I can do myself - except for washing vehicles. There's just something about it

Anyway, I have a mobile detail guy that comes by the house once in a blue moon. Typically we chat, I'll write him a check, whatever. Today I was tied up in the office and didn't get the typical opportunity, so he showed up, cleaned it up, and left. Shortly after I get a message with the invoice to pay - of which it came prepopulated with a 25% tip with no direct option to leave no tip short of "custom" + entering $0.

I've never tipped a detailer. Ever. Not that I have vast experience working with detailers, but the price has always been the price with no mention of a tip and I've given frequent repeat business. Have I been in the wrong here the whole time? I'm not trying to be Mr. Pink here by not tipping, but I feel with the amount I've already paid what's owed and it never even crossed my mind to tip until today.

I tip people who go over the top anywhere I see someone with a good attitude who is working hard.

I like to tip people who don't expect it and those people tend to appreciate it more. Who would be an example of this...someone at a gas station, garbage pick up, landscapers, and anyone I think really goes over the top.

As for detailers it is not standard practice to tip. The tipping culture in the USA is wild. Soon you will be tipping on the tip.

If I really like someone Ill throw them a $10 or $20 I don't care what they do. On the flipside I tell my kids if your standing up and the other person is standing up you do not tip.

[M3Sleeper]

Originally Posted by TboneS54

Here's a tip: tipping is extra if you want to. Don't feel guilt about not doing it. I don't get tipped at my job, yet I help people much more than a waiter or barber or whatever. And before anyone defends that it's for low income type jobs, not all of those jobs get tips #1 and #2, in the grand scheme, we're all working class/poor, even those making $250/yr in NY/CA.

The best is when they are standing there handing you something from the case and turn the pad around and watch you either tip or not tip.

The good old...one more question for you sir...

[M3Sleeper]

Originally Posted by Emily172013

I can't understand why anyone would pay a detailer in the first place. I've always cleaned my cars and now that I'm retired I really enjoy doing it.
I remember John Boehner being asked it he was going to look for employment as a lobbyist or at a think tank after he retired. He said no, "I enjoy playing golf, and mowing my lawn". I too also enjoy doing simple chores.

Its like cutting your own lawn vs paying someone. Most of us don't cut our own grass although we could and some of us actually enjoy unplugging and hopping on the tractor. It becomes a tradeoff depending on how much the person likes doing the task.

I am like you I love detailing my car its my pride and joy and I don't have any issue. Now my family SUV is a different story I pay people to detail that one. Its not fun to clean, massive to dry, hard to get through in a few hours. I often hit the spray wash on my lunch break because it relaxes me.

It helps with full PPF. A quick spray off and detail spray dry the whole car, door jams, windows, and rims and tailpipes last.

I use very high quality towels and tons of detail spray. I have over 20 different types of detail spray at my house currently on the low end.

[tcphoto]

I got into detailing my car during the pandemic, I found it to be very satisfying and take pride in it. I had a yard for five years and liked taking care of it, I wasn't going to pay someone to do something that I was capable of doing.

As far as tipping, I'd tip a service provider that was an employee not a business owner. I'm a freelancer of thirty plus years and I price my services and don't anticipate receiving a tip. However, I have spent my time in the Restaurant Industry and know that servers and bartenders rely on tips in order to pay their bills.

[Littierally]

Incredible most people in here advocate for not tipping a detailer - someone who can easily be persuaded by a little extra incentive.

This is the person who is taking care of my prized possessions. Why would you not tip him/her?

Whether it’s justified or not - developing a generous relationship with your regular detailer will only benefit you in the future. They’ll be more flexible with their appointment availability, they’ll spend that extra 10 minutes making it perfect, they’ll offer you discounts and new products earlier, etc.

No, of course you don’t have to tip a detailer. If you’re fine with them doing an “acceptable” job, then feel free to cheap out on them.

Empowering people to keep your best interests in mind takes money sometimes. If you’re too cheap to tip a detailer, don’t expect above and beyond - expect average. And then, maybe you should just detail your cars yourself.

My detailer and I have an amazing relationship, simply because I take care of him, and make it worthwhile for him to come spend extra time on my cars.

[Emily172013]

I'm all worried now. Going in for surgery tomorrow. Should I tip the surgeon, anesthesiologist, nurses?
I not serious, of course, I just think tipping is getting a little out of hand.

[John in VA]

Originally Posted by Emily172013

I'm all worried now. Going in for surgery tomorrow. Should I tip the surgeon, anesthesiologist, nurses?
I not serious, of course, I just think tipping is getting a little out of hand.

If it was possible I'd give the anesthesiologist a tip in advance to be sure to concentrate & bring me back safely!

[Phillies8008]

Originally Posted by Littierally

Incredible most people in here advocate for not tipping a detailer - someone who can easily be persuaded by a little extra incentive.

This is the person who is taking care of my prized possessions. Why would you not tip him/her?

Whether it’s justified or not - developing a generous relationship with your regular detailer will only benefit you in the future. They’ll be more flexible with their appointment availability, they’ll spend that extra 10 minutes making it perfect, they’ll offer you discounts and new products earlier, etc.

No, of course you don’t have to tip a detailer. If you’re fine with them doing an “acceptable” job, then feel free to cheap out on them.

Empowering people to keep your best interests in mind takes money sometimes. If you’re too cheap to tip a detailer, don’t expect above and beyond - expect average. And then, maybe you should just detail your cars yourself.

My detailer and I have an amazing relationship, simply because I take care of him, and make it worthwhile for him to come spend extra time on my cars.

If I have to bribe the detailer to do a good job I'm finding another detailer. The price of the job, as quoted, should be enough for them to do as good a job on my car as any other. It strikes me as extraordinarily unethical to do any different.

They quoted a price. I paid that price. If the price they quoted is too low for them to make the money they feel they need to make, that's on them, not me. Raise the price. Why is it my job to make that decision for them?

For the record, I am not completely anti-tipping, though I'd prefer retailers just price their products correctly and pay a fair wage to their employees, making it easier and more transparent for everyone involved. But since that's not the way it is, I'll tip servers at restaurants, etc. But detailers, et. al., are not being legally underpaid with the expectation of tips making up the difference, and I'll be damned if I'm tipping everyone who hands me something.

[Littierally]

Then don’t tip them bud

[Phillies8008]

Originally Posted by Littierally

Then don’t tip them bud

Pretty sure I made it clear that I won't.

[Littierally]

You sure did

[Phillies8008]

Originally Posted by Littierally

You sure did

Thank god that's cleared up, then. Did you actually have something to add, or was it just Internet Snark Day?

[Littierally]

https://f90.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...6&postcount=36

Yeah bud, see post #36 for my contribution.

But listen - it’s really ok if you don’t tip! Sorry my post made you feel so pressured to justify yourself.