Ho-Ho-No: Should we be tipping extra to show appreciation to service workers?
‘Tis the season of giving, but what about tipping extra to show appreciation to service workers?
Last week, we asked you to weigh in on tipping service workers (hairdressers, barbers, nail techs, RMTs and servers) a bit extra this holiday season as a token of appreciation.
Responses have been rolling in, and it looks like the majority of readers won’t be tipping any more than standard rates during the holidays.
For the most part, readers say that with the current affordability crisis and tip inflation, they simply cannot afford to tip extra this holiday season.
“Too much tip inflation, everyone wants a tip for just doing their job,” said one commenter.
“I’m not their boss and their wages are not the public’s problem. Employees are management’s responsibility, not the customer,” stated another.
“It’s tough. Currently, living expenses are through the roof. Very soon, I would like to be tipped for going to a specific hairdresser over others,” quipped one individual.
Half of our readers who have responded say that they tip 10-12% on services, while 33% said they usually tip 12-15%.
An overwhelming majority (91%) of readers feel that tipping culture has gotten out of hand, and they aren’t alone.
According to a poll conducted by Angus Reid Institute earlier this year, “tip-flation” was noted as a big frustration for many Canadians.
ARI found that this tipping fatigue culminated in nearly 60% of Canadians saying they would prefer a “service included” model, which would scrap gratuity in exchange for higher base wages for service workers.
According to the report, 78% of Canadians also believe tipping is no longer used to show appreciation for a job well done. Instead, many (73%) think it’s a way for employers to underpay their workers.
Our readers also shared some additional thoughts on the current state of tipping.
“Asking for mandatory tips is crazy. Everyone tips according to their pockets. You can’t be forced into tipping,” commented one individual.
“Again in any other industry if you weren’t happy with your salary then you would look for another job or ask for a pay raise. Why are your customers the ones who are losing out just because it’s a bar/restaurant/cafe?” asked another.
“Very turned off by restaurants who set their lowest suggested tipping to 18%,” remarked one respondent.
What are your thoughts on tipping extra during the holiday season? Let us know in the comments.
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