Oh Great LJ Brain Trust, explain to me your custom of tipping

[cjsmith]

[Poll #1007086]

I'm sure I'll think of other situations shortly. Oh, and what would you do if you didn't have the right denomination(s) of money? I know it never happens in the movies, but humor me: what if?

Aw crap, I thought of another one already. How about the guy who brings you your mini-bottle of champagne and pours you a glass?

Comments

[rampling.livejournal.com]

I also hate super-posh hotels. I don't even like moderately posh hotels much. I hate tipping. I don't want people to carry my bags, don't want daily maid service ('cept for maybe some towels). I'm also often allergic to whatever obnoxious detergent they commonly use to wash hotel sheets, so I'd really rather they not be changed with icky allergy-inducing 'clean' sheets every damned day.

I remember back around 1991 or so I was at the SLC Marriott[*], and I was cramming final preps for a big technical conference presentation I was to give. Someone knocked on my door. I was weirded out that someone was knocking! Found out it was hotel staff, asking if I wanted "Turn Down Service". I'd never heard of that (I'm such plain folk!). I (probably somewhat irritatedly, unfortunately) said "No, thanks", weirded out at being disturbed for such a bizarre thing. Next day I wasn't in my room, so they mysteriously let themselves in, Turned Down my bedsheets, and left a mint on my pillow. Oh, I get a mint! So later in the week, one evening I was in when they came by and disturbed me again for the Turn Down Service, and I said yes. Then felt really stupid and awkward as I watched while they came in and Turned Down the bed and left the mint. Eeeeew. But the mint was yummy, at least! Prolly tons of people are familiar with Turn Down Service, but I'd never seen/heard of it, and it freaked me out! Still does.

I tip when I have to, nearly always find it annoying, confusing, and embarrassing. Ugh.

[*] My favorite bit in the SLC Marriott was a restaurant in their *lobby* called "L'abeille" (The Bee). I thought it was odd, saw no reason to name a restaurant after bees. It hit me one day while I was there, that the name could be a French/English pun. Still makes me smile.

[firecat]

My first experience of really posh hotel antics, I was 14 and in London with my parents on vacation.

First, I sat down at the restaurant table and the waiter put a napkin on my lap. I was mortified because I thought he was chastising me for not having done it myself!

Then I went back to my room, and someone had come into my room, searched through my luggage, extracted my pajamas, and left them folded on the bed. There was probably a mint, too, but I don't remember it because I was so mortified that someone had searched my luggage.

[rampling.livejournal.com]

I remember, way back in my high school days, several friends and I decided to splurge and go out to a posh restaurant. We sat down, and the waiter came over and put napkins in our laps. We were SO OFFENDED! We also thought he was criticizing us, and furthermore doing so in a very rude manner. We were angry and upset all through that dinner, and I think we left a poor tip. Many years later I found out that some posh waiters do that. Eeeew. I sorta feel retroactively emarrassed, but sorta not -- I still think it's a creepy thing to do.

Wow, if someone pawed through my luggage, I'd be PISSED OFF! That's horrifying.

Sometimes, well perhaps even 'often', I'll put up the 'do not disturb' door hanger the moment I arrive, and leave it up 'til I leave. Leave me alone, don't Turn Down my bed, don't MOVE MY STUFF, don't even come into my private room. I can reuse a damned towel and sleep on a few-days-old washed sheets. Ugh.

But I had no idea anyone would actually open MY suitcase to 'help'. Thank you for the warning! Maybe I'll get even more zealous about that 'do not disturb' door hanger....

Some 'poshness' is so damned creepy!!!

[firecat]

Yep, I put up the do not disturb sign, too. However, a lot of hotels these days have a policy that housekeeping must at least look into the room at least once a day. (Maybe they have to make sure you're making bombs or meth in there.)

I've stayed at US hotels with turn-down service subsequent to this event and they've never searched my luggage, so maybe it is just an English thing.

I guess I would have made a lousy member of the gentry.