I’m capable of getting the soap and water myself too, I’m capable of parking my own car, I’m capable of cooking my own meals…

This is a service like any other, you can use it or not. Personally I have always believed this is a great service, (specially the amenities). I always accept the opening of faucet and handing a paper towel part from the BA. I would consider it rude on my behave not to accept it. You see, this guy has not been as lucky as myself (or he has not been able to understand how to improve his luck) and he is making an effort to give a service. So rejecting the courtesy of opening the faucet and handing the paper towel is like rejecting him as a human being, I like to think I’m better that that, If I decide to tip him or not is irrelevant, I would always thank him straight in the eye; Thank you, I appreciate that… And If I leave or not a tip is irrelevant.

Now, what I consider a great service is been able to leave a tip and take a mint, or eye drops (no, I don’t have fear of infection..) , or comb my hear (no fear of lice either), and if needed, have a shoeshine… Hell, those are all things that I value for the strategic moment. I’ve even had a tie cleaned up after a meal accident…

So its like any other thing, if it’s a guy that is into the service business, he will have the things you could need and if you need them, I’m sure you will gladly leave a buck for a 10 cent mint if you need to clear your breath, been tacky with those 90 cents could cost you hundreds if you blew it just for a bad breath…


Of course, I’ve been in bathrooms where the guy is just an opportunist, and has no real “service”. From those, I will accept their courtesy and sincerely thank them, but maybe I wouldn’t tip them.


But going back to the OP’s question; yes, you are entitled to use/take whatever you consider of value in that situation and you should have the correspondent gratitude… (Don’t be tacky, come on, he’s making a living from the shithouse…)