Funny you should mention that...(okay, it's from a year ago, but still...)

I don't consider it "cool" or "not cool" to tip. But Starbucks is one of the few exceptions I have made for fast food. I used to go to the same Starbucks across from my former office at least once per day. They always had my order ready, were friendly and generally started off my morning on the right note. At Christmas, I dropped a roll of dollar coins in the tip jar. I never let them see me do it, since I wanted them to think that it could be any of their appreciative customers.

Likewise, while I was unemployed for a year, I used to go to the same Starbucks every day. I ordered one drink but sat for a couple of hours job hunting, reading, etc. It was a peaceful escape and got me out of the house. They also got a roll of coins.

Mike

It's all about culture. We tip at Starbucks because it's expected and we don't tip at BK because it's not.

The thing I don't entirely get about tipping at Starbucks - I give my order to the person at the till, pay. It is only after I leave the till that they start prepping my drink, and I know whether it is made correctly or not (given their 'anyway you want it' ethos, you'd think they would be able to get it right all the time, I am batting about .500 - extra hot / ratio of syrup pumps and no whip seems to flummox some of them nearly all the time) and I am not going to tip someone when they will potentially screw up my order.

So how does a non-American know when to tip?

Starbucks - yes
Burger King - no
Dunkin Donuts?
Peets?
Ben and Jerry's?
Tim Hortons?

It may be 'culture' but if even a native can't tell foreigners what the rule of thumb is, how can they be expected to know?

Here is my deal with tipping .. I tip when someone does something beyond the scope of their job or what is expected of them. The exception would be sit down restaurants where it is mandatory. If someone from Best Buy helps load something in my car and is pleasant/engaging, he might get a five spot. I have tipped the cable guy, electricians, etc.

Unless an employee goes above the normal duties, I just don't feel the need to tip at a Starbucks. If Starbucks converted to a sit down environment, then I would feel different. Otherwise Starbucks is essentially a McCoffee.

If someone serves you at a table, you tip.

Otherwise, you don't. To some, it seems, even without table service, you can, but don't have to.

The amount you tip depends on the level and quality of service. A "normal" tip is often in the 15% range (total bill before taxes), although more recently, many suggest 20% is normal. If it is a buffet, you tip less than full service. If they refill your coffee or water without being asked, or provide other good service, if they are pleasant and efficient, or if they check on you regularly to ensure you have ketchup or whatever, a higher tip is warranted. If they get your order wrong, well, the tip will likely be less.

I wonder if people realize that, when you tip at a restaurant, or at least at most restaurants, those tips are divided among all or most of the personnel and do not just go to the server. In my opinion the issue is not whether you are served at a table. Tips are usually divided among the server, the bus people, and the kitchen help. At Starbucks, you are as much tipping the people who make your drinks and clean up the tables as the person who takes your order, just as you do in other restaurants.

In the US, restaurants set their prices based on the fact that they pay their employees very little and assume the rest of an employee's wages will come from tips. Personally, I much prefer the European system where employee salaries are borne entirely by the restaurant and they set their food and drink prices accordingly.

Who said it's "cool"? I don't think I've ever tipped in a fast-food establishment, including Starbucks, regardless of how "complicated" my order might be. My rule of thumb is this: if I go to a counter to place my order, I don't tip. If I sit down and someone takes my order and delivers my food to me, then I tip based on service.

Evidence, please. I don't believe Starbucks workers are classified as "tipped" employees, but rather as cooking prep staff. Unless they are classified by the IRS as servers (as their primary function), they are not considered "tipped" employees.

By whom? I'd like more evidence behind this level of "expectation".

Two things that certain establishments (i.e., Starbucks) do is put a tip jar in front of the register and/or provide a gratuity line on a credit card receipt. BK/MCDs/etc. does not do this.

For the record, the Starbucks locations in the Greater Richmond area and Baltimore/Northern Virginia area do not have a gratuity line on credit card receipts that they hand me.

That system is not just European, it's most of the civilised world.

So what? The folks who run the coffee stand at my Metro North commuter rail station put a "tip" jar next to the cash register, too, but I don't think there's any "expectation" that they are getting tipped for handing folks bagels and coffee. Putting a "tip" jar out or leaving a line for a gratuity doesn't mean there's any "expectation" for a tip. It's a chance to sucker people out of money for service no different than what's provided at any fast-food establishment.

I don't go to Sbux very often, but I am almost certain that they do have gratuity line on the credit card receipt. It might be wrong.

I am not saying that the person warrants a tip, I am just saying that putting a tip jar or adding a line to a credit card receipt increases that expectation that a tip is warranted.

That's it, I am putting a tip jar on my desk :D

I had no idea that people tipped at Starbucks until I read this thread! Then again, I'm from the UK, and tipping doesn't happen as much over here.

I tip table service and pizza delivery guys, but the thought of tipping for a coffee never occurred to me, and it's not something I've heard about from any of my US based friends.

I usually don't have to sign anything because I never purchase over $20 of items. They just hand me a receipt and I'm done.

i used to explore trendy and interesting coffee shops, which would invariably have a tip jar. i would always leave the same tip: "don't eat yellow snow" scrawled on a napkin or handy scrap of paper.

I much prefer the Japanese system which is like this, except with consistently high quality service everywhere, and no tipping anywhere.

I don't mind tipping (although when traveling it's certainly a lot more convenient to not need to carry around a briefcase full of small bills in local currencies to hand out tips to porters, drivers, doormen, bellhops, maids, servers, bartenders, concierges, etc.), but if other places can get away with no tipping an better service than in the US, seems like tipping isn't doing much for us here.

I've noticed tip jars on counters at self-service cafes in London. Yuck.

I hate Tip Jars.

That having been said, if my change comes to less that 50 cents I'll likely just toss it in the jar since I don't want in my pocket all day. More than 50 cents? I'll likely keep the quarters and toss the rest in.

Would I ever take money out of my pocket to put in? No.

I also consider myself generally a good tipper in sit-down restaurants, and usually leave close to 20% for good service. Bad service? 2 pennies and I figure they'll get the message.

To me Starbucks counter service= no tipping.

Sorry if this has already been mentioned; I haven't read the whole thread.

But I was wondering; I understand that waiters in restaurants and bar staff get very little (as little as $3 an hour I've been told?), and that the tips are used to 'top up' their wages, which is why you will get very dirty looks if you don't tip!

What do the people in Starbucks etc get paid then? Do they get a proper (albeit it low) wage, or do they get the same as waiters and bar staff?

+1

Why should I throw money in a jar?

I occasionally throw 50cents in...if its a place I go to more than occasionally. Or if I walk in with my starbucks coffee bean bag that has the "free tall coffee" marked on it....and they see me walk in with it and smile and say "what kind of coffee would you like".


Now: my question...I've never noticed...do 'bucks in Europe etc have tip jars??

I"ve been known to frequent them for the wi-fi.. But....never paid attention I guess!!

True

I never put money in a tip jar.

Does everyone in America feel it's their moral responsibility to "tip" someone who is receiving low wages?

This thread is extremely entertaining, especially reading those remarks about people even wanting to tip the SBUX gophers.

Yes, yes, I know it's the "norm" at restos, but outside of that, there are no written rules and everyone's interpretation is quite different. Especially those who try to claim a higher moral ground.

that would certainly fit in with the socialist principles that form the basis of their nation :D

What next, affordable healthcare? (only joking with that one, of course)

These days a lot make it a claim of higher moral ground that is easy to accomplish. Some people try to show off by tipping to seem like they have more disposable income, kind of like how some people buy Apple products because it is a fashion statement.

I've found myself tipping more at places like this than I used to. That's because not only am I a big fan of Where's George? (www.wheresgeorge.com) but I have also recently been doing my part to get $2 Bills into circulation. They make for great tips and will hopefully teach people that they're not rare, not valuable, not collectible and aren't fake.

Of course, minimum wage laws vary, but in Ontario, Canada:

General $10.25/hr
Students under 18 $9.60/hr
Liquor servers $8.90/hr

Not that big a spread.

In Canada, generally speaking, min wage is around the $10/hr mark no matter where you go.

I am also astounded why some people are trying to "tip" the American percentages in Canada since the waiters making slave wages doesn't compare. I think Upstate's comment about people trying to show off is probably quite correct.

Starbucks.. I pay on cc, so if there is a tip option, I'll leave 5% or something nominal..

I always leave change. If it's not much, then I leave a dollar bill and change.

I usually tip a dollar each trip thru the Starbucks drive through which is usually daily when I'm not on the road

Interesting.. I've never thought to tip through the starbucks drive..

I'm just so used to drivethrus not tipping.. I've never thought about tipping..