Tipping is out of control!

i noticed that with the machines when we were vacationing there in september. the other i thing i noticed was (and this may have been regional to where we traveled to) the WEALTH of 20 something austrailians working in businesses. we constantly overheard other tourists/customers chatting with them about where they were from/their plans of applying for canadian (?) residency. is there a big influx or is this the norm?
:confused: Sorry - I had a hard time following your post and I don’t understand the question.
 
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To be fair, the membership fee is to belong to their network of roadside assistance (among other things). The people who come out to change your flat on the side of the highway or in the middle of a snowstorm don't see any of that. They're still doing a service for you, and likely getting you out of an unexpected bind to boot. But that said, having worked for AAA in the past, I'd say its about 50/50 whether people tip the drivers that come out. It doesn't occur to people sometimes, and people aren't thinking about that when they were just thrown a curveball with a flat or a breakdown.

Also, in many regions, all the drivers are 100% contracted out.
Um everytime I've had AAA out they have required to see my AAA card (on a good weather day you're going to see my bumperstick which is the only one I have, my husband has the smaller window decal). Now the one time I locked my keys in my car my AAA card was in my wallet which was in my car but I was immediately able to show it to the driver after he opened my car.

I'm not calling the tow truck company I'm calling AAA who then dispatches (usually gives an hour time frame) someone to me. If the tow truck driver is unaware that I'm a AAA member at that point that would not be my responsibility.

And respectfully you're not going to convince me that I should be tipping nor am I going to feel bad in this case because "They're still doing a service for you, and likely getting you out of an unexpected bind to boot." It's got nothing to "people aren't thinking about that when they were just thrown a curveball with a flat or a breakdown."

On the contracted thing part I was speaking about my area. It's completely random to me if I get a AAA vehicle or a contracted out vehicle when I'm calling AAA.
 
To be fair, the membership fee is to belong to their network of roadside assistance (among other things). The people who come out to change your flat on the side of the highway or in the middle of a snowstorm don't see any of that. They're still doing a service for you, and likely getting you out of an unexpected bind to boot.
So people are going out to change your flat for free? Just out of the goodness of their heart? Sorry, they're getting paid to do a job.
 


So people are going out to change your flat for free? Just out of the goodness of their heart? Sorry, they're getting paid to do a job.

The company is making a flat fee off a negotiated rate they have contracted with AAA - its not coming directly from the membership fee you've prepaid. And the tow truck driver him or herself, unless they own the company, is making some lower hourly rate. They are getting paid to do a service, and in many cases, tipping for a service is warranted. If I'm giving a curbside porter $5 to lift my suitcase, I'm giving the man who got on the ground in the snow on the side of the highway a couple bucks to change my tire. If you don't feel its warranted, totally fine - seriously, no snark. Like I said, having worked for AAA, I know that tipping these drivers is ambiguous. Its not as clear cut as tipping a waitress would be.

Um everytime I've had AAA out they have required to see my AAA card (on a good weather day you're going to see my bumperstick which is the only one I have, my husband has the smaller window decal). Now the one time I locked my keys in my car my AAA card was in my wallet which was in my car but I was immediately able to show it to the driver after he opened my car.

I'm not calling the tow truck company I'm calling AAA who then dispatches (usually gives an hour time frame) someone to me. If the tow truck driver is unaware that I'm a AAA member at that point that would not be my responsibility.

And respectfully you're not going to convince me that I should be tipping nor am I going to feel bad in this case because "They're still doing a service for you, and likely getting you out of an unexpected bind to boot." It's got nothing to "people aren't thinking about that when they were just thrown a curveball with a flat or a breakdown."

On the contracted thing part I was speaking about my area. It's completely random to me if I get a AAA vehicle or a contracted out vehicle when I'm calling AAA.

I think you misunderstood what I was saying. Any tow truck that AAA sends out to you, even independent contractors hired by AAA, should always ask to see your AAA card. The tow truck driver wouldn't even know to come to you unless AAA dispatched them, so I'm not sure why he or she wouldn't know you're an AAA member?

Your membership fee is paying for AAA to liaise with their network of drivers and dispatch one to you when needed. Their network of drivers are required to hold a certain standard of service so they continue to receive these calls from AAA. So you're paying to receive these tow truck services, but also to receive a tow truck company that is reputable and will respond within a reasonable amount of time. Unless the driver is the owner of the company that has the contract, the driver is still making his or her normal rate.

And I wasn't trying to make anyone feel bad about tipping or not - I couldn't care less whether you tip, and as I've mentioned a few times, a lot of people don't tip these drivers which is fine. I'm not sure they even expect it since its not done consistently. I'm just explaining the perspective of why some people, myself included, feel its warranted. But no judgment/snark if you don't think its warranted, its totally a personal preference.
 
I think you misunderstood what I was saying. Any tow truck that AAA sends out to you, even independent contractors hired by AAA, should always ask to see your AAA card. The tow truck driver wouldn't even know to come to you unless AAA dispatched them, so I'm not sure why he or she wouldn't know you're an AAA member?

Your membership fee is paying for AAA to liaise with their network of drivers and dispatch one to you when needed. Their network of drivers are required to hold a certain standard of service so they continue to receive these calls from AAA. So you're paying to receive these tow truck services, but also to receive a tow truck company that is reputable and will respond within a reasonable amount of time. Unless the driver is the owner of the company that has the contract, the driver is still making his or her normal rate.

My comments pertaining to knowing I was a AAA member were in response to this:

To be fair, the membership fee is to belong to their network of roadside assistance (among other things). The people who come out to change your flat on the side of the highway or in the middle of a snowstorm don't see any of that.

But now I'm even more intrigued. Certaintly I understand not all employees are privy to all information but I would hazard a guess that a tow truck company that has a working relationship with AAA would at least let their employees know- this.is.what.AAA.is. seems like 101 to me. But I guess it's entirely possible for a tow truck driver to have zero idea what AAA is and just say "uhm I'm supposed to ask if you have AAA card" without really understanding what it is (even basic knowledge will get you the understanding that someone is paying a membership fee for the usage of the service).

And I wasn't trying to make anyone feel bad about tipping or not - I couldn't care less whether you tip, and as I've mentioned a few times, a lot of people don't tip these drivers which is fine. I'm not sure they even expect it since its not done consistently. I'm just explaining the perspective of why some people, myself included, feel its warranted. But no judgment/snark if you don't think its warranted, its totally a personal preference.

My comments pertaining to that part of the post were in response to these comments:

They're still doing a service for you, and likely getting you out of an unexpected bind to boot.

It doesn't occur to people sometimes, and people aren't thinking about that when they were just thrown a curveball with a flat or a breakdown.

Whether you think you a tip to the tow truck driver is warranted if you were in the situation I totally get it. But you were speaking to the wide masses.
 
I always tip now when I use curbside, but its one of those that I don't fully get. They don't do much more than the person at the airline counter, and those aren't tipped positions.
The Skycaps might earn a dollar or two an hour (or possibly minimum wafe+, but at onlyba few airports and following LONG legal battles.) The airline employee inside the terminal is earning a reasonable wage, and gets benefits the skycaps don't.
The company is making a flat fee off a negotiated rate they have contracted with AAA - its not coming directly from the membership fee you've prepaid.
AAA is not a charity. Any negotiated rates paid to the contracted towing companies are paid from all members' membership rates.
And the tow truck driver him or herself, unless they own the company, is making some lower hourly rate.
The tow truck driver is doing the job for which she/he was hired, with the understanding of what the job is, and earning their typical wage.
They are getting paid to do a service
The tow truck driver is getting paid their normal hourly or weekly wage for doing their normal work.
If I'm giving a curbside porter $5 to lift my suitcase, I'm giving the man who got on the ground in the snow on the side of the highway a couple bucks to change my tire.
As is your right - to tip whomever, however, whenever. Or not.
 


I've started feeling the same way about Five Guys. Not only have their prices increased enough to feel the bite at lunch but they always have this large tip jar at the register. I walk up to order, get my own drink, and my food comes in a paper bag. When the onus of all the table-side activity falls to me, then I see no reason to tip.

If I owned a Five Guys, there would be no tip jar. That is so tacky. And to be fair I've seen it in some similar places too, not just there. I'm not annoyed or anything. But I'm not going to tip where I order at the counter, pick it up at the counter, and clean my own table.
 
When using a credit/debit card at many fast food places, you have to sign a receipt that has a tip line or a tip amount pops up on the screen. I don't tip places where I get no service other than they take my money. If I have to pick up my food from a counter, fill my own drink and bus my dishes, I don't tip.
 
:confused: Sorry - I had a hard time following your post and I don’t understand the question.

i was commenting that on a recent fall trip to canada i encountered what seemed like a large number of service workers from austrailia. most if not all would share that they were working in canada w/the goal/hope/plan of achieving some sort of legal permanent residency there. i was asking if canada normally has a large number of immigrants from austrailia or if this is a newer trend.
 
Curbside luggage check guy to me at airport: "I'll make sure to take good care of your bags".
Me (oblivious): "Great, thanks!"
Curbside luggage check guy (more pointedly): "I'll take VERY GOOD CARE OF YOUR BAGS".
Me (catching on): "Ah, OK" (gets out wallet to tip).

That was us at the cruise terminal with the baggage handlers. I was shaking my head like really dude? My friend wouldn't leave until her luggage was on the rack because she was sure they were shady hanging around waiting like....give me a tip....
 
Everybody in our province makes a minimum of $15/hour - everybody. That includes restaurants and bar staff and yet the credit/debit machines still default to 18% as the "recommended" tip...{{sigh}} I'm totally over tipping. :sad2:
https://nationalpost.com/news/the-1...myth-some-hard-truths-about-tipping-in-canada
In my part of Canada we don't have the $15 minimum yet, but DH used to work in restaurants here and they all made more than minimum because if they didn't they would have no staff. I normally tip 10%, with above and beyond service getting 15%.
 
In my part of Canada we don't have the $15 minimum yet, but DH used to work in restaurants here and they all made more than minimum because if they didn't they would have no staff. I normally tip 10%, with above and beyond service getting 15%.

Is that the norm in Canada? That’s very low tipping in the states and honestly, the majority of my travel to Canada has been Toronto for work and I tipped like I do in the states not like I tip in Europe, and I probably overtop there too.
 
Is that the norm in Canada? That’s very low tipping in the states and honestly, the majority of my travel to Canada has been Toronto for work and I tipped like I do in the states not like I tip in Europe, and I probably overtop there too.
Servers here make minimum $12-$15 / hour PLUS tips. Many servers make much more. The servers are NOT poorly paid like they are in the USA. They WANT you to tip like in America but are paid much more as a base wage here. Ronandannette quoted a article that was in one of the national papers here recently. https://nationalpost.com/news/the-1...myth-some-hard-truths-about-tipping-in-canada
 
Servers here make minimum $12-$15 / hour PLUS tips. Many servers make much more. The servers are NOT poorly paid like they are in the USA. They WANT you to tip like in America but are paid much more as a base wage here. Ronandannette quoted a article that was in one of the national papers here recently. https://nationalpost.com/news/the-1...myth-some-hard-truths-about-tipping-in-canada

When tipping in the US I do tip more if they do a good job because they make like $3 an hour?????
 
i was commenting that on a recent fall trip to canada i encountered what seemed like a large number of service workers from austrailia. most if not all would share that they were working in canada w/the goal/hope/plan of achieving some sort of legal permanent residency there. i was asking if canada normally has a large number of immigrants from austrailia or if this is a newer trend.
We do have many Aussies come her to work. Aussies practically run Whistler, they love to ski, and will work and ski at Whistler.
 

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