Foo - tipping at coldstone (or similar type places)???

i read the restaurant tipping thread... but what about places like coldstone (or starbucks or other places like that) where you stand at the counter... they make your ice cream (or coffee) and you pay... and leave? they all have their little tip jars out... do you tip at places like that too? and if so... how much? do you through 15% of your $4.00 ice cream in the jar? do you through in a buck? do you not tip at places like that????

I tend to tip a bit at places that I frequent with counter workers. Especially if the person takes the time to make small talk, act friendly, etc. I would rather be helped by someone that seems happy to see me than by someone who acts bored to be doing whatever it is they are doing.

Well, those people are not paid below the minimum wage and don't "wait on you", so I'd say it isn't required. HOnestly, I think most of them just put a tip jar there to hope for a little extra money.

If they treat me well, get the order right, etc... I often tip a little...but not 15%. More likely whatever my change is when I pay.

I am a generous tipper. That said, tips are earned, not deserved. Wait staff in a restaurant naturally in the course of business earn their tip. (Whether this should be the case is another story. But the way our dining expectations go, they naturally earn some base level of tip.) How much, of course, depends on the quality of service provided. I do not believe people at Coldstone and the like naturally earn a tip. And as such, I do not as a matter of policy tip them. However, those who do anything that justifies tipping will earn my tip.

By the way, as an aside, in restaurants that I frequent, I never calculate tips as a percentage of the bill. How much the wait staff deserves is dependent on how well they serve me, not on whether I ordered the salad or the steak.

I tip at bars and restrurants only, unless somebody goes above and beyond of what their job calls for. Other things like valet parking that have a custom of tipping, are things I don't use. And yeah, I've valet parked before at private parties and restrurants, people park on their own a lot.

If somebody requires a monatary incentive in addition to their appropiate wage in order to do their job, then christ, I feel sorry for them.

my thing with coldstone (and other tip jar places).... are you REALLY tipping the PERSON that gave you good service? isn't the tip jar split among all workers at the end of the day? unlike a restaurant (or bar) where the waitress, waiter, or bartender get the cash????

And I rarely give them tips either, unless its a regular barista that does a great job of making the drink. Pushing some ice cream around with a spatula for a minute and plopping it in a bowl is not service. Have you ever seen a clerk in one of these places twice?

if i say "yes"... does that mean i frequent coldstone too often? (no wonder i'm getting so fat!!!!!!!!!!!!)

caligurl, you are NOT fat! I don't care that you were a stick figure before you took up cycling. You're still not fat.

I only leave a tip if the girl behind the counter is really cute. Of course, I expect a phone number scibbled on my reciept in return for the tip in those cases.

No, really. I tip if it was a talented or special service. Really nice latte art gets at least a buck. If someone hands me a sour or watery espresso, or a glob of ice cream on a cone, I don't really see the need.

I am just going to plead the 5th. So that no more plates and forks will be thrown at me
:D :D :D :D

I always tip at Starbucks. If it's just me, I'll drop a loonie ($1) in the tip cup.

I don't tip at those places -Not that I frequent many places like that besides Subway.
I figure that's the atmosphere they wanted to create for the customer ..I shouldn't have to pay for that decision.

I dont tip the janitorial crew wherever I go for keeping a clean house.

I always tip at Starbucks. If it's just me, I'll drop a loonie ($1) in the tip cup.

Loonie. Heh. Canadians make me laugh.

Hey, in the land of Goth Powerpuff Girls, is Chemical X just a big bottle of black makeup or something?

The problem with tipping at Cold Stone Creamery is that when you tip them, they start to sing this silly tune... I've been in two of them and both times they have sung something. Maybe we can tip them not to sing!

Jay

A friend of mine managed a local Coldstone for a few months, and she never said anything about singing - maybe that was a local perculiarity?

I think I spelled that wrong. Such is life.

Hmm....that gives me an idea....I should go and buy the smallest items over and over, as well as my friends, and we should tip EVERY.....DARN.....TIME....just to have a neverending acapella in the worst way possible.

Thanks for the good idea folks! I've never been to stonecold, but I have been to starbucks. I only tip change at those places...to me that's about the same as fast food. A bit more individual work, but it's too short term to really get much of a tip.

caligurl, you are NOT fat! I don't care that you were a stick figure before you took up cycling. You're still not fat.

am so! http://www.smileycons.com/img/emotions/134.gif

Loonie. Heh. Canadians make me laugh.

Hey, in the land of Goth Powerpuff Girls, is Chemical X just a big bottle of black makeup or something?


I can't tell you. If I tell you I won't have to kill you - you'll simply expire from the sheer weight of the knowledge and I know from experience how messy that can be. :rolleyes:

It's very handy having the $1 and $2 in coin form - except that soda machines are priced accordingly. *sigh*

Plus it can be misleading if you're used to coins being more or less meaningless.

I once absent-mindedly tossed a handful of coins into a hat set in front of a girl playing tinwhistle in a bus station in Glasgow. She stopped playing to thank me. I didn't think it was any big deal until I realized that I'd tossed a handful of one pound stirling coins into her hat. Geez, it was like 8 or 10 bucks! And my stupid American mind had only allowed for a few quarters and dimes or something.

As far as the PPG, I bet Buttercup would make a really great Goth. I can't really picture the other two.