Dear Scrod, I haven't really been to a bike shop to see a mechanic since I was a kid, and I'm curious how tipping etiquette works with your bike mechanic. I ordered some pedals and clips, and I don't have a pedal wrench (and my 15mm crescent doesn't seem to fit), so I figured I'd go by the LBS (Rapid Transit in Bucktown, Chicago incase anybody has some local insight?) and ask a wrench there to install them.

I've done some reading and it seems like a super mixed bag, everything from beer to food to just giving him a few bucks to just tossing some cash in the tip jar.

What would you do? I feel weird about beer or food because there could easily be dudes in the shop who are vegan, or straightedge, or underage. Money is appropriate, but it's a big enough shop that maybe they can't accept the tip due to some kind of policy, or it could just cause undue stress between the buncha mechanics working?

Is there anything wrong with just outright asking the mechanic if they have a tip jar or if it's appropriate to tip him a few bucks?