Have you Ever Tipped Your Mailman?

Raijin Quickfoot

It’s one of those things you see happen in tv shows and movies often but I’ve never done it. I’ve never had a personal relationship with my mailman.

Does it happen in real life? Does it??

Yellowhammer

I don't think federal employees can take tips

rhylith

I don’t know if I’ve spoken to my mailman.

Prolegomena

last couple of years I've tipped the postman and every delivery driver in the last 2 weeks or so before Christmas

from the reactions of the delivery drivers this is not common

Paku

We usually have one of the boys awkwardly run him/her out a $25 Starbucks gift card or the local equivalent and then wave from the door. Have been trying to do the same for the recycle/trash workers

Slym

This is the first time I've encountered the concept.

Uriel

A few years ago someone tore the mailboxes off the wall in the mail room

Took the property managers like a year to fix it

I had to go to the post office and wait in line for my mail like a chump twice a week or so

Madican

I've always lived in an apartment complex so I have no idea who the mailperson is, but my parents have always given their mailperson something around the holidays. Usually things like gift cards, though this year the person is retiring so they did two gift cards. Pretty sure they do the same for the trash pickup people and possibly the gardeners for the housing district?

The Lovely Bastard

when i lived in a home with, like, a regular one? yes

but it has been forever since that has beeb true

Jragghen

I've never tipped as in money.

We give Christmas cookies to our mailman/garbage folks, and leave drinks out for package delivery folks in the summer.

E: We tip our lawncare service, but they're people we hire, so that's different.

Jragghen

Jokerman wrote: »

I don't think federal employees can take tips

So from the aforementioned cookie thing, there's a value under which they're allowed to accept. There's actually a form "thank you" letter they leave.

Paku

The neighbors we trust to get our mail if the box gets too full, or to put our house out if it's too on fire, both got homemade Rosemary cookies

Psykoma

We used to growing up. The issue now is that every place I've lived has had a community mailbox so I've never even seen let alone met my postman. Kinda feels weird to tip someone I've never seen

amateurhour

Yeah we just make little gift boxes with some fresh bread and pepper jelly and hot sauce we canned that year.

It has the added bonus of including one of our cards in case they want to make a holiday order, but I still feel alright about it.

Yellowhammer

Jragghen wrote: »

Jokerman wrote: »

I don't think federal employees can take tips

So from the aforementioned cookie thing, there's a value under which they're allowed to accept. There's actually a form "thank you" letter they leave.

That's dope. Maybe I'll tip my mailman this christmas. I usually do give him a crisp hi5 and let him pet my dog if I see him when we're walking.

My mailman is actually pretty nice dude, come to think of it.

Raijin Quickfoot

I don’t think I’ve ever had any kind of personal relationship with a mail person.

Now I think I’m going to leave a tip this year.

qwer12

is this porn? this sounds like porn.

Flarne

I don’t believe so, but growing up we’d give christmas gifts to the garbage men and the snow plow guy. The mailman delivered to mailboxes in the middle of the village so we didn’t have as personal a relationship I guess.

Raijin Quickfoot

qwer12 wrote: »

is this porn? this sounds like porn.

Every thing is porn if you believe

Paku

qwer12 wrote: »

is this porn? this sounds like porn.

Always offer Personal Tips to your service person(s) in a respectful and consenting fashion

Jragghen

Jokerman wrote: »

Jragghen wrote: »

Jokerman wrote: »

I don't think federal employees can take tips

So from the aforementioned cookie thing, there's a value under which they're allowed to accept. There's actually a form "thank you" letter they leave.

That's dope. Maybe I'll tip my mailman this christmas. I usually do give him a crisp hi5 and let him pet my dog if I see him when we're walking.

My mailman is actually pretty nice dude, come to think of it.

Found an article, fyi

The Code of Federal Regulations Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch, Part 2635, Subpart B states:

"Federal employees cannot accept a gift as a result of their federal employment."

What this means is that a postal worker can't actually accept a gift from you just because they deliver your mail, but can only accept a gift if a personal relationship already exists between the two of you.

According to the Postal Service, federal regulations allow all postal employees—including carriers—to accept a gift worth $20 or less from a customer per occasion, such as a holiday or a birthday. However, cash and cash equivalents, such as checks or gift cards that can be exchanged for cash, may never be accepted in any amount. In addition, no USPS employee may accept gifts for mail carriers worth more than $50 from one customer in a calendar year period.

I doubt anyone is getting bent out of shape over gift cards, etc, but that's technically outside the prescribed lines. But yeah.

Garthor

I have never tripped my mailman. It seems like a very rude thing to do and I generally make a rule of not messing around with people with delivery-type jobs because that shit sucks to begin with.

Shadowfire

I used to not tip our mail carrier, but ever since a couple years ago when the USPS really started fucking over the rural carriers I've started tipping. A card with some cash and a thank you I hope is appreciated, and hopefully they haven't gotten into any trouble, but I haven't heard any come down so far.

initiatefailure

My family always did some kind of Christmas gift for the mailman and the paper kid. I completely forgot about those kinds of interactions I just don’t have in my life anymore

BahamutZERO

Raijin Quickfoot wrote: »

It’s one of those things you see happen in tv shows and movies often but I’ve never done it. I’ve never had a personal relationship with my mailman.

Does it happen in real life? Does it??

you've.... you've seen this in TV shows and movies? which ones?

amateurhour

BahamutZERO wrote: »

Raijin Quickfoot wrote: »

It’s one of those things you see happen in tv shows and movies often but I’ve never done it. I’ve never had a personal relationship with my mailman.

Does it happen in real life? Does it??

you've.... you've seen this in TV shows and movies? which ones?

Friends, Northern Exposure, Two Broke Girls...

BahamutZERO

I've somehow managed to dodge every piece of media this has ever occurred in

initiatefailure

I’ve seen the antithesis of this in Seinfeld

localhjay

Me reading the thread title and remembering another, different tipping thread:
https://youtu.be/9gJXbwhggFY?si=qcnq8ELyXe7yg0Hd

Slym

I can't say I really understand the rationale for tipping the mail carrier. You don't request them, and most of the stuff they bring you is garbage. I'm not arguing that they don't work hard or deserve to be well paid, but so does everyone. You don't tip your mechanic, your IT guy, your cashier at the grocery store, (at last I've never done so or heard of anyone doing it) even though they're interacting with them face to face.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding what exactly is meant by a "tip" but I guess I don't see why someone would single out the mail carrier specifically.

localhjay

I'm sure a mailman would accept and over the pants handy jay over a money tip

Yellowhammer

Local H Jay wrote: »

I'm sure a mailman would accept and over the pants handy jay over a money tip

HI ITS ME UR MAILMAN

Gvzbgul

qwer12 wrote: »

is this porn? this sounds like porn.

No, that's when the mailman gives you the tip.

Madican

SLyM wrote: »

I can't say I really understand the rationale for tipping the mail carrier. You don't request them, and most of the stuff they bring you is garbage. I'm not arguing that they don't work hard or deserve to be well paid, but so does everyone. You don't tip your mechanic, your IT guy, your cashier at the grocery store, (at last I've never done so or heard of anyone doing it) even though they're interacting with them face to face.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding what exactly is meant by a "tip" but I guess I don't see why someone would single out the mail carrier specifically.

If you've ever ordered bullshit the mailperson is the one who has to lug said bullshit to the truck, get it stowed before driving, then lug it to your front door. And that includes the heavy bullshit.

Anzekay

It has been a really long time since I've had a regular mail person. As in, the same person every time for a long time. So no, never really considered it

amateurhour

SLyM wrote: »

I can't say I really understand the rationale for tipping the mail carrier. You don't request them, and most of the stuff they bring you is garbage. I'm not arguing that they don't work hard or deserve to be well paid, but so does everyone. You don't tip your mechanic, your IT guy, your cashier at the grocery store, (at last I've never done so or heard of anyone doing it) even though they're interacting with them face to face.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding what exactly is meant by a "tip" but I guess I don't see why someone would single out the mail carrier specifically.

That's fair, and really what I do isn't considered a tip I guess.

for me personally, I live in a rural area. I've got the same two people who pick up my trash every week and the same person that delivers my mail, a badass old lady in a left hand drive Jeep Cherokee (boxy style, the good one). They get up at like 3AM and drive and walk through shitty conditions five days a week, and the garbage guys aren't particularly well paid.

to your good point though, it's not a "assign capitalism to a task" thing for me, it's just, "I'd bet they'd like some fresh made treats during the Holiday season as a thank you" so it doesn't play in the same headspace as tipping I guess.

Raijin Quickfoot

BahamutZERO wrote: »

Raijin Quickfoot wrote: »

It’s one of those things you see happen in tv shows and movies often but I’ve never done it. I’ve never had a personal relationship with my mailman.

Does it happen in real life? Does it??

you've.... you've seen this in TV shows and movies? which ones?

I was watching Bob’s Burgers and it came up but yeah, there’s been a bunch of cases

JimBobTM

I try to leave something out on a day that I'm getting a delivery, from multiple delivery companies if possible. I'll set a box on my front step with some kind of holiday-ish treats (flavored popcorn, Chex mix, etc) a few Gatorades, and cards addressed to USPS, UPS, and/or FedEx with a gift card for a restaurant. I live in a smaller town so I figure it is a neighborly thing to do, even though I rarely see these folks in person.

Thro

Anzekay wrote: »

It has been a really long time since I've had a regular mail person. As in, the same person every time for a long time. So no, never really considered it

I think this is why it used to be more of a thing, and stopped. Your mailman used to be a regular. He carried dog treats on him. You might actually talk to him. Now your carriers are cycled, they and you both feel it's temporary.
Now I don't even have to talk to my neighbors unless we're both shoveling snow or something.
It's pretty great!

BahamutZERO

They still usually carry dog treats, it's a pretty foolproof dog in yard disarming device