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Tipping the doorman - some questions
Drez
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So my building has a number of doormen. And other folks.
I can't tip everyone. But there are three doormen that have been extremely helpful to me with regard to package deliveries (all packages come through the front desk).
I believe holiday tipping is somewhat customary. True or false?
Is it sufficient, or a bad idea, to tip just those three individuals?
Should I also tip the super?
Is $50 per person enough?
Is cash the only valid option here, or is something like a $50 prepaid AMEX/Visa just as good?
Thanks in advance.
I can't tip everyone. But there are three doormen that have been extremely helpful to me with regard to package deliveries (all packages come through the front desk).
I believe holiday tipping is somewhat customary. True or false?
Is it sufficient, or a bad idea, to tip just those three individuals?
Should I also tip the super?
Is $50 per person enough?
Is cash the only valid option here, or is something like a $50 prepaid AMEX/Visa just as good?
Thanks in advance.
Switch: SW-7690-2320-9238Steam/PSN/Xbox: Drezdar
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If you really have that many staff you might want to do something for the general staff like a traditional holiday food thing. Like people should grasp the concept that Andy, Bob and Chuck are the ones you see and help you the most so they got something special but something for the entire staff shows some appreciation at least.
I don't see a huge difference between the card and the cash though I don't think it classes it up any.
The card question is because it would be better for me to use my credit card to purchase gift cards than give out cash this particular month.
Those cash cards are a pain; a lot of places don't know how to process them. My order from Cabellas got flagged for fraud because I tried using one. I mean, a gift is better than no gift, but they're not quite as easy as a store-branded card.
I would say $20 - $50 for each of your main guys is fine, with $20 tops for anyone else who stands out.
Probably tip the Super something, in theory they share or get something for the other staff.
Would after New Years be better for you? Wait until you can get the cash and put it a red envelopes for Chinese new year.
stay away from the prepaid cards, those are a hassle and you can't even get them processed everywhere
if you have a regular super who lives in the building and so on I might even swing by with a smallish gift basket or something (be on this guy's good side)
Pluto was a planet and I'll never forget
Point being you might want to consider a gift for the staff in general then something extra for the peeps who've been especially helpful to you.
Holiday tipping is definitely customary. It's probably the most known thing about the industry by laymen. For perspective, it's about 15-20% of my yearly income.
You might want to ask some of your neighbors if/what they tip, for perspective. $20 for everyone, and $40 for excellent service, maybe?
Based on my co-workers, they will tell each how how much they're making in tips. So if you single some people out for good service, the ones who got nothing may think they've done something wrong to offend or upset you. If you truly never interact with someone, and they don't know you, I can see it being okay, but if someone has helped you in the past and you don't tip, it will probably sour the relationship a bit.
You should definitely tip the super. Mine (at least) does not share in the staff's tips; he gets his own. Being on his/her good side can really help in a pinch. If you don't tip the super, you will get the service you pay for, but people who did remember to tip him/her will certainly get bumped ahead in their mental priority list.
Cash is vastly preferred, but some people do write checks. I have never received a gift card, and it does sound like a hassle, because I can't use it to pay for rent/utilities/etc.
If it's a huge apartment building, they aren't all getting tips from everyone.
Case or 2 of beer for the staff, and then maybe a bottle of whisky for the ones you feel especially close to?
But silencenumbers has the most real world experience, so follow that advice.
Do you see or interact with the entire staff?
Approximately how much do you give if you don't mind asking? Closer to $20/person, $50 per, $100 per, $250 per? I'm seeing some crazy tip figures out there on the web, none of which I can afford.
Do you own or rent? (I'm renting and 99% sure I will not be in this building next holiday as it is a sublet.)
It probably sounds like I'm looking for validation, and maybe on some level I am. I appreciate the advice, though, and am seriously taking it under consideration (I asked with an open mind). I'm just trying to understand what's best for my situation. Would it look worse if I tipped 4-5 and ignored the other 10 (there's 15 on staff, I double-checked) who I literally never see and probably only marginally benefit from with regards to maintenance or whatever, or if I tipped everyone $15 bucks, or if I just tipped no one and pretended I'm a ghost for the next 6-7 months? I'd rather not do the latter two - they feel "wrong" to me, unless people disagree and believe that tipping like $15 to 15 people. Just being honest as to my budget right now, and that's probably what would happen if I decided it was better to tip all 15.
Yes, we see most of the staff pretty regularly. Some more than others, but we appreciate the work they all do.
Edit: pulling this because I'm not sure it's necessary.
We own and have lived here for about 5 years now.
I mean, I also have never lived anywhere classy enough to have doormen, so maybe we're just talking about a far-off-in-the-distance income bracket here.
Either way, for drez in particular, I think the right course of action would be to buy the entire staff something like donuts/coffee and then tipping the bigger people on the downlow would be a good thing.
Maybe give the 3 doormen $50 and the super $100.
Do it cash, don't do it with cards.
Disregard the entire thread and consider this post validation of your original intent. That is a perfectly kind, generous and reasonable thing to do.
I decided to give an even $50 to 5 people: The three doormen who I interact with heavily, the super, and one maintenance guy who is always around and helped me avoid a $100 lockout for locking my keys in the Apt one day.
I appreciate ALL the advice. And while it may be customary to tip everyone, I just can't afford it to that degree and still make the tip be meaningful (to me). Right or wrong, I want the tip to mean something/communicate something (that I appreciate their above-and-beyond help) rather than being perfunctory or because of an expected custom. Not that I begrudge Six or anyone for following the custom. The whole point of this thread was to get different perspectives, and I thank everyone for the guidance.
Writing the cards now and I got some crisp banking notes ($50s) for the occasion.