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Flower Deliveries: She Tips?

Margaret

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It occurred to me recently that it doesn't seem quite right that if you send a woman flowers, she's the one who ends up tipping the delivery guy. And since it's usually (sort of) unexpected, she could easily get caught in a situation where she doesn't happen to have any smaller bills handy, or what have you. What do you guys think?
 

Joffrey

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NOt much you can do about it. Maybe tell the delivery service to tack on a few bucks onto your bill to compensate
 

lawyerdad

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Originally Posted by Jodum5
NOt much you can do about it. Maybe tell the delivery service to tack on a few bucks onto your bill to compensate
And hope they're classy enough not to still take a tip at the delivery end as well.
 

Margaret

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Originally Posted by Jodum5
NOt much you can do about it. Maybe tell the delivery service to tack on a few bucks onto your bill to compensate

I thought about that, but I don't know if there's any way to do that if you order over the internet.

Originally Posted by lawyerdad
And hope they're classy enough not to still take a tip at the delivery end as well.

And that's exactly what would happen, too.

Anyway, it's not a big deal. It just occurred to me, so I wondered how other people handled it.
 

vanity

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I've had flowers delivered to my gf's office many times. I don't think anyone has ever tipped the guy. He drops them off at the front desk, and a secretary surely won't tip him. I order them online so maybe it's different than your mom and pop shops? Unless they're being delivered to a home, I don't think these guys expect any sort of tip. They're like mail couriers to office buildings.

In addition, it's an extra $10 for delivery. I don't think anyone needs to pay more for this service, surely not the recipient of the gift.
 

Bouji

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Yet another why the tipping culture in America is beyond ridiculous; in the UK nobody would ever consider tipping any sort of delivery service, perhaps some exceptions for takeaway delivery, but only if it was very prompt.
A friend of mine who recently moved to America expressed his shock to me when he ordered a Pizza delivery in the states, and the person taking the order asked "Shall I put a tip on your card, or will you tip the driver" he, in my opinion rightly responded, "Normally I decide to tip if the service is good, therefore cancel my order, I'll order from someone else".
 

matadorpoeta

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Originally Posted by Bouji
Yet another why the tipping culture in America is beyond ridiculous; in the UK nobody would ever consider tipping any sort of delivery service, perhaps some exceptions for takeaway delivery, but only if it was very prompt. A friend of mine who recently moved to America expressed his shock to me when he ordered a Pizza delivery in the states, and the person taking the order asked "Shall I put a tip on your card, or will you tip the driver" he, in my opinion rightly responded, "Normally I decide to tip if the service is good, therefore cancel my order, I'll order from someone else".
you insist on bringing this up again and again, but we have explained the reasoning behind this and it makes sense: in america, pizza delivery drivers make very little in wages and need the tips to make a living. if they made more in wages, the price of the pizza would go up. so in the end, the customer pays about the same by tipping as he would if we had a "non-tipping" system, except that in our scenario he has the option not to tip if the service is bad, therefore saving himself a couple of bucks.
 

matadorpoeta

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Originally Posted by Margaret
It occurred to me recently that it doesn't seem quite right that if you send a woman flowers, she's the one who ends up tipping the delivery guy. And since it's usually (sort of) unexpected, she could easily get caught in a situation where she doesn't happen to have any smaller bills handy, or what have you. What do you guys think?
i used to deliver flowers all over the city, from the best neighborhoods to the worst, and i very rarely received a tip. flower delivery guys don't expect one.
 

Margaret

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Originally Posted by matadorpoeta
i used to deliver flowers all over the city, from the best neighborhoods to the worst, and i very rarely received a tip. flower delivery guys don't expect one.

Interesting. That's sort of unfortunate for them, but I guess it's really no different from the UPS guy.

Thanks for the information.
 

Bouji

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Originally Posted by matadorpoeta
you insist on bringing this up again and again, but we have explained the reasoning behind this and it makes sense: in america, pizza delivery drivers make very little in wages and need the tips to make a living. if they made more in wages, the price of the pizza would go up. so in the end, the customer pays about the same by tipping as he would if we had a "non-tipping" system, except that in our scenario he has the option not to tip if the service is bad, therefore saving himself a couple of bucks.

It's not only wrong because it cheats the customer, because they have no idea what is a reasonable tip, but also the employee, because if they don't get a tip they don't earn minimum wage, which would never happen in the UK, minimum wage is strictly enforced at this end of the spectrum, although much less so with bankers, salesmen etc. due to bonuses, but there would be outrage at minimum wage not being enforced for low-paid jobs.
Also, explain to me how a Almas caviar, foie gras, Alba truffle and Wagyu pizza is deserves a larger tip than garlic bread? % tips are the height of reverse classisim.
 

Isaac Mickle

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Tipping is all-American. Anyone who complains about tipping a servant is un-American--British people included.

In this scenario, however, there's no way she tips. No, no way the woman tips.

If there's some chance she might be put on the spot, then the man should add the tip when you place the order.

The best-case scenario is the man uses the same flower store often. They get to know the man. The delivery person does not mind (or is taken care of ahead of time) when he's out delivering flowers to all the man's ladies.
 

Bouji

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Originally Posted by Isaac Mickle
Tipping is all-American. Anyone who complains about tipping a servant is un-American--British people included.

In this scenario, however, there's no way she tips. No, no way the woman tips.

If there's some chance she might be put on the spot, then the man should add the tip when he places the order.

The best-case scenario is the man uses the same flower store often. They get to know the man. The delivery person does not mind (or is taken care of ahead of time) when he's out delivering flowers to all the man's ladies.


Fortunatly, London is better than America.
 

matadorpoeta

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Originally Posted by Bouji
It's not only wrong because it cheats the customer, because they have no idea what is a reasonable tip, but also the employee, because if they don't get a tip they don't earn minimum wage, which would never happen in the UK, minimum wage is strictly enforced at this end of the spectrum,

you don't know what you are talking about. minimum wage in california is, i believe, $6.75/hr. pizza guys make about $8/hr. with tips they make about $12-$15. if no one ever tipped them, the boss would raise their wages and the pizzas would cost more. either way it evens out for the customer: pay $10 + $2 tip or pay $12 without tip.
 

Bouji

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Originally Posted by matadorpoeta
you don't know what you are talking about. minimum wage in california is, i believe, $6.75/hr. pizza guys make about $8/hr. with tips they make about $12-$15. if no one ever tipped them, the boss would raise their wages and the pizzas would cost more. either way it evens out for the customer: pay $10 + $2 tip or pay $12 without tip.
No, you are the one who does not know what they are talking about, if you're going to get at it like a typical American, and end up wrong. The fact that an easy job earns minimum wage, and still expects tips is even worse.
 

Bouji

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Originally Posted by matadorpoeta
you don't know what you are talking about. minimum wage in california is, i believe, $6.75/hr. pizza guys make about $8/hr. with tips they make about $12-$15. if no one ever tipped them, the boss would raise their wages and the pizzas would cost more. either way it evens out for the customer: pay $10 + $2 tip or pay $12 without tip.
What about paying $10.96 or $20, both of which are more than likely when considering you HAVE to give a tip, I personaly give the change/small notes/round note that I have with me at the time, if I feel that a tip is required, hence if a bill is £100 and I have 2 fifties and a twenty, I will give £120 and leave, if I have 2 fifties and a ten, or two fifties and a five, that's what I will leave, how is this logical or fair on either me or the employee? Who knows to tip $2 on a $10 pizza? If that is a %, why should I tip $4 on a $20 pizza? You have to be stupid to pay more than you need to.
 

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