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theBruiser500
12-14-2004, 03:32 AM
Do you tip for taxis, how much? When I got a cab home I was so surprised by how much it cost ($80 for 25-35 minute ride) that I didn't tip anything. He was pretty pissed. I've tipped other cab drivers but never sure how much it should be. A flat tip of a few bucks or should it always be a perecent? 15% of $80 is pretty big. Also it doesn't seem like cab drivers can be good or bad one way or the other, unlike waiters.

SlyAK
12-14-2004, 04:00 AM
I rarely, rarely take cabs, but I usually tip a couple bucks for a short ride, and maybe more like $5 for a 30 minute trip. BTW, the last 30-minute cab trip I took was like a $23 fare, what is up with the $80???? Damn that's steep!

Sly

AncientPC
12-14-2004, 04:17 AM
They can be bad and take the long route to somewhere if they can tell you know the roads.

What city was this in?

In Austin, campus to downtown is like $7 (~5 minutes). North campus to airport is about $20 (~20 minutes).

theBruiser500
12-14-2004, 04:20 AM
Boston.

theBruiser500
12-14-2004, 04:53 AM
It's 4 AM and I'm bored, I keep checking this thread to see if anyone else responded. Please respond because I'm bored.

daryn
12-14-2004, 04:53 AM
F U

Justin A
12-14-2004, 04:56 AM
I've never taken an eighty dollar cab ride, but usually I tip about a dollar on a short ride < $10, and if I happen to be paying closer to $30 I'll tip $2 or $3. I'd imagine $5 or so would be good for your ride.

Justin A

Justin A
12-14-2004, 04:58 AM
Also, like other tipping positions, I tip based on service. My tip will be bigger if I can see that they're doing a good job to get me there quickly. If I see that they take a longer route than is necessary on purpose, I will not tip. If you're ever in Vegas and they take the "shortcut" through the tunnel from the airport to the strip, do not tip. And consider reporting them to the cab company for taking you the long way.

Justin A

bicyclekick
12-14-2004, 08:07 AM
tipping has gotten out of hand in this country. I feel this way and I still tip quite a bit. I don't really know why. I always tell myself i'm not gonna tip or tip little but end up tipping a good amt...

Except waiters/waitresses, I tip them based on service and have no qualms about that I guess. I really do enjoy good service and will reward it, especially if you're a hot girl. You can sure as hell use that to your advantage. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

jakethebake
12-14-2004, 09:51 AM
Last time I was in Iselin, New Jersey on business I had to take cabs around. None of the cable had meters and there was only one cab company so they just charged whatever they wanted. I've never seen that before. It was crazy. /images/graemlins/confused.gif

knifeandfork
12-14-2004, 10:05 AM
i think cabbies deserve a tip if they give good service, and are polite or helpful. if they take you the long way complain and let them know thats why they are getting no tip. cabbies actually ahve a bearing on the service you receive, ithink tipping in relation to how far you are goign is good i would have tipped 10 bucks plus here for good service. and btw when you tip your server bartender(me) 15%, he/she wont slash your tires, but dont expect any favors 20% is my minimum and should be yours too for good service ( i usually tip more for good karma:) just my thoughts, maybe im a little biased though....
jason

WDC
12-14-2004, 10:46 AM
The only time that I have not tipped was when an LV cabbie took the long road to the Luxor from the airport. He was really pissed and wouldn't give me my luggage. Finally enough mentioning of the taxi authority and a little help from the luxor doorman got my luggage. I tipped the doorman big.

My point is that if took the shortest route and got you there safely he probably deserves a tip. He didn't set the rates.

turnipmonster
12-14-2004, 11:22 AM
I tip nyc cab drivers between 2 and 3 bucks. cabs in every other part of the country seem to be a huge rip off ($80 for a 25 minute ride?)

--turnipmonster

sfer
12-14-2004, 12:13 PM
Yes. A couple of bucks.

[ QUOTE ]
Also it doesn't seem like cab drivers can be good or bad one way or the other, unlike waiters.

[/ QUOTE ]

I guess you've never had a taxi go some totally retarded route and cost you ten extra minutes.

BusterStacks
12-14-2004, 12:14 PM
[censored] tipping for anything unless it was above and beyond THEIR JOB.

Toro
12-14-2004, 12:33 PM
Thread hi jack story. Circa 1973. Camp Drum/Watertown New York. Summer camp for the National Guard. Middle weekend so we were on leave. My buddies and me went into Watertown since there was nothing else to do.

We went bowling because they served beer in bowling alleys in New York. We had what was called a beer box. Whoever got the low score on that box had to buy the round. We were there all afternoon and all got shiit faced.

So we grab a cab and head back to base. One of my buddies starts singing the Don Mcclean song "bye bye Miss American Pie" but changed the lyrics to "this will be the day that we bolt". Sounds stupid but we were really shiit faced.

So we get there and one of the smarter guys in the group tells the cabbie "stop here, that's our barracks" but it was really about a quarter mile away. Anyway we bolted, no tip of course. We ran in the front door of the barracks and out the back and using the superior tactical infantry training bestowed upon us by the U.S. government made it back to our real barracks.

You would have thought that we murdered someone. There were swarms of MP's patroling the whole area with the cabbie but they never caught us.

Sorry to hi jack the thread but it brought back a great memory from the young and stupid days.

B Dids
12-14-2004, 12:38 PM
You really don't understand this whole "not being an [censored] thing" to you?

Not tipping in that situation is a staggering dick move, and it isn't like giving a decent tip on a $80 ride is going to break you.

ctide
12-14-2004, 12:46 PM
I take cabs around Boston all the time. I've never encountered anything remotely close to a $80 cab ride. Where did you have him take you? 20 miles out of the city?

Not tipping is ridiculous, btw.

Wakko
12-14-2004, 12:49 PM
I know exactly what you mean, sort of. The other day, I went to this really great restaurant. The wait staff was impeccable; they asked us questions and made sure our dining experience was truly memorable. We had a full six course meal, with matched wines for each course. The entree was fantastic, and even the dessert (which was accompanied by a well-picked brandy) was top-notch. Well, the bill was $485 per person! I didn't even bother to do the math in my head, even after they brought out the second round of hot towels. Why bother tipping when the bill is that big, right?

It's funny, the next time we went there, there was this green lumpy thing in my salad, it kind of tasted like booger.

- A.P.

BusterStacks
12-14-2004, 12:50 PM
[ QUOTE ]
You really don't understand this whole "not being an [censored] thing" to you?

Not tipping in that situation is a staggering dick move, and it isn't like giving a decent tip on a $80 ride is going to break you.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's not the money, dumbass. It's the fact that I don't like being expected to tip if it's not deserved. If it's required, put it in the god damn bill like they do at restaurants with parties of 6 or more.

ThaSaltCracka
12-14-2004, 12:52 PM
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
You really don't understand this whole "not being an [censored] thing" to you?

Not tipping in that situation is a staggering dick move, and it isn't like giving a decent tip on a $80 ride is going to break you.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's not the money, dumbass. It's the fact that I don't like being expected to tip if it's not deserved. If it's required, put it in the god damn bill like they do at restaurants with parties of 6 or more.

[/ QUOTE ]
Huh? I thought tipping the cab driver was expected?

B Dids
12-14-2004, 12:52 PM
Umm... I wasn't responding to you dude.

Either way- don't be a cheap bastard and tip, dammit.

1800GAMBLER
12-14-2004, 01:00 PM
Crazy USA.

astroglide
12-14-2004, 01:07 PM
it's not required. you're a dick if you don't do it (unless they were terrible).

BusterStacks
12-14-2004, 01:08 PM
[ QUOTE ]
Umm... I wasn't responding to you dude.

Either way- don't be a cheap bastard and tip, dammit.

[/ QUOTE ]

oh. I love you Dids. In any event, I worked as a pizza driver some years ago, so I know what it's like to have your job essentially revolve around tips. I do think that is has gotten to the point where it's rude if you don't tip, which imo is a shame. For me, getting a tip was a sign of a job that was done well, and that's what I base my tipping on. Maybe on an 80$ tab I tip out of obligation, but in my day to day life, I am certainly not above leaving nothing for bewlow-average service. Just the other day I was at Red Robin, and my service was taking forever, with no apologies, and people sitting next to me got their appetizers before I got my drink (this drives me nuts). I left nothing and felt good about it.

sfer
12-14-2004, 01:12 PM
Just say I'm a cheap fcuk. We understand.

BusterStacks
12-14-2004, 01:14 PM
[ QUOTE ]
Just say I'm a cheap fcuk. We understand.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't think you do, and I doubt anyone who knows me would describe me as cheap.

Porcupine
12-14-2004, 02:35 PM
One cabbie took me via the tunnel to Bally's. I asked him "Why did you take the tunnel?" and he gave me the standard "traffic on the strip is so bad" line. It was 10:30a on a (not busy) Wed. so that was crap.

The resulting fare was what my fare plus tip should have been, so I just paid with no tip and told him he spent his tip on tunnel. He wasn't happy, but didn't yell at me, try to keep my luggage or anything.

daryn
12-14-2004, 05:38 PM
</font><blockquote><font class="small">In risposta di:</font><hr />
I take cabs around Boston all the time. I've never encountered anything remotely close to a $80 cab ride. Where did you have him take you? 20 miles out of the city?

Not tipping is ridiculous, btw.

[/ QUOTE ]


ding..

but try 35 miles instead of 20

theBruiser500
12-14-2004, 09:00 PM
[ QUOTE ]
You really don't understand this whole "not being an [censored] thing" to you?

Not tipping in that situation is a staggering dick move, and it isn't like giving a decent tip on a $80 ride is going to break you.

[/ QUOTE ]

BDids you are a big loser. It is very presumptious of you to say I'm an [censored] based on this post. I tip waiters and waitresses well when they do a good job. I always tipped the pizza man very well at college. I had tipped all of my last cab drivers well before this one but didn't even know if I was supposed to be tipping them. This $80 trip I didn't tip because I just didn't know if I'm supposed to tip cab drivers all of the time, it cost $80, and I was feeling like [censored], up a long time and really tired.

Sponger15SB
12-14-2004, 09:03 PM
[ QUOTE ]
it's not required. you're a dick if you don't do it (unless they were terrible).

[/ QUOTE ]

Cab drivers by nature are terrible. I feel like I'm gonna crash every 5 seconds, especially in a big city like boston.

Hey how is the big dig coming along? hahahahahahahahahaha

ThaSaltCracka
12-14-2004, 09:27 PM
cab drivers also deal with a bunch of drunk ass people that puke in the cars and potentially don't pay them. Not to mention the constant fear of being robbed. I would tip them every time.

stabn
12-14-2004, 09:31 PM
If only stiffed one cabby, and that was because i felt he drove like a moron. Which, i somewhat understand, if he gets you there faster he gets to drive more in his shift. However, i had let him know several times during the trip that i thought he was driving like an idiot.

I paid him, but didn't leave a tip and told him if he'd slowed down when i asked he would have gotten a five.

Ulysses
12-14-2004, 09:37 PM
[ QUOTE ]
I've never taken an eighty dollar cab ride, but usually I tip about a dollar on a short ride &lt; $10

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, for the most part, just round up to an even amount w/ tip &gt; $1. So, $6.50 gets $8, etc.

[ QUOTE ]
I happen to be paying closer to $30 I'll tip $2 or $3.

[/ QUOTE ]

Airport is $33ish from here. I give 'em $40.

[ QUOTE ]
I'd imagine $5 or so would be good for your ride.

[/ QUOTE ]

For an $80 ride, I'd give $10-20 depending on the cabbie, when it is, whether there's a surcharge (sometimes going beyond a certain distance carries a surcharge since the cabbie can't pick anyone up on his way back), etc. On average, I'd probably tip a cabbie $15 here. $10 is fine, though, imo. Not tipping, well, I just don't get that. To each his own.

theBruiser500
12-14-2004, 09:59 PM
"Not tipping, well, I just don't get that. To each his own. "

Diablo thnx for this condescending end to your post, it is a mischaracterization of my tipping habits. This no tip was a one time mistake that I was asking about.

B Dids
12-14-2004, 10:21 PM
Brusier- you and I both know that's not the only reason that I said that.

How do you not know to tip a cabbie? I mean, I've only taken like 4 in my life, and I knew that going in.

Ray Zee
12-14-2004, 10:33 PM
okay --now how does this change your thinking.--most cab drivers get a large % of the fare. this is true. like about 40%. so now do you think they still should be tipped. sure its ingrained in their thinking and customary. but what about it.
and would you still tip a waitress if she got 40% of the food bill. cabbis and food servers are two different things.

ThaSaltCracka
12-14-2004, 10:48 PM
don't they pay for gas?

theBruiser500
12-14-2004, 10:48 PM
Yay! Ray Zee to the rescue!

Ulysses
12-14-2004, 11:34 PM
[ QUOTE ]
okay --now how does this change your thinking.--most cab drivers get a large % of the fare. this is true. like about 40%. so now do you think they still should be tipped. sure its ingrained in their thinking and customary. but what about it.
and would you still tip a waitress if she got 40% of the food bill. cabbis and food servers are two different things.

[/ QUOTE ]

FWIW, a lot of cabbies make jack$hit, primarily because they don't own their medallions. The specifics re: how much cabbies actually make vary a lot based on their individual situation. Since I know many make very little and since I don't care to find the details of the guy's situation every time I take a cab, I almost always tip them.

I think your point is much more valid when it comes to things like independent owner/driver limos than for cabs.

Anyway, a question for you, Ray.

You frequent Joe's bar. Joe, the owner, bartends on Tuesday nights. Jim, a hired bartender, bartends on Wednesday nights. You like them equally, they are both equally good, etc. Do you tip Jim more than Joe?

sfer
12-15-2004, 12:27 AM
Why is this so complicated? Sometimes, I need to get somewhere quickly. I put up my hand. A taxi stops, I get in, and we arrive...usually quickly and conveniently. I appreciate the service. I tip a couple of bucks. Others don't tip, they have their reasons.

astroglide
12-15-2004, 02:57 AM
it's a service industry. service industries generally live on tips. you thought enough of it to post to ask, and now you're excusing about how you were tired and feeling bad. i think that doubt is enough to offer. if somebody can't accept tips, they will say so when you offer.

astroglide
12-15-2004, 02:59 AM
as i understand it cabbies are "contractors" for the cab companies. they are employees, but they are more or less outsiders while the owner and the administration runs the business. they often do not (or cannot because of their employers restrictions) own their cars, are responsible for all of their maintenance/insurance/etc. it's not as cut and dry as "they take 40%" even if that is the number for some.

astroglide
12-15-2004, 03:01 AM
i have no idea what "the big dig" is

BK_
12-15-2004, 08:25 AM
[ QUOTE ]
okay --now how does this change your thinking.--most cab drivers get a large % of the fare. this is true. like about 40%. so now do you think they still should be tipped. sure its ingrained in their thinking and customary. but what about it.
and would you still tip a waitress if she got 40% of the food bill. cabbis and food servers are two different things.

[/ QUOTE ]

but this market operates at least semi efficiently, so the fact that most people tip is automatically build into a cab drivers "wage". if it wasnt, a cab company could come along and pay less to its drivers (read charge more for the medalian) and dominate the market.

anyways im also not sure of the point of the original post. you asked what you should have done, people told you, but then you told everyone why you acted differently than normal in this particular case.

as a side note, i find it interesting that tipping is such a large portion of american labor economics. in europe, people tip so infrequently that real wages in the service industry are just higher. definently decreases motivation in this sector here, resulting in shitty service

dr. klopek
12-15-2004, 08:41 AM
[ QUOTE ]
It's 4 AM and I'm bored, I keep checking this thread to see if anyone else responded. Please respond because I'm bored.

[/ QUOTE ]

I nearly spat coffee all over the place when I read this.

Toro
12-15-2004, 09:27 AM
[ QUOTE ]
i have no idea what "the big dig" is

[/ QUOTE ]

The big dig is this giant abyss in Boston which has sucked nearly $15 billion tax payer dollars into the ground but is generally regarded as worth the money because everyone in Boston gets a free car wash every morning when they drive to work.

Ray Zee
12-15-2004, 11:23 AM
okay el diablo my friend

i am not saying not to tip cabbies but put that in so people can see the difference between someone getting part of the profit. lots of poeple make jack s---t. but not are all tipping jobs. do you tip the ditch digger you see putting in a manhole or something. tip at the drive thru. tip the meter reader for your power. to each his own. it is a voluntary thing and each tips according to his own reasons. should a poor person tip a cabbi.

as to joes bar. i tend not to tip owners of a business even if they are doing a so called tiping job. as he is making the profit already. his gross profit is about 83% on each drink you buy. plus he does the job so he can save on someone elses salary. should he get double. i dont know.

i do tip alot for service, but do use reason where and when. even if that reason is unreasonable.

KowCiller
12-15-2004, 11:52 AM
[ QUOTE ]
as to joes bar. i tend not to tip owners of a business even if they are doing a so called tiping job. as he is making the profit already. his gross profit is about 83% on each drink you buy.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is the precise reason why the whole concept of tipping (in the USA) is so flawed. It's this underlying concept of wealth redistribution that makes it so messed up. Two people do the same job, one gets tipped, the other doesn't, based soley on the amount of money they make per year. The focus gets changed from "I tip becuase the job was done well" to "I tip because this person doesn't make much money."

If the job doesn't make much money, perhaps the employee should work elsewhere! /images/graemlins/shocked.gif

KoW

astroglide
12-15-2004, 12:25 PM
well it makes even less sense why he would mention it to me then

Toro
12-15-2004, 12:41 PM
[ QUOTE ]
well it makes even less sense why he would mention it to me then

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not sure but perhaps the first part of his response was directed to you and the part about the big dig to the original poster.

knifeandfork
12-15-2004, 02:32 PM
rofl greaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat response

knifeandfork
12-15-2004, 02:37 PM
the parties of 5/6/8 or more grat is used to make sure service folk dont work extra hard for free. for good service feel free to tip above and beyond the included gratuity. stiffing your service person becuase your food suks or takes forever (or other reasons not their fault) is kinda mean. ive stiffed two people in my life because they were blatantly rude. 20% wont kill you and its going to make your server smile spread the wealth... dont be a dick
jason

knifeandfork
12-15-2004, 02:50 PM
there is an old adage about not tipping the owner of an establishment. the owner of my bar is often offered drinks by the patrons(100% no thank you not in my bar) and on the rare occasion (once since ive been there) he bartends people tip him he says thanks but you dont have to tip the owner if it is offered again he will politely take it. I play at a bar and the owner is often waitng on us, i gave tips he gave them back so i dont offer anymore. offer a tip if they give it back as the owner say thanks for being a great host. jmho
jason

knifeandfork
12-15-2004, 02:56 PM
the profit margin in a bar is much less gross even in some is much less. fyi imho
jason

knifeandfork
12-15-2004, 03:03 PM
perhaps my final response to this post. my dad used to pick up hitchhikers, stop on the side of the road and change tires (always refusing money)etc. he always said it might be him next time receiving the aid. what goes around comes around. after 9/11 it was very difficult to find a job in the restaurant/bar service industry in nyc. now i know Mr Zee is "too rich to work" but a lot of people are not so leave a tip, a good tip. a shroud has no pockets.
jason

theBruiser500
12-22-2004, 12:59 AM
"anyways im also not sure of the point of the original post. you asked what you should have done, people told you, but then you told everyone why you acted differently than normal in this particular case. "

Bdids called me a jackass (as a person, not in this particular case), and El Diablo said "to each his own" which was saying I'm selfish or greedy or whatever. I am just trying to say I am not a bad person.

thatpfunk
12-22-2004, 01:25 AM
I think worrying about it enough to post it implied you have a conscious, so we can assume you're not a bad person. At least now you know, and when in doubt, throw people a couple bucks if you can afford it, who does it hurt?