s/o coffee tipping question...

therickson · November 2011

I hear this a lot and it makes me wonder... Why do so many people not tip at chains? I hear this from friends too and it makes me curious. I used to work in a chain and was paid pretty much the same as the smaller places. Why tip in one and not the other?

CDMay2006 · November 2011

For me there are two reason. The first is that i am willing to put more effort and money into supporting local/small businesses than i am into chains. The second is that generally the non-chain establishments i visit put more into their products/service/experience than do the chain equivalents (extra friendly, more personal service, higher quality goods/ingredients, etc.) and i want to reward that.

larzhope · November 2011

coffee chains or restaurant chains?

I've never heard of not tipping at restaurant chains... if it's coffee chains vs smaller place I have no idea...

Ciaram22 · November 2011

I don't get it either. If I go to a coffee shop that is not inside a grocery store, which is rare, I always leave a tip. They all do the same thing and the ladies that work at the Starbucks in the store I work at go through a rigorous training program.

emyinpink · November 2011

I always tip at restaurants, regardless if they're a chain or not.

I tip at my regular coffee shops, since I tend to know the baristas, they make me excellent coffee, and give me foam art, haha

Starbucks service is much more "assembly line" coffee.

therickson · November 2011

CDMay2006:
For me there are two reason. The first is that i am willing to put more effort and money into supporting local/small businesses than i am into chains. The second is that generally the non-chain establishments i visit put more into their products/service/experience than do the chain equivalents (extra friendly, more personal service, higher quality goods/ingredients, etc.) and i want to reward that.

The first reason makes some sense to me. I prefer to make more of an effort into supporting small, local businesses but tipping is usually just for employees; not managers and owners.

The second reason - I also tip more with better service/higher quality.

jennuinne · November 2011

I try to tip both. But I agree that at smaller, independent places, you often get better, more personal service and a better product. That's what would make me want to tip more. Some Starbucks are "assembly line," but the one I go to knows my name and my very complicated drink, so they definitely deserve it.

therickson · November 2011

jennuinne:
I try to tip both. But I agree that at smaller, independent places, you often get better, more personal service and a better product. That's what would make me want to tip more. Some Starbucks are "assembly line," but the one I go to knows my name and my very complicated drink, so they definitely deserve it.

Starbucks is all we have by our house so that is where I end up most often when I am not working and the girls there are so nice!

jennuinne · November 2011

therickson:

jennuinne:
I try to tip both. But I agree that at smaller, independent places, you often get better, more personal service and a better product. That's what would make me want to tip more. Some Starbucks are "assembly line," but the one I go to knows my name and my very complicated drink, so they definitely deserve it.

Starbucks is all we have by our house so that is where I end up most often when I am not working and the girls there are so nice!

I Starbucks. I go daily, more than once. I have a problem. I have a tree full of Starbucks ornaments!

But I can understand pp that sometime it can feel like an assembly line/chain w/ fast, but not very personal service. The one by my office is awesome, by my house is OK. But, I do notice a difference at some smaller places in terms of service and quality that make me want to tip more, so I can understand the comments about chains v. small shops.

therickson · November 2011

jennuinne:
therickson:

jennuinne:
I try to tip both. But I agree that at smaller, independent places, you often get better, more personal service and a better product. That's what would make me want to tip more. Some Starbucks are "assembly line," but the one I go to knows my name and my very complicated drink, so they definitely deserve it.

Starbucks is all we have by our house so that is where I end up most often when I am not working and the girls there are so nice!

I Starbucks. I go daily, more than once. I have a problem. I have a tree full of Starbucks ornaments!

But I can understand pp that sometime it can feel like an assembly line/chain w/ fast, but not very personal service. The one by my office is awesome, by my house is OK. But, I do notice a difference at some smaller places in terms of service and quality that make me want to tip more, so I can understand the comments about chains v. small shops.

It definitely can vary and I have become a stickler if people are not nice to me! I really wish we had more smaller coffee shops in Rainier Valley.

Ciaram22 · November 2011

On the tiny island I live on we have 1 Starbucks and 4 locally owned coffee shops. 3 are within walking distance of my apartment but I cannot stand the coffee that they serve. So I just stick with Starbucks.

jennlin · November 2011

*when* i tip for coffee, which is rare, i would only tip at smaller places because they probably have less benefits than the starbucks girl. no 401k matching, tuition assistance, medical insurance...even if they work at the coffee shop full time.

uwhuskygirl · November 2011

CDMay2006:
For me there are two reason. The first is that i am willing to put more effort and money into supporting local/small businesses than i am into chains. The second is that generally the non-chain establishments i visit put more into their products/service/experience than do the chain equivalents (extra friendly, more personal service, higher quality goods/ingredients, etc.) and i want to reward that.

This, but I can't justify a tip when all they do for me is throw a tea bag in a cup and pour some hot water over it.

Dana86 · November 2011

I tip based on service. If they are nice to me when taking my order and depending on what kind of place it is while I wait then I tip. I dont care if its a Starbucks or a small stand, if you are generally nice and not just faking it you get a tip from me lol

s/o coffee tipping question...

Re: s/o coffee tipping question...

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