Why are Las Vegas cabbies so weird about tips?

[PokerBob]

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Um what the hell else is he supposed to ask?

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He's not supposed to ask anything. He's supposed to give you your change and wait and see what, if anything, you hand him back as a tip.

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Incorrect. He is supposed to expect a tip. That's the tacit agreement you participated in when you got in the taxi, even if you don't like it like that.

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So are waiters, but when did you go into a restaurant and pay in cash, only to have the waiter ask how much you want back?

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JESUS F'IN CHRIST HAVE YOU EVER EATEN IN A RESTAURANT?

In case you haven't here's how it goes, standard-like: Waiter gives you check for $150, you put $200 (or whatever amount) in the folder. Waiter, without looking at the amt of the bill or what you left, will ALMOST ALWAYS ASK, "Can I bring you change for that?"

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i don't like it when a waiter/waitress asks "do you need change?". i have no idea why, but i just don't. when i waited tables, i used to grab the money and say "i'll be right back with your change." anyone not wanting change would simply say something to the effect of "no, we're all set" and that would be the end of it.

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That's actually a more delicate/classy way for the server to handle the process, I agree, but iI don't think the more-forward route is out-of-line in the restaurant business.

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it is very common and i agree it's not out-of-line, but for some reason it bugs me. i clearly have issues.

i don't think anything i have ever done has ever been described as "delicate/classy" before. i almost approached you at the bellagio and asked if you had any pot, as we ran out and you had a jacket with marijuana leaves on it. that would have been very classy.

[eviljeff]

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i don't like it when a waiter/waitress asks "do you need change?".

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I always thought of this as more of a make-believe game. it's like the server is saying "oh my! look at this leatherbound booklet overflowing with money. there must be too much in here! can I bring you some change?" they pretend to have no idea how much money could be in there, and we pretend to believe that they aren't asking us if we're cheap and magnanamously allow them the full contents.

[Abbaddabba]

The idea of incorporating tips into something like cabs is so [censored] stupid.

They have little, if any input into the quality of service you're provided. They either get you there, or they dont. Is the tip a 'thank you' for not getting scammed, robbed or having your face smashed in? Or - i suppose, the ones who go above and beyond and actually say "how are you doing?" when you get in the cab as opposed to grunting ought to be compensated for their efforts... 20% minimum.


I tip 2 bucks (plus change to round up) for typical short rides around the strip because it isnt worth the potential confrontation with the pieces of [censored] who would actually confront you if you, god forbid, only gave a $1 tip on a $7 cab ride.

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That's actually a more delicate/classy way for the server to handle the process, I agree, but iI don't think the more-forward route is out-of-line in the restaurant business.

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It's out of line when not needing change implies a 33% tip, like in the example.

I dont know of anywhere where 33% is even close to normal.

And any waiter/waitress who provided service that would warrant a 33% tip wouldnt ask that question.

[KSOT]

I haven't taken any cabs out here yet, but I did notice that everyone in town seems to be hustling for tips constantly. I went to pick up a Chicken Parm the other day and was met with "hey I put some extra cheese on that for ya chief!" as I was paying. Little things like that seem to be a constant here. I guess it's just the Vegas mentality.

[shaniac]

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shaniac you're wrong here, the standard is for the waiter to say "i'll be right back with some change"

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In my experience, including having worked as a waiter and having the choice of how to present it, the phrasing is divided 50/50.

In either case, the server has assumed that you are going to give him a tip, which seems to be the aspect that some posters have a problem with. And in all cases (taxi and restaurant industries), it's merely a function of the economic structure of the business and how its workers get paid. If you're not emotionally prepared for the cabbie to ask for his tip, perhaps you should take the bus.

[juttelstud]

God, what's with all the nit responses. No, you obviously aren't obligated to tip well, but does it kill you to pay 35$ for a 30$ cab ride? Maybe I'm in the minority, but haggling over how much to tip a taxi cab driver seems like a such a trivial waste of time.

[Abbaddabba]

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I haven't taken any cabs out here yet, but I did notice that everyone in town seems to be hustling for tips constantly. I went to pick up a Chicken Parm the other day and was met with "hey I put some extra cheese on that for ya chief!" as I was paying. Little things like that seem to be a constant here. I guess it's just the Vegas mentality.


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That's when you say, "im lactose intolerant" and shoot down his hopes of an unreasonably large tip.

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God, what's with all the nit responses. No, you obviously aren't obligated to tip well, but does it kill you to pay 35$ for a 30$ cab ride? Maybe I'm in the minority, but haggling over how much to tip a taxi cab driver seems like a such a trivial waste of time.

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Tipping 15-20% and then being harassed to give more is what the thread is about.

[shaniac]

Bob,

I probably had pot.

[BradleyT]

On a $10 fare the IRS expects them to make $11.50 (or whatever the IRS tip rate is) and taxes them on that amount.

[PokerBob]

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Bob,

I probably had pot.

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rats. next time i will be less concerned about annoying/horrifying you by having a total stranger ask you for weed.