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I don’t think I’m quite as cautious as that in respect of shopping, but maybe I am, just in a different way.
Other than going to the market occasionally, which has strict rules regarding distancing, masks etc (and rigidly enforced by security and the Policía) we’ve hardly left our little barrio since last March.
We know all the shopkeepers and the supermarket is a small one, rarely busy. Little shops it’s only one person in at any one time and all measures are, again, stuck to rigidly.
We do an online supermarket order every month or so, which eliminates most potential supermarket visits. Also saves humping all that wine home in the shopping trolley from hell
Our little bar round the corner reopens tomorrow, and again, all relevant measures are taken by the owners.
As it stands, even though our infection rate has been as high as 1,200 per 100k, we feel comfortable kicking about our barrio. If we ever don’t, then we’ll pull up our drawbridge and only purchase online.
Because they are providing a service? It should be made clear that tipping is expected in the US because of our unlivable minimum wage. Since you are in Spain there are different expectations.
It’s pretty outrageous that employers in the US can get away with not paying their employees a living wage, expecting customers to essentially pay wages in the form of tips.
Tips used to be an expression of appreciation for exemplary service, not something expected because you know the worker is getting paid slave wages.
BTW, it’s the same in Mexico. Your average waiter or store clerk couldn’t survive on their salary. Meanwhile the business owners get rich.
I had this argument when I visited the US.
A meal costs $80, but the total price is $100 inclusive of the tip.
I would rather pay the $100 and know the staff is getting paid properly and then I would happy to tip for outstanding service rather than feeling pressured into it.
I’m just going to address my comment to @gypsy who lives in the US. If she gets groceries or delivery of prepared food she should be prepared to tip. For me, I usually put a small tip on the credit card when I order and then give an additional tip when the driver arrives on time with my stuff in good condition.
I’m not in a position to address tipping, wages, culture, etc in Spain.
This American found it so refreshing not to have to worry about tipping when I travel to countries where it is not expected. It is complete BS that customers have to subsidize poverty wages in the US. Everyone should be paid a living wage to begin with.
OK, so you make an online purchase, and likely pay a delivery charge.
You then, voluntarily, pay extra, for the privilege of having those goods delivered, for which you’ve already paid for.
Then, when someone delivers those goods, which you’ve already paid to be delivered, and paid that extra “tip”, you then pay an extra amount to the person who delivers it?
How many payments are you expected to make just to get a delivery?
It depends on the delivery service. I just had a grocery delivery from a store with “free delivery.” It’s not free of course, it’s built into the prices. I gave the delivery driver a tip so I paid for the products and the delivery. Or I could drive 20 miles round trip and spend my time and increase my risk getting covid, or being in a traffic accident or getting a ticket or someone backing into my car in the parking lot and save my money.
Like River Rock I will probably continue to get groceries delivered periodically when the pandemic ends because it’s a service I’m willing to pay extra for.
I always tip very well and would consider it rude not to. Having worked in food service I can totally remember how much it is deserved.
We have lived here since 2011 and never had food delivered, due to privacy gate and long private driveway, our area is considered a no go, we would have to meet them at the gate… Our place is quite out of the way, so deliveries take extra time.
Yesterday we had a huge Lowes truck delivering building materials, he was pooping bricks on the way up our steep narrow road, not sure of a turn around etc. I gave him a 20. However the usual Fed-x and Ups are up here multiple x a day! Do you tip Fed-x or Amazon?
Amazon packages are delivered by UPS, FedEx and USPS. Those are jobs that pay above minimum wage. I don’t tip the Lowe’s or other building materials guys. If someone gave me some extra service above and beyond I’d probably tip them as well.
I tip the pizza, chinese food, door dash, insta-cart and now Whole Foods (which is part of Amazon now). Anyone that is using their own car to deliver rather than a company owned vehicle will be tipped.
I’d like to clarify, btw. The only Whole Foods in my city is at least 10 miles from my house. The close by grocer of a similiar style (“natural”) is called Sprouts. It’s very close so I’d probably order and pick up from there. But Whole Foods has a better selection of gluten free foods. Now that they are owned by Amazon their prices are more competitive and I liked the service I got. But normally driving 25 miles RT for groceries wouldn’t make sense to me. I hope we will get a Trader Joe’s someday but am afraid it would be on the other side of town as well.
I’m in SE USA. Different areas may pay differently.
Recent UPS Delivery driver ads said start pay $25/hr in my area.
Wait staff get $2.35 (approx) plus tips. Since limited indoor dining the waitstaff who deliver curbside don’t have increased base pay & are dependent upon tips
Uber eats & Doordash are paid a base but it covers only slightly more than gas & car costs so tips are the money maker.
I tip all delivery drivers & curbside wait staff. In all fairness I must be frugal right now so I don’t use tipped services often.
Last March /April when people started using more delivery services, there were awful stories of people including a generous tip when ordering then after home delivery removing the entire tip.
It’s absolutely mind boggling and shameful that anyone would be expected to work in a first world country for $2.35/hr.
Canadians have a reputation outside if Canada for being poor tippers. What people don’t understand is that Canada has reasonable minimum wages, although they vary slightly by province, and many Canadians are unaware of how little people get paid elsewhere.
The least an employer is allowed to pay is $11.70CAN hr. in New Brunswick to $16.00 in Nunavut, and the average across all provinces is around $14. Doesn’t matter if all you’re doing is digging ditches or scrubbing out toilets.
There are a few exceptions, like fruit pickers and farm workers, who may get paid by the pound for what they can pick, tree planters who get paid by how many trees they plant in a day, etc.
But that wouldn’t amount to anything even close to $2.35/hr. A high-ball tree planter or fruit picker could make up to $200- $300/day.
Tipping here is not the norm. In a bar or café simply rounding up is sufficient, e.g. if a couple of beers is €2.80, then some might leave €3.00 and some may accept the 20c change. The waiter will be indifferent and not bat an eyelid if you keep the 20c.
In restaurants you’ll occasionally see “servicio incluido” on the menu, so no tip is expected, other then maybe a couple of euros if you’ve had really good service or the odds left over, similar to a bar. Higher end places, around 5% is the norm, although again, if it’s less no one really bothers.
In tourist areas they expect tips from foreigners, but not from locals.
Taxi drivers don’t expect to be tipped, and my OH leaves a euro each for the girls in the hairdressers (any more and she’d loose respect from them!).
As regards delivery drivers, simply not done. In fact, when paying in cash, if they don’t have sufficient change, they actually round the bill down. My butano man has done with me, despite me telling him it was fine for him to keep the 75c change I was due.
That would be illegal in the UK and most of Europe, and I suspect Canada also, @muddy?
A waiter here will earn between $13 and $20 per hour and, after being employed for one year, will have a minimum of 44 days off per year (30 plus 14 public holidays).
Agree completely.
Here is a different perspective regarding tipping:
