Dear Urban Diplomat: what’s the etiquette for tipping with Groupon?
Dear Urban Diplomat: what’s the etiquette for tipping with Groupon?
Dear Urban Diplomat,
I used a Groupon recently to get my hair done at an expensive Rosedale salon. It saved me 65 per cent. When it came time to pay, I tipped 20 per cent of the reduced price and got the stink eye from the counter girl. Was I being cheap? What’s the etiquette for tipping with Groupon?
—Tipping Point, DANFORTH VILLAGE
When you’re using any sort of voucher, it’s good form to tip 15 to 20 per cent of the pre-discounted price, since the stylist, or whatever employee serves you, is ostensibly putting in the same effort she would if you were paying full freight. Otherwise, she’s penalized for simply doing her job. There are probably instances when an employee will be aware that you’re using a coupon and make a half-assed effort, like the servers at Winterlicious restaurants who assume their tips are going to suck. Then it’s okay to reduce the tip. In this particular case, if you’re concerned that your bad tip has exposed you as a tightwad, worry not: the coupon clued them in long before your gratuity breach.
Send your questions to the Urban Diplomat at [email protected]
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Dear Urban Diplomat,
I used a Groupon recently to get my hair done at an expensive Rosedale salon. It saved me 65 per cent. When it came time to pay, I tipped 20 per cent of the reduced price and got the stink eye from the counter girl. Was I being cheap? What’s the etiquette for tipping with Groupon?
—Tipping Point, DANFORTH VILLAGE
When you’re using any sort of voucher, it’s good form to tip 15 to 20 per cent of the pre-discounted price, since the stylist, or whatever employee serves you, is ostensibly putting in the same effort she would if you were paying full freight. Otherwise, she’s penalized for simply doing her job. There are probably instances when an employee will be aware that you’re using a coupon and make a half-assed effort, like the servers at Winterlicious restaurants who assume their tips are going to suck. Then it’s okay to reduce the tip. In this particular case, if you’re concerned that your bad tip has exposed you as a tightwad, worry not: the coupon clued them in long before your gratuity breach.
Send your questions to the Urban Diplomat at urbandiplomat@torontolife.com){kind=link}
Tipping is stupid. People get salary/hourly rates…
Yes they get an hourly wage of a pittance. They sacrifice $10 for $8.90 in order to get tips. Learn your facts and its just good form to do so.
OMG NO WONDER WE GET SHIT SERVICE IN CANADA , BECAUSE IDIOTS LIKE YOU , DONT HAVE A CLUE ON WHAT IT MEANS TO GO OUT IN THE WORLD
SERVERS MAKE MINIMUM WAGE , PLUS TIPS ,
TO SERVE PEOPLE LIKE YOU THAT THINK YOU ARE ROYALTY
NEWS FLASH …. YOUR A MOOCH , CHEAP, MDF ,
OMG WHAT ALOSER!!
I’m pretty sure that right on the website AND on the voucher you print off after you purchase the deal, it says that if tipping is appropriate you should tip on the pre-discounted price of the service. I know I’ve seen it on every site I use, and I’ve used quite a few (groupon, living social, team buy, dealicious). Did this person read any of the “fine print” (and I put that in quotes, because it is hardly fine print) before or even after they bought their groupon? But hey, at least they tipped something! Sadly, I know quite a few people like TB, who seem to think that it’s a privilege to serve them, and that dealing with their poor manners & obnoxious requests all night long are enough of a tip. Honestly, I thank god every day that I don’t work in the service industry.