How much should I tip a tow truck driver?
 

The alternator on my 993 left me stranded tonight on the way to dinner. I was starving, hadn't eaten since breakfast, and after a good two hr. wait, the tow truck finally arrived. The flatbed was wet from all the antifreeze the Ferrari 430 he had just towed left on it. He was very careful, used boards, checked clearances religiously and then helped me push it back into my garage. I gave him $20. Is that about right? The tow was only seven miles, so I doubt he got much out of the job and the hookup and unload took plenty longer than the drive.

$20 seems like a good tip. When I bought my Porsche and had it towed home from 20th Street Auto I used some guy on craigslist who does $85 tows valley-wide and after he helped me push it in the garage I paid him $100, so a $15 tip.

Two hour wait deserves nothing $ wise, unless you negotiated a quicker p/u next time. $20 for the push, and carefulness seems adequate.

Yeah, I was chapped about the wait. But that wasn't the driver's fault. I wouldn't have wanted him to do a shoddy job with the previous car to get to me. Seems my USAA towing insurance sent it the job to whichever company would accept their low pay for the job.

Depends on how much damage he doesn't do. I'd say 10% of the bill.

Last tow was 60 miles. I tipped the driver 20 for lunch. Seemed appropriate. He said they actually like the long trips...less work, same pay.

The last tow I had was from work to home.
The entire drive the driver kept calling me fool.
"Hey fool, how's your day?"
"Fool, that's a nice car you have."
"Hey fool, last night I bought be a big screen tv."

I finally told him, "Stop calling me fool, because I'm not a fool."

His tip, zero.

$20 cash seems a good number. Probably equal to 2 hours of pay after taxes and stuff.

Last guy who towed me hauled my ass off i90 in 4f weather. Nice guy. Talkative. Regardless of their "style" they are helping you out. His phone ran and it was the sound of burping and farting. My son and I rolled our eyes to that one. :)


Plus, his water pipes had just frozen and defrosted. So he had real issues too.

$20 is a nice tip to say thank you. Even if his phone needs to lay off the beans....

Maybe I'm just nuts, but...
 

How does one determine which services get a tip, and which do not? I mean, the tow truck driver is getting paid a reasonable salary to do his job, why does he get a tip (notwithstanding some above-and-beyond level of service)? I work, I get a reasonable salary, but no one pays me extra for doing what I get paid to do already (I have ZERO exposure to our customers, I just make stuff).
While I don't approve of the system restaurant servers work in, I'll play that game, because their hourly rate generally sucks and they count on tips as the bulk of their income. And, I can base my tip on the level of service provided. But why am I expected to put a dollar in a jar at a coffee shop for someone who poured coffee into a cup? And why should I pay a tow truck driver extra for showing up and doing what he is already paid to do?

To me, a "tip" is supposed to be, "Man, that person really provided me with great service, and I'd like to thank them. Here's a buck, go buy a coke." Not me paying extra for something I've already paid for in order to supplement someone's salary.

I don't get it.

It's a good question about why.

I do it because all the times I have been towed (my Porsche and truck), the guy took his time and thought about what he was doing. He also dropped off my 911 inside my garage! Backed up the driveway, extended the bed just into the garage floor, and we both carefully rolled the car into the garage. So he deserved it.

Maybe, a little bit of good Karma. It was $20. Made him happy. I felt good.

Made him think a Porsche guy is a guy who likes cars and can appreciate machines. Interesting discussions on tow rigs, what they drive, and like to do. Person to person.

Honestly, I rarely think about tipping outside of waiters, my barber, and pizza delivery drivers.

I also like to tip when someone goes above and beyond. I won't do it at Starbucks where they're just taking my order like they do for everyone else. And I generally don't like tip jars at the register. But if it's something they had to do a little extra for me, I'll let them know I appreciate it with a tip.

Excellent point. Should we all get a tip for just showing up in the morning?

If the guy goes out of his way or provides some additional service unique to my car, etc, then sure, I can see a tip his way.

If I put out a tip jar associated with my job or even hinted that tips were accepted, I'd be quickly fired. Granted, it's not that kind of a job but I've had people give me an enormous "thank you" for doing what I do. I always think it sounds weird, it's just my job and I'm already paid for what I do.

I do leave a tip at a chinese take out that is run by two families. I've never seen anyone else do it ever, but IMHO, their $6 combo meal is worth an extra $5 bucks. They also know its me even if I call from an unknown phone number to just based off some of the "non-american" stuff they serve that I guess no American voice tends to order.

I tip quite frequently.
For example, when I don't want to change my own moto tires and have some dealer or a place like Cycle Gear do it, I'll give the mechanic a $10 bill ahead of time and say something like, "Here ya go...I've heard that you're good, and this is for not scratching my rim."
Severs and waiters, usually between 10 - 15%.

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Tow truck drivers. I usually fist fight them on the street.

Oh, except a few months ago when it was me who phoned them and actually needed one this time :rolleyes:




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Should have asked him for his card. Repeat business is the best tip for guys who haul stuff. :)

Normally I do not tip tow truck drivers, but I rarely have any of my vehicles tow. Once I ran out of fuel in my Diesel truck ( not too many stations carry diesel back then)and towed to their service garage. It was about 3pm on a Friday afternoon and the owner wanted nothing to do with trying to prime my truck and sent me on my way. Instead he booted me out and ask me to wait outside for my ride. it was one of those day that we had a little rain here in the Socal winter and I was in a pair of shorts and a tee shirt, of course. I returned Monday ready to get rape with a huge bill. Instead, it was only 40 bucks (including 3 gallons of diesel) and this very nice 20 something young man worked on getting it started. He took his time and explain things to me and get me on my way. I went out of my way to find a bank and make sure he got a 50 dollar tip within the next hour and some fuel, of course. As for the owner and the rest of the mechanics, screw em all.

What made it sad was that when I handed over the tip, I couldn't give him the money myself because he busy. Instead I had to give it to one of the older mechanics. Immmediately he counted the amount and started yelling about taking part of that money because he help push the truck that morning. It didn't sound like a joke to me at all. they couldn't have waited until I was gone to do that. No tact whatsoever.

This..
And we caught a ride on a wrecker last week. I didn't think it was necessary to tip him. Especially since I had to help the idiot figure out how to navigate the truck around the parking lot, and then he missed his estimation of what we would have to pay for the miles beyond what aaa would pay by half.

This is just for my info and I am cheap, maybe?

Why is there a need to tip the tow truck driver? do you tip your plumber after he repairs your broken sewer pipe? What if the bill is over 10k? ..or your gardener for that matter? How bout your mailman? He's the delivery of bad news, bills and more bills

The last time I had my El Camino towed home (dead fuel pump) it was 100+ degrees. My garage is on the side of my house and at the top of a hill. It is a pain to get it backed in. I gave the driver 20 bucks and a botte of cold water. We were both huffing and puffing for air.

I'm in the same boat. I've had a few cars towed by AAA over the years and never thought of tipping them.

For those who wonder why a tip is necessary - it is not - just as saying "THANKS" is not necessary.

When you give money to someone who performs a service for you - it's another way of saying "THANKS".

Yes I know you have already shelled out money.....but again......did that money actually say "THANKS" like the tip did? (the answer is no..it did not)

That is how I look at it.

The primary issue with tipping, is that it creates a culture where service providers become accustomed to, and begin expecting tips. That puts the rest of us in a hard spot. I don't like that feeling. Know when to say when!

This.

The obligatory Mr. Pink scene
 

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Yep. I hate those places that add 15 or 20 % to the bill if there are over so many people. Why don't the establishment just post a sign that say you must tip so our waitress can eat because we don't pay em siht. what if the service is poor?

Sorry man, but you need to work as a server to get some perspective. When you get a party of 15-20, it becomes your only table for at least an hour or more. If they stiff you, you made nothing. Getting stiffed by some foreign tourist party of one or two (who have no idea about tipping) isn't gonna put a big dent in your shift, since you'll have several other tables for that hour. Spend an hour or two on just one table and you need to be getting a fat tip to make it worth your while.

I worked at a hot spot in G'town in DC. It was the intersection every foreign tourist told their taxi driver to take them. I can't tell you how many tables I waited on where they brought their luggage with them from the airport, were total time vampires, were nice as can be, totally happy with my service and didn't leave a dime for a tip.

Rick, I know its hard work but why not up the bill and give a certain percent to the waiters?

Be sure to ask that 23 yr. old server next time and see how far that gets you.

I don't think tow truck driver expect a tip, at least based on his reaction to me handing him a $20.

I have AAA, mainly because my kids are both out of state, so the tow was already accounted for.

That and he was there in 20 minutes, was great, had me at the rental car place in minutes so I could head to my next meeting in DC and he had a two hour drive ahead of him.

Anyway, I must be an idiot: I had two new garage doors put in two weeks ago, new tracks, the works.

The two guys who did the install ran the cleanest, most efficient work site imaginable, and didn't mind my dogs hanging around while I ran some errands. They also fixed some things I wanted done extra.

They walked me through all the programming, helped me code all the doors, etc.

I tipped them each $10 bucks for a snack on their way back to VA.

Maybe it is because I put myself through college working in service positions during the school year: Tips were everything.

I was wondering what Mr. T was doing for a living these days.
Jim

Last month when my 911 left me stranded at work, I tipped to tow driver $20.

He was there in 22 minutes, was very careful with the car, let me help where I wanted (sitting in the car when it was being winched up the tilt deck-I'm not 100% on my 36yo tow hooks).

When we got it home he backed the tilt deck to the lip of my garage and we slowly lowered the car into her normal spot.

He was very grateful for the $20.

What about concrete truck drivers? These guys can make your life heaven or hell depending on their experience & attitude. I've had drivers that would pick up a mag or rake & jump right in, I've also had a guy 2 days from retirement shoot 10 yards as fast as his mixer would roll.

I doubt most folks tip tow truck drivers, I would if circumstances warranted it.

I've never had concrete delivered. If I ever do and it looks like he's going above and beyond, a tip will be warranted.

ZERO!!!!

This business of tipping everyone for just doing their job well is getting out of hand.

The $0 tipper responses make me feel a little less cold hearted.

I am always willing to tip $0 to infinity...but the service encountered at my last few restaurant experiences have been much closer to the $0 end of that spectrum. I've worked in a restaurant, know what it takes to make people happy, and just refuse to tip servers/bartenders that suck.

My wife thinks I'm mean. I told her that if I sucked at my job I wouldn't have one, why would I pay someone else more, just because?

Do you tip your pumper? I don't but I use him each and every time because he's trained, and he will pick up a rake if necessary. His wife get a 100 bucks Gift card at Target near the end of the year if we do any concrete job by then.

Do we start tipping our sub contractors or service people? I always wanted to know this, plumbers that come and work on your siht, and I mean that, do you tip? For some of you, $ 70 to unclog your drain, sure, slip the guy 10-20 bucks. What happens if the job is over 10or 15K? How much do you tip and you guys know they break their backs digging under that house?

By the way Paul, I don't tip my concrete guy siht. I think they all butt heads. no smile, nothing. Well, all the ones that I encountered.

yeah, it like giving the new guy a plague for coming to work for the first month. Why, that's him job and getting pay for it? What's next, tip tenants for not destroying the rental in the first year?:rolleyes: