Anonymous
Post 09/15/2025 00:44     Subject: Do you tip at an airport business class/lounge?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:At least in the Polaris lounges for United, the positions are advertised as not tipped. However, at the bar, it seems to be customary to tip for mixed drinks. I do as I see it as extra effort. I don't see tipping much for beer and wine, and I don't think you really should given it's like asking them to give you a coke.


I don’t really get this logic. I don’t understand how getting a coke is included but mixing a drink is extra effort. Those both feel like things covered by a wage, unless the wage is super low because tips are expected. No? Aren’t we tipping because wages are low? I don’t get how mixing a drink means tip but coke means no tip.


Mixing a drink is obviously extra effort over cracking open a can. What don’t you understand about that?


NP: But tipping shouldn't be based on "effort" it should be based on jobs that have historically included tips (hairdresser, valet, bellman, etc) or ones where the employee makes an inadequate income without tips (waiter). Why should someone behind the bar at a lounge get a tip? Isn't that what the admission fee (or equivalent in increased use if the "fee" was based on a higher tiered status with the airline) covers? Do you leave a tip for the person clearing the tables at the lounge? Those people would seem to be more deserving as they likely make far less.


Historically bar tenders get tips for alcoholic drinks. I'm not saying it's right. But that's my experience.
Anonymous
Post 09/14/2025 20:12     Subject: Do you tip at an airport business class/lounge?

Anonymous wrote:I always make sure to carry some small bills for tips. It's not hard.

That's nice for you. I travel to countries sometimes for just 1-2 days, and I'm in meetings from when I arrive until I leave. They may or may not have an ATM that accepts my card at the airport. If it's a poorer country, they will probably accept USD. But, yes, it can be hard to get local currency.
Anonymous
Post 09/14/2025 20:06     Subject: Do you tip at an airport business class/lounge?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I have pretty much drawn a line in the sand for when I tip and feel zero guilt.

I tip:
-At sit down restaurants
-For carry out at nice places (but not quick places like Panera)
-hair and nails
-hotel cleaners/valet/bellman if I use them
-dog groomer

Unless I’m forgetting something, that’s it. I don’t tip for food I order while standing up.


Taxi? Uber?


I so rarely use those but yes I would tip. But we usually rent a car when we fly somewhere and we don’t uber locally.
Anonymous
Post 09/14/2025 18:42     Subject: Do you tip at an airport business class/lounge?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I haven’t tipped in lounges. It feels like it would be hard to figure out who is your person and I don’t have cash and I don’t want to have to have cash.

But if they had some kind of kiosk where I could tap and tip the whole crew, I guess I probably would. At some point though just pay people more. But yeah, I’ll tip any time someone shows me a tip screen.


If you have no cash, how do you tip at your hotel?


You’re right and it is annoying and usually I rely on my DH to have cash. But if I’m traveling alone I would get cash for this. I did recently stay at one hotel with a QR code for tipping housekeeping. But yeah, tipping housekeeping is like the last frontier of cash for me. They always get at least $20 too because I never have change.
Anonymous
Post 09/14/2025 17:44     Subject: Do you tip at an airport business class/lounge?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:At least in the Polaris lounges for United, the positions are advertised as not tipped. However, at the bar, it seems to be customary to tip for mixed drinks. I do as I see it as extra effort. I don't see tipping much for beer and wine, and I don't think you really should given it's like asking them to give you a coke.


I don’t really get this logic. I don’t understand how getting a coke is included but mixing a drink is extra effort. Those both feel like things covered by a wage, unless the wage is super low because tips are expected. No? Aren’t we tipping because wages are low? I don’t get how mixing a drink means tip but coke means no tip.


Mixing a drink is obviously extra effort over cracking open a can. What don’t you understand about that?


NP: But tipping shouldn't be based on "effort" it should be based on jobs that have historically included tips (hairdresser, valet, bellman, etc) or ones where the employee makes an inadequate income without tips (waiter). Why should someone behind the bar at a lounge get a tip? Isn't that what the admission fee (or equivalent in increased use if the "fee" was based on a higher tiered status with the airline) covers? Do you leave a tip for the person clearing the tables at the lounge? Those people would seem to be more deserving as they likely make far less.
Anonymous
Post 09/14/2025 17:40     Subject: Do you tip at an airport business class/lounge?

Anonymous wrote:I have pretty much drawn a line in the sand for when I tip and feel zero guilt.

I tip:
-At sit down restaurants
-For carry out at nice places (but not quick places like Panera)
-hair and nails
-hotel cleaners/valet/bellman if I use them
-dog groomer

Unless I’m forgetting something, that’s it. I don’t tip for food I order while standing up.


Taxi? Uber?
Anonymous
Post 09/14/2025 08:50     Subject: Do you tip at an airport business class/lounge?

I have pretty much drawn a line in the sand for when I tip and feel zero guilt.

I tip:
-At sit down restaurants
-For carry out at nice places (but not quick places like Panera)
-hair and nails
-hotel cleaners/valet/bellman if I use them
-dog groomer

Unless I’m forgetting something, that’s it. I don’t tip for food I order while standing up.
Anonymous
Post 09/14/2025 07:18     Subject: Do you tip at an airport business class/lounge?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:At least in the Polaris lounges for United, the positions are advertised as not tipped. However, at the bar, it seems to be customary to tip for mixed drinks. I do as I see it as extra effort. I don't see tipping much for beer and wine, and I don't think you really should given it's like asking them to give you a coke.


I don’t really get this logic. I don’t understand how getting a coke is included but mixing a drink is extra effort. Those both feel like things covered by a wage, unless the wage is super low because tips are expected. No? Aren’t we tipping because wages are low? I don’t get how mixing a drink means tip but coke means no tip.


Mixing a drink is obviously extra effort over cracking open a can. What don’t you understand about that?
Anonymous
Post 09/14/2025 07:17     Subject: Do you tip at an airport business class/lounge?

Anonymous wrote:I haven’t tipped in lounges. It feels like it would be hard to figure out who is your person and I don’t have cash and I don’t want to have to have cash.

But if they had some kind of kiosk where I could tap and tip the whole crew, I guess I probably would. At some point though just pay people more. But yeah, I’ll tip any time someone shows me a tip screen.


If you have no cash, how do you tip at your hotel?
Anonymous
Post 09/14/2025 07:16     Subject: Do you tip at an airport business class/lounge?

Anonymous wrote:At least in the Polaris lounges for United, the positions are advertised as not tipped. However, at the bar, it seems to be customary to tip for mixed drinks. I do as I see it as extra effort. I don't see tipping much for beer and wine, and I don't think you really should given it's like asking them to give you a coke.


I don’t really get this logic. I don’t understand how getting a coke is included but mixing a drink is extra effort. Those both feel like things covered by a wage, unless the wage is super low because tips are expected. No? Aren’t we tipping because wages are low? I don’t get how mixing a drink means tip but coke means no tip.
Anonymous
Post 09/14/2025 07:14     Subject: Do you tip at an airport business class/lounge?

I haven’t tipped in lounges. It feels like it would be hard to figure out who is your person and I don’t have cash and I don’t want to have to have cash.

But if they had some kind of kiosk where I could tap and tip the whole crew, I guess I probably would. At some point though just pay people more. But yeah, I’ll tip any time someone shows me a tip screen.
Anonymous
Post 09/13/2025 17:13     Subject: Do you tip at an airport business class/lounge?

Anonymous wrote:At least in the Polaris lounges for United, the positions are advertised as not tipped. However, at the bar, it seems to be customary to tip for mixed drinks. I do as I see it as extra effort. I don't see tipping much for beer and wine, and I don't think you really should given it's like asking them to give you a coke.


It's stupid because they don't get to keep the tips