Tuesday, December 09, 2008

Tipping has changed!

This morning I took a Christmas card and a $20 bill into Panera's, addressed to "The morning staff," and included a little note of thanks. It seems like a big chunk when you give it at once, but not amortized. I'm there about 4 days a week, 42 weeks of the year, so that's what, about a 12 cent tip per visit on a $1.69 cup of coffee with several refills, a seat by the fireplace, regulars and friends to chat with and 3 papers to read? Two of the staff members came over to my table later to personally thank me. That was nice--and it gave me a chance to share about "the olden days."

When I worked at Zickuhr's Drug Store in high school and a few weeks between college sessions between Manchester and University of Illinois, a cup of coffee was $.10 and the advice and kidding was free and never ending, as was the Monday Morning Quarter Backing all week long about the local sports teams. But it wasn't unusual to get a quarter tip. Dave Dillehay, the town clerk, was particularly generous. If I got on the honor roll, which was posted in the town paper each 6 weeks, I got a $5 gift certificate. And when I got married, he gave me a silverplate tea service, which now resides at my daughter's home. Yes, those were the days of tipping!

Both Dave Dillehay and Ralph Zickuhr have parks named for them, from a grateful community--they were good leaders and well liked.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Murray sez:
Kinda sounds like ol' Dave was maybe... hitting on you? LOL Gee, a quarter tip for a 10 cent cup of coffee was big back then. Why back then for a quarter you could buy a gallon of gas, get your windshield cleaned,have the air in your tires checked and your oil checked. You don't suppose ol' Dave wanting his oil checked do you? LOL

Norma said...

Considering he was older than you are now, I doubt it. I'm mean, you'd never flirt with 16 year olds, right? Dave was that nice to all the "young folks" working the various establishments. I think everyone on the honor roll got something, and a gift at graduation. And a ten cent tip was just standard, some leaving 15. I also worked at the library, but didn't get tips there, and worked for a feed company right as 64 came into town--no tips there either.

Unknown said...

We tip 20% and give tips to our paper and letter carriers at Christmas. I think with the loss of ethics in the workplace, some people tip in self defense to keep waitstaff from putting something awful in their food.