Just had a nice new slippery pair of 2CTs fitted to the 999 in a specialist tyre shop – bill: CHF 400. (Can’t complain – prices have come down about 33% in recent years. Never paid so little.) So having paid by plastic, I tipped the tyre fitter a crispy CHF 10 note which is about £6.50. This seems to make him very happy. However it’s only about 2.5% of the bill, so it seems almost stingy. In a restaurant you’d reckon to be handing over CHF 40-60 (10%-15%) as a tip. So what do you reckon to tip a tyre fitter? My guy is always very careful with the bike, greases all the axles and stuff. I think the service is excellent. Bizarre how some professions get tips and some don’t. Taxi drivers expect it, although apart from not killing you as they drive you from A to B, they haven’t done anything very remarkable (made good conversation sometimes, admittedly).
For me it doesn't matter where you are, a tip has to be voluntary AND to the amount YOU choose to leave, not predefined as a percentage. We're getting conned enough in our country without stealth tip taxes. Bah Humbugs.....
I don't think any would tip in the UK for new tyre fitting/balancing would they? Only time I tip is when someone takes an old tyre or two off the rims and charges nothing.
Yep. Don't think many people tip the tyre guy but as said, I would do if they did me a job for "free"
He's getting paid to do the job by his employer, who you have paid in the first instance. I would never dream of tipping unless it was a freebee, and then i'd give him a tenner for his trouble.
Box of tea and some shortbread for removing tyres prior to powder coating and refitting. Local garage and would not take anything for his troubles.
But thats exactly the same as in a continental restaurant, so whats with service charges and % tips? Ah....you pay them for serving you at the table....hang on thats what a restaurant does as its core business, ask them if you can go into the kitchen and serve yourself!
Should we expect to start seeing "A 20% gratuity has been added to your this bill, of which 100% goes to the tyre fitter"? LoLz :wink:
in spain its very rare to tip. And if they do, its a small amount. If the bill came to £27.60, i would leave £30 total and let them keep it. In spain, you would only leave the 0.40, and take the 2euro change.
My local tyre fitters in Billericay have a tip jar, I put a few quid in there from time to time, £3-4 normally. They put part-worns on for me at £10 a go(fit and balance).
Not here mate...in retail establishments it's just not done. Restaurants yes. Bars no - unless the barmaid inspires you to buy her a drink. As mentioned, if it's a cash in hand job (so-to-speak) then fair do's. Otherwise you pay the price on the ticket.
The difference is that service staff will probably be on the minimum wage and so tips is seen as a "type of commission" for doing the job properly. Tyre guys are on a better wage.
And all this takes me back to a certain stage of mis-spent yoof. "In The Grip of Tyre Fitter's Hand" - Budgie (1973).....aaah the bad ol' days :biggrin: Budgie - 05 - In The Grip of Tyrefitter's Hand - YouTube
