In our delusion of self-importance, yet outlandish abuse of power wielded over the masses, we bloggers must hold ourselves to the highest standards of journalism.
If our children say the darndest things, we’re there — and preferably with a video camera. We document the minutiae of our daily lives and deliver it you, on time and under budget. Because YOU DEMAND IT.
We pull out our cameras, much to the chagrin of our spouses, and the curiosity of onlookers to capture a moment in time and bring it to you, the reader. We do it all for you. And also for our ego that is stroked every time you leave a comment.
I braved self-consciousness just the other day when I whipped out my camera at the Starbucks Drive-Thru because it struck me funny to see this plastic box placed conspicuously thus:
I guess it could make some sense to have a tip jar outside. But it seemed like they were reaching. Reaching outside the store for tips. I mean, tips are supposed to be for good service like when a waitress actually comes to your table and waits on you. And doesn’t smell funny.
It already feels weird to be tipping Starbucks people. It’s like having to pay for parking and tip the valet. Maybe I’m just cheap, but from a consumer point of view, it feels like double-dipping into our pockets.
So when I saw Starbucks sticking its extra-hot no-foam latte arm out the window for a hand-out, I had to take a picture. I forced myself to cope with the guilt and embarrassment when the girl on the other side of the window shouted to her co-workers, “She’s taking a picture of our tip jar!”. Well, I’m sorry, but I have an obligation to my readers. The public has a right to know about this!
Also? Any number of homeless people seen hanging around the various drive-thrus in the area could have cruised by and yanked the money out, walked into the store and bought a cup of coffee for himself. Which would be ironic. And funny. And awesome.
I would like to thank Mannequin of Fractured Toy and Michelle of So Wonderful, So Marvelous for showing off their new NGIP pens. That was very gracious of you, ladies.
Hey, remember when Mary from Unmitigated gave me this mini banner replica at the BlogHer conference in Chicago?
It was like a fat (or phat) business card. And it is with pride that I display it on my desk today. And now, YOU TOO could get one of these. She’s having a giveaway and if you win, she will make one for your blog banner. So if you have a blog, go check it out! The contest ends this Wednesday night at midnight.
I guess they figure ‘hey, couldn’t hurt?’ But it makes me feel obligated, or a scrooge, if I don’t plunk the change from the order or toss in a quarter more if it’s called for — I have noticed that (I go to the same drive-through every time) I have gotten some sweet treatment as a result. One time my order was free because I mentioned they had gotten the last one wrong and I had already driven off. Another time it was free because they didn’t have all the simple syrup they needed to make it ((I’m addicted to the iced tea lemonade, sweetened, green tea)) and twice I’ve gotten discounts. The woman told me how to make the drink myself, though, so now I’m saving $3.10 for a drink that probably costs them 30 cents. I am not a coffee drinker — only under duress — but I heard Mickey D’s and Dunkin Donuts are far better, anyway…….
thanks for stopping by and I will join yours, as I see we are both freelance writers and essayists with quirky senses of humor….
I want a tip jar for the things I do every day…like get out of bed. Certainly that deserves compensation, right? Paris Hilton gets paid to show up at parties, so I need a little something-something too.
On the other hand, I can be a ridiculously generous tipper. I give my airport shuttle drivers $20 because that was my sister’s job for a while, and I know what she got paid.
I never give tips at those kinds of places. What kind of service are they giving me? I buy my drink/food, they hand it to me, and I leave.
I was at a Starbucks recently in North Carolina. They were sooooooo over the top friendly. And, soooo helpful. I mean, they practically offered to drink the coffee for me. This guy, who also found them so helpful, asked them where their tip jar was. They said they cannot accept tips. I told them that my Starbucks gives a quarter of the service and they have 2 large tip boxes! They laughed!
I was a waitress for a lot of years and I’m a really good tipper. But a tip jar at a drive thru is NUTS. Starbucks corporate should kick that one to the curb.
xo
How timely! I drove through an Ellianos drive-through coffee place just recently and was shocked to see the tip jar staring at me. I’m kicking myself now for not having thought to take a photo of it and bumped all scheduled posts to expose them! My really bad.
And I’m still LMAO at JD’s comment. She really nailed it! I’d totally tip you for that, too! 😛
Lol… did you happen to notice if the tip jar was bottomless? that is so people can’t swipe it, but I think that might be defeating the purpose in a drive thru… I worked at the largest, 24 hour drive thru Starbucks in Sac, and to my knowledge we didn’t ever put a tip jar in the window cuz it would get jacked quicker than you could say jack… Okay that wasn’t funny, I will leave the comedy up to you lol… By the way, where can I get one of those nifty NGIP pens?
There was a outside tip jar in the drive thru I used to go to in Texas.
The Starbucks here in Utah are few and far between so I haven’t come across any drive thru tip jars…yet.
And I’ve never tipped them.
OMG, have you seen the really cool tip jars at thundercloud subs in Austin? Seriously, I tip strictly based on how creative the jar is.
It’s my homage to elementary school art with a twisted streak.
I’ll take a picture of one. Or not. I’m not very reliable this week.
🙂
I for one am so confused about how much is a customary tip that I wish they did like a lot of other countries- scrap this whole tip system and pay the people a decent base wage. I talked about this in a guest post about a month ago on LOBO’s blog.
When they start putting out a tip jar at the seven Eleven counter I’m really going to start worrying.
Hey, come to think of it, I think I do remember there being one on the counter at the Chevron station where I stipped one morning during a business trip. That’s scary. What’s next, a tip jar at the doctor’s office?
I am so putting one of those outside my front door. Has anyone said that yet?
I feel the same way about those tip jars! Myabe this will bring some awareness to the powers-that-be at Starbucks 🙂
I don’t like tipping at Starbucks either. Tipping for full service is well deserved (sometimes) but tipping for counter service seems stupid. For what, handing you a cup?
I would like to bash the tip box.
You’ve gotta be freaking kidding me. And their coffee is the worst! (Oh, sorry, you drink it, right?) Well, it’s certainly not tip-worthy.
Next time you go, take a printout of this post WITH COMMENTS and stick THAT in their tip jar. I would love to see the looks on management’s faces.
Ha Ha … no, I did that wrong, didn’t I? And it’s only Tuesday!
Let’s try that again …
http://atiredwife.com/2009/09/22/random-tuesday-the-september-22nd-edition/
Much better!
Oh … and you got a mention! 🙂
http://rhi.bof.mybluehost.me/nannygoatsinpanties/2009/09/wanna-flick-my-bic-i-got-million-of-em.html
That tip box sitting outside around these parts would last a hot minute before the box and contents were swiped.
And WTH is up with people expecting tips for this sort of thing? There’s a tip jar at the local Ledo’s pizza. If I call in my order and then I drive to pick it up … only to take it home, serve it on my plates, do my own dishes, etc. why in the world would they expect a tip?
There is a tip jar downstairs at the deli here at work. Sorry, but after paying $4.95 for a carry-out BLT – I’m not leaving a tip.
Personally, I’m not against a tip jar INSIDE. Outside on the window, that’s a bit much, though. However, what would be even better is if Starbucks employees were paid better then they wouldn’t need to do this.
People actually drink Starbucks coffee?!?
Shit.
All this time I’ve been using it as paint thinner.
I don’t tip the people who make coffee, of course I make my own so I’m rarely at the Starbucks. I like this idea and I think I may put a tip jar on my front steps so the mail person and paper person (see I didn’t call them mailman or paperboy) can leave me a tip for reading their mail and newspaper.
Okay. Seriously? I mean, seriously? A tip jar. At a drive through?? I mean I’m all for tipping servers, don’t get me wrong, but this is so far out of line it must be a joke.
Hmm…tip jars. I always want to accidentaly knock them over. I feel like there are too many tipping rules. I’ll tip if I want to tip…not because there’s a jar taunting me. The people who ring up my groceries do more work than the the coffee folks and they don’t ask for tips. The milkman RUNS up the driveway with my milk every week and he doesn’t ask for a tip (although he will probably get cookies come Christmas). And when you order your food for a pick up? You walk in to get it and there’s that jar, glaring at you from the counter. What do you put in it? All they did was take your check and tell you to have a nice night. Do they deserve a few bucks? How about a piece of gum? It’s a dilemma. And it’s entirely too stressful for me. I panic and sweat, my breathing becomes shallow. It’s terrifying.
There will be something for you on my blog Wednesday, 9/23. Come over and check it out.
oops… I think I put my URL in wrong…sorry….
I am not a fan of tip jars at espresso bars. We used to own an espresso bar, and I tried to get rid of the tip jar (even tho we also served food, and delivered the drinks) because we paid a fair wage and we weren’t really ‘waitressing’ per se…. my employees threatened rebellion, so I let it slide…. On a side note, one day someone did walk off with our whole jar (it was a big cookie jar, on the counter INSIDE our store!!)
Our local, cheaper coffee place had a tip jar and one day someone came in, stole it and ran off. The owners were in the back making donuts.
I’m getting so sick of people leaving tip jars everywhere… I agree with you, tips are for people who provide “service”, not hand you a cup of coffee through your car window. I hope some homeless person takes the money, too, but goes to McDonald’s and buys a burger!
Thanks for the link to the banner giveaway… I love yours!
That tip jar would have rubbed me the wrong way too. I want to feel as if my tip is my decision and not a forced thing.
I don’t mind tipping at Starbucks. I am a junkie so I am ok with whatever it takes to get my fix.
Tip Jars….little moral dilemmas everywhere you go.
A coin feels cheap. A dollar is often 50%.
But…a nanny goats pen??? There ya go!
No way…what did they DO to earn the tip? I hate that.
And anyway, I make MUCH better coffee….
The whole idea of tipping bugs the crap out of me. Not giving something extra for good service, I’m OK with that. But because it’s expected. It’s a 20% tax added to the cost of the meal. It’s even become part of a restaurant’s compensation package for employees, with no benefits. It stinks. Steal the tip jar.
Perhaps you should have taken the tip jar??? You know. . . for journalistic investigative purposes. . .yeah. . . that’s it!!!!
I will tip if the barrista is extra super nice to me. And thanks for the plug!
oh my gosh…REALLY??!! I totally agree with you 100%.
And what do they do when it’s raining or snowing?
I hate tip jars.
I do believe in rewarding hard work but a tip jar at a drive-in is outlandish! This is one time I hope they receive no tips. Or, you can tell them, “I have a ‘tip’ for you, REMOVE THE JAR.” 🙂
Hahahaha JD. I would so tip a fiver for that! That is the same thing as Golden Corral. I get my ass up and get my own plate, silverware, carry my drink, steal an ashtray off another table AND get my own food and I am supposed to tip? Well maybe if my drink is refilled at least once. But at Starbucks? Not on their best day.
Well, this is certainly an interesting blog title.
(And I always thought my sense of self-importance was in no way delusional.)
I agree. This practice is annoying and getting out of hand.
If you were REALLY a dedicated blogger, you would dress up as a homeless person and steal that tip jar. And go in and order a coffee. On film. While carrying a goat.
I would TOTALLY tip you for that.
Places where I have to stand in line to give my order, pay for my order before I receive it, then take it away with me that have tip jars make me wanna, well, NOT tip them.
So, I don’t.
“In our delusion of self-importance, yet outlandish abuse of power wielded over the masses, we bloggers must hold ourselves to the highest standards of journalism.”
We must??? I might have to reevaluate my strategy and outlook on the world for that to happen.
*decides to check up on that lead regarding fire ants mugging a little old lady out a dollar store.*
I think I’m going to put a tip jar on my front porch. The neighbors might want an opportunity to thank me for being so quiet and unassuming.
Ha! That’s what I was thinking, I know that wasn’t in Memphis because that money would have been gone before I drove off.
There was a thread on my forums the other day where the poster talked about dropping her change at the drive through and so they had to get her some new change. Somebody said they were sure that they swept up all the loose change in the drive through at night. Again, ha, not in Memphis!
I always have this moment of anxiety when I get my iced coffee and it’s 2.83. I don’t really want my 17 cents back and I remember when I worked at the health food deli in college that tip money was my cigarette fund so what the heck, right? But who doesn’t feel like a loser saying “Keep the change” to a lousy 17 cents? But I also don’t want to give them a whole extra dollar. I guess I could give an extra quarter but that would be weird, too.
hhhhmmmm. How to say this tactfully? Okay, giving up on tactful: I spend $1.65 each day at starbucks. I use a (RED) prepaid starbucks card to pay for it, thus getting two hours of free internet access (although I have gone over, often, and never been bumped off. Then, before I leave I refill (for free) with a tea. Starbucks is my “2nd office” and I tip them a dollar everyday for being pleasant at 5:00 am each morning.
Starbucks pays their employees minimum wage and gives wonderful health insurance. They participate in many world changing projects and allow us, the consumer, to participate.
Tipping is not mandatory, just appreciated. Many people use the logic that it is okay to steal from the tip jars. It is estimated that 30% of what people leave, others steal.
No one has to go to starbucks. But if you do – why knock a good thing?
OMG – that is just TOO MUCH! They already charge you and arm and a leg for their coffee, etc., now they want a tip TOO??!! I don’t blame you – I’d have taken a picture too! HA! I’m with you – I prefer to tip people who actually WAIT on me – not just take my order through the drive-through – geez!
Our local Starbucks has a tip jar outside the drive-thru, too.
That’s why I prefer to give my patronage to Dunkin’ Donuts. Sure, they’re really pushy with their Dunkaccinos and they get the order wrong at least one out of every three times (seriously, how hard is it: ONE MEDIUM HOT CHOCOLATE. That’s all!) but at least they’re not looking for tips for their less-than-stellar service. And their hot chocolate is plenty tasty enough…