Just curious ... do you tip gas station attendants?

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Jun 23, 2004 | 06:43 PM
  #1  
I rarely see a full service gas station in New York these days. When driving in New Jersey, even the attendants at full service stations do not wash your windshield or check your oil or other fluids. They simply give you gas and that is all they do. Do you feel compelled to give them a tip?
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Jun 23, 2004 | 06:45 PM
  #2  
No. You tip servers and people who go out of their way to accomodate you. Why, do you tip cashiers too?
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Jun 23, 2004 | 08:39 PM
  #3  
i have NEVER been to a full service station since i'm pretty sure there aren't any out here in AZ... whats the deal with the full service stations in NJ? i've heard all gas stations have atendants there
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Jun 23, 2004 | 08:43 PM
  #4  
You have to let them pump the gas by law there. WTF??
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Jun 23, 2004 | 09:01 PM
  #5  
i believe that good service deserves a tip. no matter if the person is already gettin paid to be there or not. if you tip, u expect good service, if u dont then u know.......
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Jun 23, 2004 | 09:13 PM
  #6  
They need to make jobs some how One guy accidently got gas all over the side of our minivan, we made him clean it all up before we left. Lets just say he wasnt to happy
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Jun 23, 2004 | 09:38 PM
  #7  
Quote: You have to let them pump the gas by law there. WTF??
lol! That's a law in Oregon...it's the dumbest thing I've heard!
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Jun 23, 2004 | 10:43 PM
  #8  
Yup, its illegal to pump your own gas here. Whenever I go to NY, PA, or CT I always am lost tryin to get my credit card to process and ****.
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Jun 23, 2004 | 11:39 PM
  #9  
Quote: Yup, its illegal to pump your own gas here. Whenever I go to NY, PA, or CT I always am lost tryin to get my credit card to process and ****.
One time a guy did do my windows in Jersey front and back, and wanted to check the oil. He acted as if he wanted a tip afterwards, but for the most part, they don't bother to do anything but pump the fuel.

Jersey is very shady, when you use a gas rebate card some places in Fort Lee, Jersey City, Newark, etc. run the card through a "dba" and not the gas station, eliminating your rebate (I guess to them 4% is 4%). That happened in PA to me once too. I could tell you what these stations had in common but it wouldn't be politically correct. Anyone ever fall for that "if you pay by credit, I have to charge you sales tax" scam? Did it ever occur that eliminating sales tax saves the consumer 6%, but the business owner almost 40%? Not a good risk-reward matrix for the customer, but very good for the illegal act committed by the business, eh?
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Jun 24, 2004 | 08:31 AM
  #10  
You should only tip a person on the job if they go out of their way to make you feel like they were waiting on you hand and foot. If i were you just tip servers not gas pumpers.

Of course in tx we don't have that stupid law...
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Jun 24, 2004 | 09:28 AM
  #11  
everytime i go to jersey to fill up, i hvae to wash my own windshield... so i'm pretty sure that answers your question if i tip them.
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Jun 24, 2004 | 12:31 PM
  #12  
don't tip them. they are doing their job. its not as if they dug up the oil, refined the gasoline and then drove it to NJ where they could put it into your car. if they did that by themselves maybe i would tip them
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Jun 24, 2004 | 02:53 PM
  #13  
I wouldn't tip them either.But you should tip pizza delivery guys and baristas though
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Jun 24, 2004 | 02:56 PM
  #14  
Wow, you guys even consider tipping petrol station attendants? Lol, we don't even tip waiters over here...
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Jun 24, 2004 | 04:54 PM
  #15  
Matt-NZ,

Tipping is a big thing in the U.S. Generally, you tip waiters 15% (or 10% if service is so so). When you get a hair cut, you tip the guy/gal who washes your hair, you also tip the cutter and stylist and whoever else touches your hair. And when you go to a strip club, you tip the bouncer to get a good seat, you tip the lap dancer even she does a so-so job, and the DJ who plays your song. You also are expected to tip the mail man, the garbage collector, the door man ..... So, I figure tipping a gas station attendant is not too far off. However, a lot of us disagree. LOL!!
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Jun 24, 2004 | 05:15 PM
  #16  
lol, yeah I noticed Tipping was a whole new thing I had to remember to do when I was visiting NJ and NYC last year. Most surprising was when I used the bathroom at a restaurant (Mars restaurant in NYC) and there was a guy there to give out soap and towels, I was so surprised I forgot to tip him, lol.
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Jun 24, 2004 | 05:49 PM
  #17  
Quote: One time a guy did do my windows in Jersey front and back, and wanted to check the oil. He acted as if he wanted a tip afterwards, but for the most part, they don't bother to do anything but pump the fuel.

Jersey is very shady, when you use a gas rebate card some places in Fort Lee, Jersey City, Newark, etc. run the card through a "dba" and not the gas station, eliminating your rebate (I guess to them 4% is 4%). That happened in PA to me once too. I could tell you what these stations had in common but it wouldn't be politically correct. Anyone ever fall for that "if you pay by credit, I have to charge you sales tax" scam? Did it ever occur that eliminating sales tax saves the consumer 6%, but the business owner almost 40%? Not a good risk-reward matrix for the customer, but very good for the illegal act committed by the business, eh?

Yep I've lived in both NJ & NY and you've got to watch things very very carefully not to get ripped. BTW how does this save the business owner 40%???

Just wondering.
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Jun 24, 2004 | 06:30 PM
  #18  
Quote: Matt-NZ,

Tipping is a big thing in the U.S. Generally, you tip waiters 15% (or 10% if service is so so). When you get a hair cut, you tip the guy/gal who washes your hair, you also tip the cutter and stylist and whoever else touches your hair. And when you go to a strip club, you tip the bouncer to get a good seat, you tip the lap dancer even she does a so-so job, and the DJ who plays your song. You also are expected to tip the mail man, the garbage collector, the door man ..... So, I figure tipping a gas station attendant is not too far off. However, a lot of us disagree. LOL!!
you tip the garbage man and the mailman?
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Jun 24, 2004 | 06:47 PM
  #19  
F.uck tipping people. Why the f.uck should they get extra money for doing a job that they are already paid for? I only tip waiters and my barbor. I would never in my lifetime tip a gas station attendant...not with the prices the way they are now (even though I do realise it is not the individual station that profits from the ludacris prices).
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Jun 24, 2004 | 07:05 PM
  #20  
Quote: you tip the garbage man and the mailman?
Yes, and that is called a Christmas gift which. I think, most homeowners would give to the mailman and garbage collector once a year. Also, don't we usually tip the valet at the parking garage when he retrieves our car? Similarly, the usher at the baseball or basketball games expects you to give him a tip when he shows you your seat and wipes it down with his somewhat dirty rug. He usually waits around until he gets the tip. So, tipping is rampant in the U.S. ... but perhaps not so for the gas station attendants.
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Jun 24, 2004 | 07:08 PM
  #21  
That's one of the dumbest law I've heard; illegal to pump your own gas.
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Jun 24, 2004 | 07:18 PM
  #22  
Quote: Yes, and that is called a Christmas gift which. I think, most homeowners would give to the mailman and garbage collector once a year. Also, don't we usually tip the valet at the parking garage when he retrieves our car? Similarly, the usher at the baseball or basketball games expects you to give him a tip when he shows you your seat and wipes it down with his somewhat dirty rug. He usually waits around until he gets the tip. So, tipping is rampant in the U.S. ... but perhaps not so for the gas station attendants.
i live i one of those crazy neighborhoods where the garbage truck rolls up with a hideraulic arm, picks up the can and empties it in about 5 seconds... good luck catching up to that guy to give him a tip as far as mail goes it isnt delivered to our house so i havent even ever seen who the mailman is... i guess if he actually took it to my house i would tip him though
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Jun 24, 2004 | 10:34 PM
  #23  
In NJ you are not allowed to Pump your own gas,,,,,everywhere else Full service will cost you anywhere from 10-50 cents more per gallon......No tip for the non english speaking attendant....
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Jun 24, 2004 | 11:54 PM
  #24  
Quote: i live i one of those crazy neighborhoods where the garbage truck rolls up with a hideraulic arm, picks up the can and empties it in about 5 seconds... good luck catching up to that guy to give him a tip as far as mail goes it isnt delivered to our house so i havent even ever seen who the mailman is... i guess if he actually took it to my house i would tip him though

the mailman delivers the mail straight to my house. Is your mailbox that far away from your house? u got one of them old school house area's?
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Jun 25, 2004 | 04:53 AM
  #25  
The Barbor?! I so hope this never gets to New Zealand, lol. What do waiters, etc do when people from other countries visit and aren't used to tipping? Do they remind them they need to tip, or do they just accept it and move on?

I have two friends that are waiters, at each place they work, there are battles on who gets to serve the American customers as they don't relise they don't need to tip here Waiters here make a decent amount of money, my friends get $15/h

I think you'll find it's more normal to not get mail delivered directly to your door (on a worldwide scale anyway). To get mail here, your mailbox has to be at the driveway, at my home this is 500m away, which is a bugger in the winter, lol.
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Jun 25, 2004 | 04:57 AM
  #26  
Local gas prices

Full-serve gas costs more here...screw the tip.
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Jun 25, 2004 | 09:36 AM
  #27  
no such thing as full service stations in Cali, you pump your own gas. besides gas service attendants are retards. NO TIP FOR YOU!
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Jun 26, 2004 | 03:44 AM
  #28  
Quote: No tip for the non english speaking attendant....
Why not? As long as they do their job, what difference does it make if they speak english or not?
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Jun 26, 2004 | 05:46 AM
  #29  
I didnt even know that full service stations existed anymore. I live in michigan, and I haven't seen a full service station since probably the mid 80's. BTW my dad always tips servers 20% even if the service is crappy, even though my stepmother always gets mad at him when he does because she thinks crappy service is only worth 15%.
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Jun 26, 2004 | 09:00 AM
  #30  
Around where I live, at the more expensive gas stations the attendants clean the windshield if it's dirty and that the person you should tip....

I never tip because i go to the cheaper gas station such as GULF (i think it is) and my car is NEVER dirty , well my windshield never is.
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Jun 26, 2004 | 10:47 AM
  #31  
Here in NYC if you can pump your own gas. But if you want full service you have to pay an average of 20 - 30 cents more on top of the regular price. Screw the tipping and screw the full service. The dont clean your windows, they dont check your oil, they just come out to pump your gas and charge you a whole lot more. I'll pump my own gas thank you and save money
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Jun 26, 2004 | 11:15 AM
  #32  
Quote: The Barbor?! I so hope this never gets to New Zealand, lol. What do waiters, etc do when people from other countries visit and aren't used to tipping? Do they remind them they need to tip, or do they just accept it and move on?

I have two friends that are waiters, at each place they work, there are battles on who gets to serve the American customers as they don't relise they don't need to tip here Waiters here make a decent amount of money, my friends get $15/h

I think you'll find it's more normal to not get mail delivered directly to your door (on a worldwide scale anyway). To get mail here, your mailbox has to be at the driveway, at my home this is 500m away, which is a bugger in the winter, lol.
waiters here usually make LESS than minimum wage because 80% of their income comes from tips. a couple of my friends deliver pizza and their paycheck for the day is like $50 but they make $120 or more on tips every night...

as far as my house and the mail thing... i live in this subdevision where all the mailboxes are in one spot... like 100 of them right next to eachother, and hella far away from my house
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Jun 26, 2004 | 11:35 AM
  #33  
why tip in jersey? I go to jersey just so i can save myself a buck or two on gas not to break even with tipping
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Jun 26, 2004 | 07:48 PM
  #34  
In Jersey, its a law for them to fill up your tank. Its their job, and they're already getting paid to do so.

No tip.
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