Tipping the Beer Cart girl

[x129]

How are you being cheated? People not paying the bills? Every job doesn't get tips. Waitress and food service workers like cart girls. Tipping is standard unless it is stated otherwise.  On the other hand you don't tip the home depot guy no matter how helpful he has been. My lawn company specifically says not to tip. I am sure there are other companies that don't mind.

As far as being too lazy to maintain my yard, it would cost me 150/hr after tax to cut my own yard instead of hiring it out.  If your in a profession that charges by the hour and you have more work than you can do, outsourcing work other people can do cheaper is a no brainer.

what I find funny is that people are so adament that you should tip that "innocent, sweet cart girl" because she's providing you a service but when it comes to something like what I do for a living(lawn maintainence) these same "money friendly" people try to cheat you out of every dollar they can.  Wheres my tip for doing an awesome job on your lawn that you're just too lazy to take care of yourself?

[Paradox]

Originally Posted by x129

How are you being cheated? People not paying the bills? Every job doesn't get tips. Waitress and food service workers like cart girls. Tipping is standard unless it is stated otherwise.  On the other hand you don't tip the home depot guy no matter how helpful he has been. My lawn company specifically says not to tip. I am sure there are other companies that don't mind.

As far as being too lazy to maintain my yard, it would cost me 150/hr after tax to cut my own yard instead of hiring it out.  If your in a profession that charges by the hour and you have more work than you can do, outsourcing work other people can do cheaper is a no brainer.

another that didn't actually read what I wrote.  I was equating the "tip the cart girl" to the same people who will try to swindle other service workers out of any money they can because they aren't the "cute college girl serving beer".  Again, I don't ask for tips and don't work for tips and don't work for people who are cheapskates...it was just the double standard I was referring to using my own profession as an example.  Lawn maintainence is a service....why is it ok to try and low ball them but someone doesn't tip the cart GIRL and they are a douche bag?

[newtogolf]

I read what you wrote, it's in bold.

Negotiating price, and tipping are two different things.  I'm negotiate with the owner or salesman of a business to come to a fair price.  The business owner or sales person has the option to not provide the service for the price I'm willing to pay.  That's completely different from tipping a waiter, waitress, bartender or beer cart girl for services performed.  Unless you receive poor service IMO you should tip.

Originally Posted by Paradox

Wheres my tip for doing an awesome job on your lawn that you're just too lazy to take care of yourself?

another that didn't actually read what I wrote.  I was equating the "tip the cart girl" to the same people who will try to swindle other service workers out of any money they can because they aren't the "cute college girl serving beer".  Again, I don't ask for tips and don't work for tips and don't work for people who are cheapskates...it was just the double standard I was referring to using my own profession as an example.  Lawn maintainence is a service....why is it ok to try and low ball them but someone doesn't tip the cart GIRL and they are a douche bag?

[x129]

Lets make the situations the same. You cut my grass for half of what your normally charge and I will tip you afterwards to make up the difference.  If I didn't tip you, would I be a douche bag? Certain lines of work expect tips. Others don't.  Cart girl is clearly in the tipping category with a few exceptions.  If you don't like tipping, don't use the cart girl.

Originally Posted by Paradox

Lawn maintainence is a service....why is it ok to try and low ball them but someone doesn't tip the cart GIRL and they are a douche bag?

[mdl]

Originally Posted by iacas

As surprised as you are that $150k isn't "enough" for some people in some parts of the country, I was similarly surprised that what I would consider an average sized home can sell for a million dollars in L.A. or other parts of the country.

I agree with the general point that if you can't feel comfortable on $150k a year then you've got some questionable priorities, family or no.

But Erik's 100% on the point that it's VERY relative.  My wife and I live in LA.  Given work and grad school locations, if we want to live less than what can easily be a 1.5 hour rush hour drive away, it's pretty much impossible to buy a single family home for less that $600k.  And that'll get you a 1200 foot 2 bedroom that's run down and ugly with a postage stamp front yard and no back yard.  1-2 bedroom condo in the same radius can be had for $300k+, but it'll be very small.  If you want the 2000-2500 square feet house that isn't run down and is in a nice neighborhood, you're looking at 7 figures, even post crash.  We spent a lot of time looking at houses before deciding to continue renting, and even in neighborhoods that are BARELY and only recently on the right side of the "mostly safe working class neighborhood" versus "dangerous ghetto" line, you still can't buy a separate single family home for less that $450k.  And then you better have the money for private school and the time to drive an hour in traffic each way to get your kids there, unless you want your kids going to the local public school where 75% of the high school students are illiterate.

[act0fgod]

So I can't remember the last time I purchased something from the beer cart girl. I keep an empty water bottle in my bag and fill up on the course. It probably shows that I'm cheap to begin with but when I did a quick search for beer cart girl wage, reputable sources (i.e. not forums where guys indicate they are like waitresses and make less than minimum wage) indicate beer cart girls make minimum wages plus tips. That being said I don't feel a cart girl is entitled to a tip (sure you can give one but if someone fails to tip I don't consider them a douche).

I worked 3 different jobs in high school and college. I was a waiter, golf course cart barn worker and a maintenance member at a local motel. I received below minimum wage as a server and received regular tips. When large groups came in the tip was often minimal so can’t stand it when people get upset about a mandatory 15% tip for parties of 8 or more (for example). Likely because of my experience as a server I tend to tip servers at least 25% (don't usually drink alcohol with dinner so in reality I'm probably a lower than average tip despite being higher than average percentage tip). At golf courses I'm not a fan of the guys trying to wash my clubs and I decline the service. The course where I worked the cart barn I received minimum wage and the course was a $100+ per round place and we would occasionally attempt to wash clubs when people returned the clubs. I rarely attempted to wash the clubs and really only washed the clubs of the regulars who asked us to clean their clubs. The guys who would regularly wash clubs were doing it because they were searching for tips and didn't want to do the real job of washing and cleaning the carts. The reason I worked at a golf course was obviously the free golf. I'm back in grad school and tried to get a job at some of the higher end private courses here in LA indicating I would work for free for playing rights on Mondays (no luck). I feel like the only golf club employees who you are required to tip are the caddies and the restaurant servers (that being said most places indicate the typical caddie fee – when the website indicates the average caddie fee I assume they mean typical).

[trackster]

I haven't read this entire topic so I am not sure if this was brought up or not.  But if the beer cart person was a middle aged male would you tip him?  These courses purposely use attractive women so you will buy more.

[montru]

I don't buy anything from the the beer cart for one reason; they are always way over priced. I was in AZ a couple of years ago and thought I'd get a Gatoraide and a Snickers Bar, the girl said that would be $7, $3.50 for the Gatoraide and $3.50 for the Snickers. I paid it and vowed I would NEVER buy from a beer cart again on the principal that I don't like being ripped off.

I mean come on $3.50 for a Snickers??? and you can get Gatoraides from the local store for $5.00 for an eight pack (two for $10)

[x129]

Quote:

I haven't read this entire topic so I am not sure if this was brought up or not.  But if the beer cart person was a middle aged male would you tip him?  These courses purposely use attractive women so you will buy more.

I would tip him. Just like I do waiters and ugly waitresses.

Originally Posted by montru

I don't buy anything from the the beer cart for one reason; they are always way over priced. I was in AZ a couple of years ago and thought I'd get a Gatoraide and a Snickers Bar, the girl said that would be $7, $3.50 for the Gatoraide and $3.50 for the Snickers. I paid it and vowed I would NEVER buy from a beer cart again on the principal that I don't like being ripped off.

I mean come on $3.50 for a Snickers??? and you can get Gatoraides from the local store for $5.00 for an eight pack (two for $10)

You aren't paying for the good. You are paying for the good to be delivered to you. Obviously a lot of people find that to be a valuable service. The rest bring their own food.  Complaining about it is stupid. When you go to the restaurant would you complain that they charge 15 bucks for 3 bucks worth of food?

[trackster]

After reading this entire topic I found this to be ridiculous.  Many people act like driving around in a golf cart and handing an overpriced beverage to someone is the hardest job in the world.  Now if she threw two 24 packs over her shoulders and ran from hole to hole then I would be impressed (haha jk, but not really ).

If you took a 300 pound man and an attractive girl and each had them do a day worth of cart duties, 100 percent of the time the girl would come back with more tips.  I feel bad for you people who buy these overpriced drinks and then waste even more money thinking that you are getting brownie points with a cart girl.  While i think she should get tipped a dollar per visit is more than enough.

What if you don't want any beverages, do you still tip her because she came around?  She has made the same efforts as if you were going to get a drink from the cart.

I'm a young guy, maybe I will see the art of tipping a cart girl a ton in a different light some day, but right now I don't.

[meenman]

I know at my home course, the cart girls are paid like servers - sub minimum wage plus tips. I tip $4 on 2 $3.75 beers (twice a round.) What that gets me is a warning if they have to leave for some reason and my beers ready as they pull up, so I am not holding them up or the people behind me. We have always had good service with the cart girls at our course and I tip to help make it worth them working there. There are enough guys sneaking beer and soda onto the course that buy nothing.

We have not always had young, *hot* girls at our club - if they provide the service, they get tipped the same (even when one of the guys has to fill in.) Some clubs will only hire older women, knowing that they will work harder out there - that is appreciated by more than the young girl that tries to get by on looks.

It is not the cart girls that set the outrageous prices, it is the clubs - so I can understand those that boycott the service - but if you use it, you should tip something. Even $1 is appreciated.

I used to play with a guy that would sneak in his own beer, but would tip the girls $2 at the end of the round - just in case he needed them in the future.

[newtogolf]

Then I guess you don't buy beer, hotdogs or candy at professional sporting events, or movies.  I'm not arguing the prices are high, I agree $3.50 for a Snicker bar is insane, but no worse than the $8 they charge for a pretzel at Citifield or $6 for a water.

Originally Posted by montru

I don't buy anything from the the beer cart for one reason; they are always way over priced. I was in AZ a couple of years ago and thought I'd get a Gatoraide and a Snickers Bar, the girl said that would be $7, $3.50 for the Gatoraide and $3.50 for the Snickers. I paid it and vowed I would NEVER buy from a beer cart again on the principal that I don't like being ripped off.

I mean come on $3.50 for a Snickers??? and you can get Gatoraides from the local store for $5.00 for an eight pack (two for $10)

[Golf'nBiker]

the only time I see a beer-cart is during tournaments, and then the price is based on what one would pay at the 19th hole!  Seems logical to me..I can buy a six pack provided in a tote cooler with ice.  nothing would sell if the price went to double or so.  And during the tounry's, the cart gal knows what she's doing and is extremely easy on the eyes...dresses the part and the Course knows this...smart move!!  I have paid rediculous prices for adult beverages in FLA in JAN...but thats the way it goes.

[ladders11]

Originally Posted by meenman

I know at my home course, the cart girls are paid like servers - sub minimum wage plus tips. I tip $4 on 2 $3.75 beers (twice a round.)

But this is a tip of over 50% for driving up and handing you two drinks.  Even including the driving and waiting for you to hit, that's a quick $4 for 10 minutes of very light work, plus the $2 per hour wage.

Originally Posted by meenman

I used to play with a guy that would sneak in his own beer, but would tip the girls $2 at the end of the round - just in case he needed them in the future.

This is brilliant.  I get what you're saying about supporting the service, but gosh isn't cold beer a priority for some people.  Nine holes is only going to take 2 hours, and then you're back at the clubhouse.  If you tee off with a beer in hand I'm not seeing how non-dependent individuals would need more and more.  You are playing a sport requiring hand-eye coordination, after all.

As I've said they deserve something for their service, but you don't need to fork over cash like a butcher paying the mafia to not burn down his shop.  If they are in fact paid sub-minimum wage like waitresses, that means the employer is reporting tip income, and if they aren't tipped they're actually losing money.

I also struggle with tipping at the airport.  Or, at a buffet restaurant, where all they do is refill drinks.  It really makes a difference how they're paid.

[turtleback]

Originally Posted by Paradox

what I find funny is that people are so adament that you should tip that "innocent, sweet cart girl" because she's providing you a service but when it comes to something like what I do for a living(lawn maintainence) these same "money friendly" people try to cheat you out of every dollar they can.  Wheres my tip for doing an awesome job on your lawn that you're just too lazy to take care of yourself?

With that attitude towards your customers it is not surprising you don't get a tip.  I give the lawn guy and the cleaning lady nice Christmas bonuses.  But I would instantly fire anyone who showed an attitude like yours.  It is my "laziness" that gives you your job.

[Paradox]

Originally Posted by turtleback

With that attitude towards your customers it is not surprising you don't get a tip.  I give the lawn guy and the cleaning lady nice Christmas bonuses.  But I would instantly fire anyone who showed an attitude like yours.  It is my "laziness" that gives you your job.

you know my attitude towards my customers?  Because I said that low-ballers are lazy?  Are you a low-baller then?

[sdgolfer]

at our course the items in the beer cart are the same price as what they are at the clubhouse.  in my books good service = good tip and bad service = bad tip.

[x129]

(" Wheres my tip for doing an awesome job on your lawn that you're just too lazy to take care of yourself?" Makes your opinion of your customers pretty clear. I don't know why your obessesed with lowballing. Just move on to the next customer that is willing to pay market rate for your service.  If you can't get enough customers at the rate your charging for the value you provide, you are overcharging. Econ 101.

Originally Posted by Paradox

you know my attitude towards my customers?  Because I said that low-ballers are lazy?  Are you a low-baller then?