Tipping again

Bed & Breakfast / Short Term Rental Host Forum

Help Support Bed & Breakfast / Short Term Rental Host Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Madeleine

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 29, 2011
Messages
7,990
Reaction score
1
Reading about Sunshine's great experience with tipping since the dining room redo, it's time to bring up tipping again.
Do you:
  • Have tip envelopes in the rooms?
  • Do you do the cleaning yourself?
  • Do you have a housekeeper who gets the tips?
  • If it's you doing the cleaning how do you address the tip envelope? ie- do you state you are the housekeeper or have a fake housekeeper's name on the envelope or just say something generic about housekeeping staff?
  • Overall, do you think the owners should put out tip envelopes when they do all the work?
A couple of side notes: I've not been an advocate for the owners getting tips. I think it's nice when someone leaves a tip but we never had tip notes out when it was just us. As you know, all our housekeepers bailed on us this summer. I left the tip notes out. We got tips. It was nice. I felt guilty.
Also, friends do put out tip cards and don't feel the least guilty! Other friends got dinged on a review because of the tip cards when the guest realized it was the innkeeper who was doing the cleaning and getting the tip.
What does everyone think about tipping the owners?
 
Madeleine said:
Other friends got dinged on a review because of the tip cards when the guest realized it was the innkeeper who was doing the cleaning and getting the tip.
That would be my fear. Most guests probably assume it's a low wage employee doing the cleaning rather than a low wage owner who they think of as rich, owning a big house and all that. Though their impression of the owner's riches may be unfounded, it's what they think and I could see them being upset to know the tips are going to the owner.
At the same time, I've freely tipped restaurant owners who also did the table waiting and cleanup. I knew they were the owners, but thought they deserved the tip as much as an employee would.
So I definitely wouldn't want to put out envelopes that give guests the impression the tips are going to an employee when they are not. It would be better, if you use envelopes, to openly word it so they know the tip is going to you, if it is.
 
No tip envelopes. About 20% tip. Most probably know we do the work, certainly no one else is ever seen to come in at cleaning time, but I do wait until they are out of the house to do the room refreshes. Not expected, but always appreciated. No guilt whatsoever. As a young person, I waited tables and tended bar. I suspect many our age did too.
 
Tip envelope. Envelope says "For Housekeeping". We do most of the work, but have help from time to time. For the most part that money is mine, but we do use it to give the outside housekeeper a really nice Christmas bonus annually and pay her, since she's not salaried. When we do have help the tip is divided based on days worked and days guest was here.
Most people don't realize that I do the work. Some assume that I do and often those are the biggest of the tips. They use it as a way of thanking us for all that we do for them. So yes, I think owners should have tip envelopes around. You do more than a hotelier would do, you are the front desk, the cook, the cleaner and the concierge. I don't know about you, but I make reservations, recommendations, even print out maps from time to time. It's a way that some feel they can show their appreciation.
 
No envelopes, but it's just us except for some help on Sunday. Our town is so expensive I don't want to make them feel like they have to tip, Everywhere has tip jars out now, even some of the tasting rooms so I think it's getting overboard.
Riki
 
No envelopes, never kept count of those who tip, I have a jar for a local charity type project I am involved with and put the money in there or ask them to put the money in.
 
I have a diff perspective on sunnie's tipping experience of late. I do not believe it is the table set up, but her enthusiasm. I can guarantee she is sharing this new idea and transformation to the dining are w everyone. This would be contagious and the will be wishing her well w a gratuity.
Happy servers make more tips at a restaurant or bar. A smile IS tip worthy, as I tell my dd all the time. Drop food on their head, smile and be fun and they won't mind! Attitude is everything.
 
We went to Olive Garden...the hobbling old hostess seated us right at the kitchen door. A whole restaurant wide open, she seats us there. Servers racing in and out... I didn't sit down, I kindly asked for a diff table.
she caused a big stink, radio'd in and we all stood there. She never said "oh sure thing"...
then once we got a new table, she bent over and said to us "next time, tell them at the front where you want to sit!"
horrid behavior.
here comes happy go lucky waitress ...
i said See how it is, now the waitress gets to pay for the hostess poor behavior in her pocket book!
needless to say, we are aware of this, and made sure the waitress was well tipped. But the avg customer would not have been happy to do that, the WHOLE RESTAURANT would now be at fault.
i mentioned to dd "no matter what they say or ask, say sure I will find out for you..." It is not difficult .
 
I have a diff perspective on sunnie's tipping experience of late. I do not believe it is the table set up, but her enthusiasm. I can guarantee she is sharing this new idea and transformation to the dining are w everyone. This would be contagious and the will be wishing her well w a gratuity.
Happy servers make more tips at a restaurant or bar. A smile IS tip worthy, as I tell my dd all the time. Drop food on their head, smile and be fun and they won't mind! Attitude is everything..
Joey Bloggs said:
I have a diff perspective on sunnie's tipping experience of late. I do not believe it is the table set up, but her enthusiasm. I can guarantee she is sharing this new idea and transformation to the dining are w everyone. This would be contagious and the will be wishing her well w a gratuity.
I'm thinking the enthusiasm is paramount, too.
We had guests the other day who stayed at another B&B on the other side of town for one night. They were gushing about those innkeepers. Everything they gushed over is something we do. And do often and well. But maybe because we're not doing that at 70 makes a difference!
 
We went to Olive Garden...the hobbling old hostess seated us right at the kitchen door. A whole restaurant wide open, she seats us there. Servers racing in and out... I didn't sit down, I kindly asked for a diff table.
she caused a big stink, radio'd in and we all stood there. She never said "oh sure thing"...
then once we got a new table, she bent over and said to us "next time, tell them at the front where you want to sit!"
horrid behavior.
here comes happy go lucky waitress ...
i said See how it is, now the waitress gets to pay for the hostess poor behavior in her pocket book!
needless to say, we are aware of this, and made sure the waitress was well tipped. But the avg customer would not have been happy to do that, the WHOLE RESTAURANT would now be at fault.
i mentioned to dd "no matter what they say or ask, say sure I will find out for you..." It is not difficult ..
You found a waitress at an Olive Garden? Really? They do exist? We usually sit there for 15 minutes with our menus closed in front of us, get frustrated at not being served and start to walk our before they can find someone to serve us.
 
We went to Olive Garden...the hobbling old hostess seated us right at the kitchen door. A whole restaurant wide open, she seats us there. Servers racing in and out... I didn't sit down, I kindly asked for a diff table.
she caused a big stink, radio'd in and we all stood there. She never said "oh sure thing"...
then once we got a new table, she bent over and said to us "next time, tell them at the front where you want to sit!"
horrid behavior.
here comes happy go lucky waitress ...
i said See how it is, now the waitress gets to pay for the hostess poor behavior in her pocket book!
needless to say, we are aware of this, and made sure the waitress was well tipped. But the avg customer would not have been happy to do that, the WHOLE RESTAURANT would now be at fault.
i mentioned to dd "no matter what they say or ask, say sure I will find out for you..." It is not difficult ..
You found a waitress at an Olive Garden? Really? They do exist? We usually sit there for 15 minutes with our menus closed in front of us, get frustrated at not being served and start to walk our before they can find someone to serve us.
.
Sugar Bear said:
You found a waitress at an Olive Garden? Really? They do exist? We usually sit there for 15 minutes with our menus closed in front of us, get frustrated at not being served and start to walk our before they can find someone to serve us.
yes and she was delightful. Unlike the reception we rcvd
 
We don't put out envelopes, but some days I wish I did. The guests see us working hard to cook breakfast & serve. Then they see us cleaning the kitchen for another hour as they leave the house to enjoy the town. As they come back to drop of purchases, they see us vacuuming, doing laundry, cleaning rooms etc. When they leave for dinner, we are still there (same two faces) making cookies and prepping for breakfast. Then the next morning, they watch us do it all over again. They know we are not the owners. Rarely do we get tips. When we do, it goes in a little pot that we use for eating out. I would love to have a tip envelope. I don't make enough money for all the work I do. This time of year, I'm working 7 days a week, all day & making $100 a week. I was lucky to get that - that's what working for family gets ya. I do it because I want the guests to have a great experience and otherwise I would never see my girlfriend. I do it because otherwise she would be burned out and working 24/7.
 
We advertise an "all inclusive rate" with no additional taxes, tips or fees. Compared to most of you, our rates are on the high side....to ensure that we do not feel used and abused by not getting tips. Every now and then someone will leave us $10 or $20 as a tip but it only happens a few times a year. And that is OK with us because we do not have a housekeeper and would feel guilty putting a housekeeping envelope out.
But if we did have help, or if we were not owners of the property, then I would most certainly put a housekeeping tip envelope out. As the owner/innkeepers we make a fair wage from the B+B.
 
We do not do envelopes - and we (mostly me) do it all. Tips are rare but appreciated. I just realized I forgot to leave a tip where we stayed last night. Crap! I will console myself with knowing we were considerate guests and did not leave a big mess and did NOT use the jetted tub so she will not have to clean that hummer.
 
We do all the cleaning ourselves (4 guest rooms). We do not put out tip envelopes, do not have the "tip function" activated on our Square Register, and when asked by foreigners "Is tipping B&Bs customary in North America?" we answer "No".
However, we do get tips fairly often. Usually the way it works is after the guest has checked out and we go to strip their room, there is a $10 or $20 bill sitting on the dresser. We are still unsure if it is polite to email these guests and give our thanks, or to just accept and move on. Occasionally after paying, the guest will hand us a bill and say "this is for you", to which we give our profuse thanks. I always say to these people "oh wow, that's very generous of you. We really appreciate it, thank you very much."
The funny thing is the people you would most expect to tip (ie. the people who we drove to the store because they didn't feel like walking, or the people who asked "do you have a cold beer we could have?" and we GIVE THEM ONE OF OUR BEERS, or the people who we generally go above and beyond for) always only pay the owed amount and give you nothing extra, which is rather odd.
 
We do all the cleaning ourselves (4 guest rooms). We do not put out tip envelopes, do not have the "tip function" activated on our Square Register, and when asked by foreigners "Is tipping B&Bs customary in North America?" we answer "No".
However, we do get tips fairly often. Usually the way it works is after the guest has checked out and we go to strip their room, there is a $10 or $20 bill sitting on the dresser. We are still unsure if it is polite to email these guests and give our thanks, or to just accept and move on. Occasionally after paying, the guest will hand us a bill and say "this is for you", to which we give our profuse thanks. I always say to these people "oh wow, that's very generous of you. We really appreciate it, thank you very much."
The funny thing is the people you would most expect to tip (ie. the people who we drove to the store because they didn't feel like walking, or the people who asked "do you have a cold beer we could have?" and we GIVE THEM ONE OF OUR BEERS, or the people who we generally go above and beyond for) always only pay the owed amount and give you nothing extra, which is rather odd..
Don't email to thank them. It's awkward. If they hand it to you, fine, thank them.
And, YES, it IS common to tip at b&b's! Don't be spreading the rumor that it's not!!!
We rarely get tips. Our housekeeper had best not rely on them! And that's with a tip note.
 
We have a part timer. Before we put out envelopes, we rarely saw tips. When we put out envelopes, there are more tips. We don't take them.
I don't think owners should accept tips, but love it when people leave them.
And you don't need a written thank you for a tip. Again, it's for the help, not the owner.
 
We do all the cleaning ourselves (4 guest rooms). We do not put out tip envelopes, do not have the "tip function" activated on our Square Register, and when asked by foreigners "Is tipping B&Bs customary in North America?" we answer "No".
However, we do get tips fairly often. Usually the way it works is after the guest has checked out and we go to strip their room, there is a $10 or $20 bill sitting on the dresser. We are still unsure if it is polite to email these guests and give our thanks, or to just accept and move on. Occasionally after paying, the guest will hand us a bill and say "this is for you", to which we give our profuse thanks. I always say to these people "oh wow, that's very generous of you. We really appreciate it, thank you very much."
The funny thing is the people you would most expect to tip (ie. the people who we drove to the store because they didn't feel like walking, or the people who asked "do you have a cold beer we could have?" and we GIVE THEM ONE OF OUR BEERS, or the people who we generally go above and beyond for) always only pay the owed amount and give you nothing extra, which is rather odd..
Yes it is common to tip. Leave an envelope, it's more dignified and no thank you is needed, they are thanking you for the service.
As for those who ask for favours, they usually won't tip at all. Don't you have enough work without driving them to the store and giving them free beer?
 
We do all the cleaning ourselves (4 guest rooms). We do not put out tip envelopes, do not have the "tip function" activated on our Square Register, and when asked by foreigners "Is tipping B&Bs customary in North America?" we answer "No".
However, we do get tips fairly often. Usually the way it works is after the guest has checked out and we go to strip their room, there is a $10 or $20 bill sitting on the dresser. We are still unsure if it is polite to email these guests and give our thanks, or to just accept and move on. Occasionally after paying, the guest will hand us a bill and say "this is for you", to which we give our profuse thanks. I always say to these people "oh wow, that's very generous of you. We really appreciate it, thank you very much."
The funny thing is the people you would most expect to tip (ie. the people who we drove to the store because they didn't feel like walking, or the people who asked "do you have a cold beer we could have?" and we GIVE THEM ONE OF OUR BEERS, or the people who we generally go above and beyond for) always only pay the owed amount and give you nothing extra, which is rather odd..
scribbles said:
We do all the cleaning ourselves (4 guest rooms). We do not put out tip envelopes, do not have the "tip function" activated on our Square Register, and when asked by foreigners "Is tipping B&Bs customary in North America?" we answer "No".
However, we do get tips fairly often. Usually the way it works is after the guest has checked out and we go to strip their room, there is a $10 or $20 bill sitting on the dresser. We are still unsure if it is polite to email these guests and give our thanks, or to just accept and move on. Occasionally after paying, the guest will hand us a bill and say "this is for you", to which we give our profuse thanks. I always say to these people "oh wow, that's very generous of you. We really appreciate it, thank you very much."
The funny thing is the people you would most expect to tip (ie. the people who we drove to the store because they didn't feel like walking, or the people who asked "do you have a cold beer we could have?" and we GIVE THEM ONE OF OUR BEERS, or the people who we generally go above and beyond for) always only pay the owed amount and give you nothing extra, which is rather odd.
I've been waiting for someone to have my same situation so I wouldn't have to ask how to handle tipping. I do my own cleaning 90% of the time - four rooms, like you. Sometimes I have help, but it's not consistent. So when I discover someone has left a tip in the room (like you, usually $10-$20 for a couple day stay), it goes to me. I cleaned that room, I helped them with their plans, I made their breakfast. That doesn't mean I don't treat my cleaning help (as rare as it is) to a bonus once in a while, but tips overall belong to me. I believe a tip left in the room is not necessarily indicative of a tip for the clean room. If they left a couple dollars on the pillow everyday, or if there was an envelope marked as such...then yes - that's obviously an appreciation of the cleaning. But a tip left on a dresser in a vacated room is a gift that says thank you for the stay - the entire stay.

As far as thanking for a tip, when I send a thank you email to the guest a few days after their departure, I add a P.S. to it and write "Thank you so much for your gift - it was very appreciated and I enjoyed a treat at our local coffee shop (or treated myself to lunch, etc)." I make it personal and tell them how appreciated it is - because a tip is personal. They're telling me that I did a good job, and I want them to know that is important to me :)
 
We do all the work ourselves and do not feel it is right to have envelopes in the rooms due to that.
It is NICE to get a tip - left in the room or handed directly.

When asked, just say EVERYONE loves a tip for a job well done.
 
Back
Top