In a recent chat with a friend, she encouraged me to indulge in something for myself every so often, suggesting I treat myself to a favorite coffee from Starbucks. So, I decided to heed her advice. However, while waiting in line, I couldn’t shake the feeling of guilt. Since the pandemic began, I have been cautious about my spending, and this felt like an unnecessary splurge. Knowing that others are struggling financially made me uncomfortable about spending $5 on a latte. I understand it’s just coffee, but that’s how my mind operates.
Then, I had a thought: why not pay my friend’s kindness forward? I contemplated covering the order for the person behind me, but then I reasoned that they must have the extra cash for their fancy drink as well. The real recipients of kindness, in my view, were the workers serving us.
I’m a service provider, but I’m not on the front lines like the essential workers who interact with the public daily. Food servers, baristas, grocery staff, delivery drivers, and many others have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to keep our economy afloat. They show up so we can access necessities and enjoy little luxuries. Sure, they do this for a paycheck—which is usually insufficient—but that doesn’t diminish the need for us to show appreciation and tip generously. These workers deserve more than just the bare minimum wage and certainly more respect than the rude customers who treat them poorly.
Service workers are often underappreciated, with only seven states mandating that tipped employees receive at least the minimum wage before tips, which is an embarrassing $7.25/hour in the U.S. When I left a tip of $5 in the nearly empty jar at Starbucks, the barista seemed surprised and grateful. It struck me that I needed to be better about showing appreciation for those who make our lives easier by providing us with our beloved flat whites, takeout meals, and delivered groceries.
I wasn’t aiming for recognition; I simply wanted to perform a kind act. Unfortunately, since the pandemic began, many have reduced their tipping, and some don’t tip at all. While I don’t rely on tips to supplement my income, many in the food service and hospitality sectors do.
Uber and Lyft drivers, as well as food delivery personnel, also deserve fair tips, especially in bad weather. The same goes for your hairdresser, manicurist, lawn care provider, or housekeeper.
If you’re uncertain about how much to tip, aim for at least 15-20%. To calculate a 20% tip, shift the decimal in the pre-tax total one place to the left and double that amount. For example, if your pizza and wings cost $47.25, moving the decimal gives you $4.725. Doubling that makes it about $9.4, so you could easily round it up to a $10 tip. If you can afford a meal out, you can certainly manage a generous tip for the hard-working individuals behind the counter.
As vaccination rates increase and life returns to some normalcy, let’s remember to express gratitude to those who have consistently shown up for us throughout the pandemic. Many had the privilege of staying home while others risked their health to serve us. If you’re picking up takeout or using a drive-thru, don’t forget to tip generously.
Let’s show our appreciation and acknowledge the hard work of service providers with cash tips.
For more on this topic, check out this article. If you’re interested in home insemination, visit Make a Mom for authority on the subject. The CDC also provides valuable information regarding pregnancy and home insemination.
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