No Tipping

I stayed at a place recently where tipping wasn’t allowed. It was an interesting experience. From a patron perspective, it was freeing. I didn’t have to carry around bills or a card, or to have to have that weird experience where I feel like I’m doing a drug deal. It also allowed me to not think that this person was going above or beyond because they were expecting a tip.

Where tipping was allowed (off the resort) the service providers made it abundantly clear, first to educate patrons that not tipping was only part of the resort experience and not a custom. The second was to, well, solicit a tip. There was also some weird psychology where the price wasn’t agreed to up front and the service provider would just say to make it right. Make it right? What sort of guilt inducing logic is that for someone who doesn’t hvae the luxury of stopping and Googling the custom?

From a service provider perspective, no tipping might mean a drop in come but might mean aligning more with the one who makes a decision on your pay versus the person you’re providing service to. Is it more chatting with the manager instead of being on the floor? Is it curter service to clear the tables faster.

In this instance, over the few days, I saw it all. People who seemed indifferent or even cranky and in no hurry help to others who were were genuinely positive and happy in their work. There was also some oozing out of other areas of compensation. It could have been a housekeeper who was extra keen on us remembering her name for a survey of her work that would come out or a concierge who was really trying to get us to book our next stay before we left.

Tipping is in general not a good practice — it forces money to the forefront of an interaction. People would rather pay more to escape this.