E-tip Cards

[linsj]

Today the housekeeper left this card with QR code to add a tip to the room bill. I've not seen one before.

 

[HuskerATL]

Not a bad idea, we rarely have cash

 

[GT75]

Interesting. Which resort was this?

 

[linsj]

Interesting. Which resort was this?

Tuscany in Orlando.

 

[GT75]

Not a bad idea, we rarely have cash

Agree, I am always trying to get cash for this. So far, not a significant issue.

 

[HuskerATL]

Agree, I am always trying to get cash for this. So far, not a significant issue.

I usually have to go dance on a stage for a while to earn dollars for room tip money... And the older and fatter that I get, those dollar tips are getting harder and harder to get....

 

[Luanne]

I don't do well with QR codes. And I always bring small bills for tips when I travel.

 

[BingoBangoBongo]

I saw one of these at a Hilton Garden Inn in FL. At first I thought it was a great idea, but when I sent a tip there was some wording that the app took a cut of the tip. Kind of defeats the purpose for me.

 

[mountainboy]

I saw one of these at a Hilton Garden Inn in FL. At first I thought it was a great idea, but when I sent a tip there was some wording that the app took a cut of the tip. Kind of defeats the purpose for me.

Tip.On.a.Tip

A Related WSJ article..

https://www.wsj.com/business/hospitality/tipping-is-everywhere-and-consumers-are-fed-up-heres-how-some-are-coping-c8a8943e?mod=Searchresults_pos7&page=1

 

[Sapper]

Another related datapoint: I was recently at the Hyatt Centric French Quarter in NOLA. We did room service. I asked the food runner what percentage of the tip she kept (or had to tip share) because there was a mistake that was not her’s, but the kitchen (yet she had to now make multiple runs because of the mistake). She told me that she received zero percent, the hotel management kept 100% of the “tip”. I gave her cash.

 

[TolmiePeak]

I don't do well with QR codes. And I always bring small bills for tips when I travel.

I don't use cash so the QR code is only way they will get a tip from me. I don't have a bank account at a brick and mortar bank so I can't get small bills easily.

 

[WaikikiFirst]

Today the housekeeper left this card with QR code to add a tip to the room bill. I've not seen one before.

View attachment 109695

When I leave for Hawaii, I make sure to carry enough cash for tips all around and maybe The Bus, if that is in our plans ( a YUGE $3 each way!). Once there, it is easy to buy a $2 item in a store, pay with a $10, and VOILA, another $8 to tip. In general, That QR is better than zilch, but I'll bet they'd prefer cash, so
A) management isn't in the process
B) zero tax implications (see A above)

I suppose if you stay out i the middle of nowhere, getting $8 in change seems like a PITA. But in Honolulu or Kaanapali? Heck, splurge. BUy a $7 cone & pay with a $20. Both buy one and pay separately. I guess you havae to remember to bring the $10s & $20s. Oy vay!

 

[TolmiePeak]

Another related datapoint: I was recently at the Hyatt Centric French Quarter in NOLA. We did room service. I asked the food runner what percentage of the tip she kept (or had to tip share) because there was a mistake that was not her’s, but the kitchen (yet she had to now make multiple runs because of the mistake). She told me that she received zero percent, the hotel management kept 100% of the “tip”. I gave her cash.

That is getting more common. Many restaurants in Seattle just charge a service charge that goes 100% to the company. It also says that no tips are expected. Tipping is getting out of control in the United States and I welcome any movement to eliminate tipping.

 

[dioxide45]

Another related datapoint: I was recently at the Hyatt Centric French Quarter in NOLA. We did room service. I asked the food runner what percentage of the tip she kept (or had to tip share) because there was a mistake that was not her’s, but the kitchen (yet she had to now make multiple runs because of the mistake). She told me that she received zero percent, the hotel management kept 100% of the “tip”. I gave her cash.

I am always skeptical of these types of statements from staff. Who's to say that person wasn't lying knowing they got 100% or at least a percentage and then there you go and hand over some cash. Double the tip! If there is an auto tip and the establishment doesn't share that with staff, that becomes a problem between the employee and their employer. Not the employee and me.

 

[CericRushmore]

I am always skeptical of these types of statements from staff. Who's to say that person wasn't lying knowing they got 100% or at least a percentage and then there you go and hand over some cash. Double the tip! If there is an auto tip and the establishment doesn't share that with staff, that becomes a problem between the employee and their employer. Not the employee and me.

We live in Washington DC and your comment is pretty much spot on. What has happened here is that the law changed to increase the DC tipped minimum wage to be the same as the regular minimum wage over the next few years, so some places just instituted a 15, 18 or 20% surcharge. Now the thing is, the restaurant does split the surcharge among the staff, but some places split it among more then just front of the house staff or it is split more evenly. In the WAPO article I read, it seemed that bar tenders make a lot less money and others make more. So, the surcharge does go to the restaurant, but then it gets split out. The individual worker doesn't get the entire surcharge for that specific order.

 

[Luanne]

I don't use cash so the QR code is only way they will get a tip from me. I don't have a bank account at a brick and mortar bank so I can't get small bills easily.

I don't use cash at home much, but when I travel I make sure to carry small bills for housekeeping staff. But I do have an account at a real bank (well credit union) so I can pretty easily get the cash).

 

[bucs0721]

Pooled tips have been popular for a while. Typically they're split between cooks, bartenders, waitstaff, cashiers, buspeople, etc. It's illegal (at least here in VA) for mgmt positions to receive any portion of the tips. In fact, if a cashier doesn't show for a day & a manager has to fill that position for the shift they are not allowed to get the cashier portion of the tip pool.
Now, can I state for a fact that in the early 80s when I bartended part-time at a very popular country club in the DC area, the tips were, in fact, kept by management. There was a lawsuit filed on behalf of the employees by one of the CC members to attempt to get the workers their tips. It failed and the CC continued to collect the tip amounts (which are added automatically to each bill).

 

[TheSongfrog]

I am cynical when it comes to human nature but much more so when it comes to corporate nature. I don't see "Rosemarie V." going through the trouble of setting up a special account so she can give up control over how she handles her tips. And I especially don't see her creating QR codes and printing cards that just happen to have a very professional, corporate look to them.

What I see here is a corporation that is instituting another plan - almost certainly mandatory - to impose control over their employees or contractors and their tip receipts. The corporation could be skimming some OR all of it off the top, or it may be splitting it with staff other than "Rosemarie V." But I don't think that "Rosemarie V." is actually benefitting very much, if at all, from this new process. This certainly isn't being done as a benefit for the Rosemaries of the world, although it is likely being imposed on them cloaked under that guise.

If I expect to be encountering a tipping situation, I try to make sure I have appropriate bills in my wallet. Then, when I want to tip someone for the service provided by that specific person, I hand it over directly, in cash.

Trust not the horse, O Trojans.

 

[Former Cruiser]

I don't use cash at home much, but when I travel I make sure to carry small bills for housekeeping staff. But I do have an account at a real bank (well credit union) so I can pretty easily get the cash).

I'm with you, our main bank is online, but I have a small balance at a local credit union (free) I use just for cash for travel. I can do a free transfer from our online bank to the credit union.

 

[h2oflyboy]

I'm a 4-day stay guy: I do not receive housekeeping during my stays. Even when I stay at a property which offers daily cleaning, I put out the DND placard. I do not need housekeeping, I make my own bed and wash the towels if needed.

What we need from these giant corporations - making billions - is that they pay their employees a living wage.

 

[dioxide45]

I'm a 4-day stay guy: I do not receive housekeeping during my stays. Even when I stay at a property which offers daily cleaning, I put out the DND placard. I do not need housekeeping, I make my own bed and wash the towels if needed.

What we need from these giant corporations - making billions - is that they pay their employees a living wage.

But everyone gets housekeeping during their stay. Someone cleans it for you before you check in and someone cleans it after you are done. As far as I know, housekeeping is paid relatively well at many properties. It was one of the biggest line item increases at our Marriott resorts over the last few years. Especially in Orlando where all the timeshares have to compete against Disney. You should also realize that the housekeepers at our resorts are actually paid by us, the owners through the HOA. Any increase in wages is passed on directly to us.

 

[SandyO]

Today the housekeeper left this card with QR code to add a tip to the room bill. I've not seen one before.

View attachment 109695

Interesting thread re: tips. I always tip in cash and I give it to the person who cleaned the room the day we checked in, not to the person who cleans up after us. We are very neat, never leave a mess. It is most important to me that the room is clean when we check in and I want to reward that person. I go to the front desk at check-out, get an envelope and find out who cleaned the room the day before. I have to trust the front desk staff to get the envelope to the right person. Is it fool-proof; not at all. But it's the best I can do to get the tip where I want it to go.

 

[brp]

I'm a 4-day stay guy: I do not receive housekeeping during my stays. Even when I stay at a property which offers daily cleaning, I put out the DND placard. I do not need housekeeping, I make my own bed and wash the towels if needed.

What we need from these giant corporations - making billions - is that they pay their employees a living wage.

For up to a week we take no housekeeping. We just leave the LUTFA (Leave Us alone) sign on the door continuously. We do leave a tip at the end for the 1-2 days of cleaning (4 days or fewer is typically 1 day, more than that is typically 2). Even after being in the room for a week, we leave it in a state consistent with a 1-night stay and tip accordingly.

Cheers.

 

[WaikikiFirst]

I am cynical when it comes to human nature but much more so when it comes to corporate nature. I don't see "Rosemarie V." going through the trouble of setting up a special account so she can give up control over how she handles her tips.

A-men. All of it.

 

[observer]

that is an interesting approach. we bring cash for tipping. we would probably not use that (QRC) method of tipping as i am sure there is a fee from someone, somewhere, someplace. I think maid/housekeeping is the most underpaid and difficult job in a resort (some of the rooms they clean are close to a horror story). They benefit from daily cash. We are a little more generous when tipping when visiting a LMIC location, as we prefer our maid/housekeeping to get the immediate cash as appreciation. We go out of our way to be good the one service that is the most difficult and yet most important to an enjoyable stay.