OFFBEAT TIPPING. Review on General Tips on Tipping

GENERAL ADVICE ON OFFBEAT TIPPING

Well in my younger years I hated tipping anyone. Out of pocket allowances were meager and there was not much left anyway after seeing a movie and going to a restaurant.

A few years down the line, I met an interesting friend who was fairly rich and a compulsive tipper. At times he would dole out cash as if it grew on trees. I learned the tricks of offbeat tipping from this friend. He taught me much else.

TIPPING THE BARBER

I go to a decent but not fancy barber?s shop. All the guys there are UP Muslim bhaiyyas who are very good at haircuts, massage, facials and hair dye. The charge is Rs 20/-.

I started to tip my barber Rs 10/- per haircut. In return I get priority service from him and others too. Many times they take me on the chair out of turn for which I tip 20 bucks. Now I get an excellent head message all for free. He makes great conversation too and keeps me amused.

TIPPING THE COOK

In restaurants the waiter picks the tips. Some share it with all the staff many do not. If the food is particularly good, I always send my daughter with some cash to the kitchen and tip the COOK separately. Once a Manager of the restaurant noticed this. He got the cook out and introduced him to all of us. That was fun.

TIPPING THE BARTENDER

Bartenders are CROOKS. I hate tipping these guys at my Club coz they always pour less than what is due to you by a measure. But I do tip them coz I like crooks. Most times I prefer to sit on the barstool, just to talk to the Bartender. Most times they make great conversation and give you some lafda type of information about fellow Members of the Club and their wives or daughters! In that case the tips increase. Bartenders are great readers of human psyche. Actually for a good tip these guys give free drinks too. Good bartenders rarely drink themselves. They have seen too many alcoholics go down the tube.

TIPPING THE WATCHMAN

Security has become a major issue. The society pays the Security Services. But most residents do not tip the Watchman who is an employee of the Security Services. . I do so with a bottle of ARMY RUMeach month. In return, I get specialised service from him. Like after some heavy shopping he takes the bags out of the car to the lift and sometimes door delivers. Faltoo vendors are told not to ring our doorbell. He attends to many other mundane things including looking for an honest maid when my wife needs one.

TIPPING THE PAANWALA

Panwalaas have become rich folks. My Panwala of many years has a Maruti van now, his son goes to Loyola?s school, same as where I went. Most times they have employees working for them. I tip these employees once a month too, small sums.

TIPPING THE COOK AT YOUR FRIENDS PLACE

Some of our friends have great cooks in their homes. Wives of these friends have forgotten to cook eons ago. My wife is very particular about tipping the cook of these friends when ever we have meals out there.

HOSPITAL TIPPING

This is very important. It is a life or death situation. Most times, my old Dad was in a private hospital in a private room. My friend told me tip the Nurses and Ward/Room boys like crazy else NO SERVICE! These folks are more important than the Docs at times!

END GAME

I have this superstition?.every Rupee tipped away gets me back the same cash in multiples of tens in hard cash. This has happened many times.

Why? I do not know!