popsicle

Hiya,

Was at Geant today and I noticed the woman in front of me at the check out tipped the shopping packer chappie. I've never done that, is it normal?? Are there loads of people I should be tipping and if so how much?
Eg. Petrol attendant
Manicurist
Hairdresser
Chap who puts your shopping trolley back (I normally let them keep the 100 fils to get the trolley out)
Man who loads a heavy item into your car
Anyone else?

Thanks!

Meow

All of the above and 100 fils = one dirham

Petrol Dhs 5-10
Bag packers etc Dhs 5
Hairdresser - depends on how much you like the haircut
Manicurist - Dhs 10-20

I reckon that as so many employees here earn a pittance it is only fair to tip them for being nice and helpful, as we can all afford to do so.

britexpat76

Bag packers and Petrol guys I always give a dirham tip too. Most look genuinely surprised half the time.

Meow

A one Dirham tip? That seems rather stingy. Perhaps that's the reason they look surprised?

weasel decentral

At least 100 dirhams tip from me but only if I have small notes like that on me

scrubbedexpat141

Petrol guys - I round it up to nearest 10. They get more if they wash my windows, even more if they are small enough that they have to climb on my tyres. Although, I reckon they fill it to 126 to make sure they get a 4d tip.

Restaurants - rarely, it's "included" and unless it has been mega I don't want to pay twice.

Manicurist - No comment.

Bag packers - Nah, I do it myself...I'm not a complete ****.

Big item mover - Guy followed me the longest route across Dubai Mall and down to car and helped put the new TV in my car, when I turned to give him a tip he'd buggered off.

britexpat76

Oh, I never saw anyone else doing it and thought I was being good. So I have to give 5 now?!

What about taxi drivers?? I am usually so angry by the time I get to my destination having had to direct them or had a few near death experiences that I rarely tip. A good driver (especially the ones that turf other people out of their car for me) Get rewarded handsomely though.

Meow

I think you probably should give Dhs5. Lead by example.

Taxis - good drivers get good tips. Drive like a moron and they get nothing and are told why.

scrubbedexpat141

I apply the round it up rule to most, the lunatics have to give me every dirham of change, the good ones get rewarded with kind words and extra dizzers

Bahtatboy

Bar staff: AED5ish if they're good (maybe more for a big round), although I often ask if they actually get the tips rather than management taking it, and generally they say "Yes" in a genuine way; if its a "No", then no.
Restaurants: 5-10% depending on the level of service. I don't believe that any of the fixed service fee actually ends up in the pockets of the staff.
Taxis: a couple of Dirhams for short trips, 5-10 for long ones. More if their driving is good.
Baggers: a couple of Dirhams.
Petrol: nil. I pay by fuel card so don't usually have cash readily to hand, but I think you've shamed me into giving a couple of Dirhams.

Caveat to all the above: If the service isn't good, then nothing. I applaud the notion of telling taxi drivers why they're not getting a tip, but I honestly think its like banging your head against a brick wall...

Meow

I'm an optimist.

Oyibopeppeh

- Petrolwallahs: usually 5 Dhs after a 60L fill (except if it's a filling station where there's no 98 grade)

- Vaccum bay boys: Between 10-20 Dhs on what kind of job they do. Nothing if they can't be arsed doing the alloys.

- Bar waiters: 10-20 Dhs, of course depends on how attentive they are.

- Restaurant waiters: Generally SFA as I've yet to find one worthy of the 10% already included on the bill

- Bogwallahs: Now these guys really piss me off, particularly the ones who work in the airport khazis!

kittycat1

hmm- i've never tipped a bagger- personally I cant stand having my bags packed for me- they muddle stuff up, use far too many plastic bags and put soft stuff underneath tinned stuff and basically balls it up, so normally I say I'll do it myself. And you dont tip the person that has rung it up so why would you tip the bagger?

Taxi drivers I normally round it up so, if they have been on a mission to scare the living crap out of me then I demand my change- i waited for 50 fils the other day for which i did feel a bit petit but I did think I was going to die about 8 times on a 20 minute journey.

Waitresses I normally leave 10% of the service and food has been nice, bit more if its been really fabulous, bar staff i only tip if its been exceptional service.

Bahtatboy

Forgotten about bogwallahs: I usually tip them 10 Dirhams, partly coz I'm more generous after a pint or seven, partly coz I've never seen anyone else tip them and I'm sure they get crap wages, and partly coz its gotta be a pretty awful job stuck in a men's toilet in an Arab country.

As to tipping waitresses more if the food's good: it had never occurred to me to do that, I base it purely on the service, coz they have no control over the quality of the food. They also get a bigger tip the more cleavage they flash...

popsicle

God, I feel really mean know, I've deprived the nation's fetchers, carriers and sweepers literally thousands and thousands of fils....