CHS is of the “$1 per drink” tipping school. Whiskey and soda. Or a short latte. But with coffee bean prices continuing to climb and local purveyors adjusting their beverage prices accordingly, we’ve been dropping whatever change is handed back into the tip cups — not dollar bills.
We’ve also been making our own coffee more often at home and at the office — though with the amount of work time we log at the Vitas, Victrolas and Vivaces of the world, CHS is still doing plenty to contribute to the caffeine economy on the Hill. We’re just, suddenly, tipping like our father.
What does it matter? CHS has a hunch we’re not alone. If that’s true, underpaid baristas hoping to make it up on the tip end of things are suffering. And you know what that means: No more doodles.
I’ve always been of the $1 tip per drink mindset, but with coffee prices skyrocketing (and certain places charging different amounts for the same drink every damned time I come in), I basically round up to the dollar amount I’m willing to spend, and whatever I get back is what goes in the cup. I do add a little change if the drink ends up with x.75 or whatever.
Places with exceptional service still get $1/drink though.
I still tip at least $1. However, where I used to purchase lattes two to three times per week, I’m now down to one a week at most. More like one latte every two weeks and the rest of the time is homemade French press.
I’ve also rediscovered my love of tea. Bought a high quality, variable temperature kettle and the ritual of making the perfect cup or pot of pu-erh has eased my Vivace withdrawals.
I always tip $0.50 for every drip coffee I get…. and the rare times when I get an Americano, I still tip $0.50… as long as they’re not foaming milk for me I don’t feel bad about my tips!
I tip based on the service and not the drink so it varies.
it’s not the fault of the shop or the barista that the coffee has gotten more expensive. I believe in tip karma; tip big and the world treats you better.
I’ve started tipping less, as well as buying less coffee out.
My rule was always leave the barista with the change, if the drink is $3.20 I’d leave the eighty cents.
But seeing how much the prices have been raised in the last year I can’t justify paying $5 for a short vanilla latte (most vanilla lattes are over $4 now). $4 is my limit with a tip on a coffee drink.
I always laugh when I get rung up at Vita. It’s like each barista has their own pricing structure.
I drink drip coffee and I don’t tip. Am I a jerk?
its like the most minimal effort possible.
I leave a dollar plus the change. Sometimes more. But then again…I’m a barista on the hill too :)
i purposefully use cash at smaller businesses (and purposefully charge $1 candy bars to my credit card at 7-11) which include most of my coffee drinking habits.
so as long as there is a tip jar out and nothing outwardly offensive has taken place (rare), the change is going in it. i suspect some places know this habit (everything i get at vivace is $x.04 i swear), but others are totally clueless.
piecora’s, i kinda feel bad for giving you a $0.07 tip everytime i get 2 slices for $6.93, but it’s really your decision, not mine.
I feel more sorry for you for eating Piecora’s pizza. :-Þ
I’m a jerk, too. Maybe all of us drip drinkers are jerks.
I only like to tip in whole dollar amounts, and $1 on top of a $2 drip coffee seems pretty silly. Especially if it’s to go. I tip if I stay long enough for a refill.
I tip a dollar regardless and will continue doing so. i’ve been a barista and consequently know how much of an income source tips really are.
i’m tipping the same amount i always have, no more, no less.