Tipping - Cabs

Yes - much like waitstaff they are very low paid and rely on tips to survive.

 

I usually tip 10-15%

These guys don't make squat and do depend on tips

 

Very rough language! NSFW (language only).

Reservoir Dogs
the tipping scene
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Individual cab owners jack their prices up crazy....

 

?? How do they do that with a meter?

 

I always thought they were paid like waiters, too. But I've been asking them (been taking a lot of cabs, lately), here in Denver/Boulder area they say they get more money from mileage vs tips. They are not telling me they rely on tips to survive. I was surprised. I still tip well over 20% (not that much money on short rides), when I like the guy. It's important to get someone who remembers you, so he will arrive on time. There is a lot of competition getting a cab downtown in Boulder, so I tip big to get the cabs faster and more reliably. I have several biz cards for cabbies in my pocket.

One difference between them and waitstaff is they don't have pay-out like waiters do. Certainly, I have noticed for awhile, even in Houston, that tipping 20% to cabbies usually surprises them.

on a side note: tipping cabbies in Europe is completely different, certainly Spain. In Spain, you tip like 10 cents or a quarter.

 

I always tip a cabbie, usually not as much as wait staff but I still tip them.

 

I don't like the cabbie or anyone to assume I'll give him $XX for a tip...

I was recently in NYC and they have Credit Cards in them so you can just put 10%-20% on up for a tip...I'm sure they hate that as it's not as much as they would normally get...