Why Hillary Clinton’s Tipping Matters to a Startup

Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton did not–I repeat not–leave a tip in the tip jar at Chipotle on a recent visit. The horror of it all, right? It’s not a sit-down restaurant. The employees aren’t receiving a paycheck based on the idea that they are eligible for tips. If you were to put money into a tip jar, presumably it would be shared with the whole staff, and not the person who did an extra good job with the guacamole. A tip is nice, but it’s not required or even expected at such a restaurant.

For the record, I have never, ever, not once left a tip at a Chipotle. I generally pay with a credit card and it’s not a tipping sort of a restaurant anyway. But, some people are in a tizzy. It shows that she’s not sympathetic to the “common man.”

Hogwash. It shows that she’s aware of social conventions. When a waiter brings food to your table, you tip 15-20 percent. When you order it from a counter, no tip is necessary.

To keep reading, click here: Why Hillary Clinton’s Tipping Matters to a Startup 

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10 thoughts on “Why Hillary Clinton’s Tipping Matters to a Startup

  1. Thank you for this article. It is a great reminder to remember we are always in the eye of the public or criticizer. I think the most important tip to take away for me is to be nice no matter what. In my previous career, I was a teacher and the janitors and receptionists were my friends. I treated them with the same respect I treated the principals and their superiors. Social media can get anyone in trouble. As an educator, I always told my students to remember perception is reality. It doesn’t matter how you mean it, perception of the person reading it is all that matters. Think about it before hitting post, tweet, etc. Great article! Thanks again!!

    1. Thanks! Perception is reality. No doubt about it.

      And people are always watching. Now, in this case, it was stupid, but people are always watching.

  2. I agree with you from a common man point of view, but being who she is/social-financial status, I can understand where people interpret a sort of noblesse oblige into it.

    If she knew she was going to go public with it, she (OK, her aides, I doubt hillary even knows where to find her credit cards at this point) should have seen this as an easy way to score brownie points. Had she actually done it with the goal of being nice to her aides, and did it on the sly, it wouldn’t even be an issue.

    1. I don’t think you should be expected to “score brownie points” by tipping at a fast food restaurant.

  3. I would have assumed that I shouldn’t assume anything about why she didn’t leave a tip — or judge her for not leaving one. Maybe she borrowed money, so the change wasn’t hers to keep. (Lots of well-known people don’t carry cash. How many times have we seen Hillary carrying a purse?) We all have to stop taking offense at little things like this. She paid, okay? Maybe if everyone in this country was paid a decent minimum wage, few would be dependent on tips.

    1. This has nothing to do with wages–it has to do with culture. We don’t tip in fast food restaurants in the US and to condemn someone for doing what most people do is mean.

  4. Agreed. I never tip fast food, or semi fast food. I never top coffee shops either. Tipping has got out of hand. If i go to get my hair cut, which is rare, im not tipping $2 on a $11 hair cut that takes less than 10 minutes.

    1. I think $2 on an $11 haircut is on the low side. Tipping is standard for hair cuts, I believe.

        1. I have wonky hair and most haircutters screw it up so I look like an idiot this next morning. I found someone who does it right and I’ve been tipping her 25% for years.

          As for tipping at fast food…ummmh…no. My local pizza joint has a line on their credit card slip for tips. I call in the pizza, drive down to pick it up and drive it home and they want a tip. I don’t think so.

          So it depends on the culture and the situation.

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