PSA: A customer at my shop in Boise offered me a 'tip' that was just a coupon for his car wash.

He handed me a 10% off flyer after I finished a full quarter panel repair on his F-150, saying 'this is better than cash, right?'. I just nodded and took it, but it felt pretty insulting after three days of work. Has anyone else gotten a 'tip' that was actually just an ad?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_faith1d ago

I worked at a diner in Toledo where a regular would leave religious pamphlets instead of money. I used to just toss them without much thought. Then one Sunday I saw him pull up in a new Lexus after my eight hour shift. Realized he valued his own comfort over fairly compensating my labor. That kind of "tip" is just someone telling you your work isn't worth real money.

evangarcia1d ago

That pamphlet guy probably sees himself as a missionary to service workers. He gets to feel holy without the actual cost of charity. It's like the modern version of buying indulgences, where his Lexus payment matters more than your rent. The real tip was always about his self image, not your needs.