Post B1Eze4FefXw5TbriXA by HappytoBe@mastodon.social
 (DIR) More posts by HappytoBe@mastodon.social
 (DIR) Post #B1AgBZn5eVjt8PMj0i by futurebird@sauropods.win
       2025-12-12T11:44:50Z
       
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       The combination of American "tipping culture" and NYC leads to the stressful question of "how much should I give the doormen?" around this time of year. If you are new to NYC you might be surprised to find a card from your building staff about now... a very early "Christmas card" featuring everyone's names and job titles.This is so you can prepare your tips. If your building has staff you are supposed to prepare a cash tip for each person. Please do cash never a check. 1/
       
 (DIR) Post #B1AgeJzRTiS8WkqkfQ by futurebird@sauropods.win
       2025-12-12T11:50:05Z
       
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       I keep thinking that we should do away with this whole thing and just have a flat service fee so it's predictable. But, it's a non-starter at the co-op board meetings since no one wants to raise fees and it's hard to predict what the impact will be. A building can have as many as 12 or more full time staff and even a modest $20 adds up. So how much? I go with 2/3rs of maintenance divided between everyone. Which might be a little stingy. 2/2
       
 (DIR) Post #B1AgwHicf4uyhBY372 by jdp@friendica.myportal.social
       2025-12-12T11:48:18Z
       
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       would this be a once per year gift? Or do you give them a tip each time you benefit from their services?
       
 (DIR) Post #B1AgwJ01tqR6fShSsq by futurebird@sauropods.win
       2025-12-12T11:52:09Z
       
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       @jdp Yeah you see doormen so much tipping them all the time would be wild. It's a once a year gift. Like 50-100 bucks for full-timers and at least 30 for everyone else. But I live in the south bronx in a very old building.These numbers go much higher if you have "concierge" service and more fancy staff who do many other things beyond keeping the packages safe and minding the door.
       
 (DIR) Post #B1AgwugrlXgbZ21hI0 by futurebird@sauropods.win
       2025-12-12T11:53:21Z
       
       0 likes, 1 repeats
       
       @neckspike In NYC garbage and mail get no holiday tips. But also you rarely even know who that person is as it can change from day to day.
       
 (DIR) Post #B1AhF8e6cOu83hQRs0 by futurebird@sauropods.win
       2025-12-12T11:56:44Z
       
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       People on fixed incomes, and people who are going through hard financial times may not do a tip. No one is upset about this. It's a kind of chaotic system. But that's what the "card" is about.
       
 (DIR) Post #B1AlWnMYt0eP50tVlw by noodlemaz@med-mastodon.com
       2025-12-12T12:44:42Z
       
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       @futurebird if we did away with the system, just mandate employers pay everyone enough so tips aren't needed. This is the way.
       
 (DIR) Post #B1BfsgTukLwJXdLcGW by melis@mastodon.social
       2025-12-12T23:16:09Z
       
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       @futurebird my first year in NYC I had to look it up... created envelopes for each and handed them over personally, with a little thank you card.They were great guys (all guys).
       
 (DIR) Post #B1BqjVOxffIi4ErBXU by pewnack@aus.social
       2025-12-13T01:17:43Z
       
       0 likes, 1 repeats
       
       @futurebird @neckspike When I was a kid (in thoroughly suburban Melbourne, Australia), the garbos (Garbage collectors) were council employees (unlike now, they're private contractors) and they were always the same two or three men. My Mum would always leave a six pack of beer out for them with the bins at Christmas time. Can't remember about the postie (Postal worker). But again they were AustPost employees and not underpaid essentially glorified gig workers.
       
 (DIR) Post #B1CmJtwtZp3m0nDzSS by futurebird@sauropods.win
       2025-12-13T12:02:55Z
       
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       @neckspike I live in a building with over 100 units and if about half of the people do even modest tips it ought to add up to something nice.
       
 (DIR) Post #B1Eze4FefXw5TbriXA by HappytoBe@mastodon.social
       2025-12-14T13:41:44Z
       
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       @futurebird I'm often surprised by how controversial this custom is mostly because we provide Christmas gifts to other professionals in our lives without a second thought. For example, teachers, bureaucrats we deal with often, small business owners we appreciate, our librarians, etc. (I list these because I have served in each role and have received Christmas presents).I've always thought of the gifts as a show of gratitude for caring support rather than a means to supplement poor wages.
       
 (DIR) Post #B1FCKB2P1kCE8VVq2y by efhastings@twit.social
       2025-12-14T16:03:48Z
       
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       @futurebird “Merry Christmas, Second Notice”