A recent post on an RVing Facebook group caught the attention of many RVers. Here’s what Lisa W. posted:
Are you supposed to tip maintenance or service guys who work at the campground and come help with a hookup?
Lisa’s question was quite similar to a post I saw on another Facebook page from Dean R.:
Arthritis in my back makes it hard for me to back into RV sites. I usually ask the CG worker to do it for me. My wife thinks they deserve a tip. I disagree. I’ve witnessed workers helping out campers for years with no tipping expected.
Hmmm…
Tipping seems to be everywhere! As members of Silver Sneakers, we often take advantage of various gyms when RVing. Within the past year, I’ve noticed several gyms that have a “Tip Jar” at the check-in desk. I’m confused. What am I tipping for? And who gets those tips? The gym’s greeter? Personal trainers? Maintenance workers?
With tipping expected everywhere else, should we plan to tip at campgrounds, too?
What do you think?
Let’s help Facebook users like Lisa and Dean. Take our poll and then please leave a comment, explaining when RVers should (if ever) and shouldn’t tip.
Tipping is out of control. Sit down restaurants only, if you please.
I have to admit I was surprised at this question – never encountered it. KOA take you to your site. Part of the job. But if someone goes above and beyond to help you? You can offer. Why not?
IF I REQUEST HELP, YES
It would be dependent on the “help” asked for; someone directing you to your site and giving directions, I would say no.
No, there are too many people out there with their hands out for a tip when it is just for doing their job.
If I ask someone to help me with something outside their normal job (like parking my RV for me), I would definitely offer a tip.
Normally I would say no. However asking someone to park your RV for you is above and beyond a campground workers job decription. That’s a big responsibility.
If it’s above and beyond then I believe it’s a good gesture for extra help. You might have taken time away from them serving someone else. But a tip jar I don’t participate in
If the worker has gone above and beyond their normal duties, and you feel you want to thank them with more than a handshake….have at it.
If what they helped with is out of the ordinary realm of their job, then yes, maybe. It depends on the scope of the help provided on a case by case basis. We don’t agree with tipping anyone for simply doing their job. We only tip at restaurants where we are seated, then waited on and served. If we’re penalized for using a credit card then that may affect the tip as well dependent on the level of service received since we recently learned that employers are responsible for making up the difference if their servers do not make the minimum wage per hour. That fee has always been there and is the cost of doing business.
IMHO tipping is out of control. EVERYONE is looking for a handout! We tip only at places where we get table service and the waiter/waitress did their job. Unfortunately, many places have started charging the customer the CC bank fee, sanitation fee, separate check fee, etc. adding onto the final check. I refuse to pay those fees. If extra fees are added to a check, they come off of the tip! The use of a CC is a convenience for the business owner inviting more business at his/her establishment. It’s a cost of doing business. It should not be a cost to me! IMHO
On occasion I tip. At one park I need to get up on roof to check a leak and the park maintenance guy brought me a tall step ladder and held it for me while I went up, found the leak and calked it. A tip was certainly warranted for service way beyond his normal job.
Here we go again. Tipping for doing their job. No thanks.
YES!!! My wife and I are Workampers and she has been getting some tips for keeping the cabins super clean which some renters do appreciate. However, most of them leave a mess without leaving any gratuity. She also does the bathhouses but only one person so far this summer has offered her a small tip for the special job she does on the bathouses. For me in my job, my “tip” is not getting ANY late night phone call complaints of noise from drunken campers. I like to get my rest at night like everyone else.
If tbe assistance is something extraordinary and/or difficult, yes.
A tip is warranted if the employee provides a service that most campers would normally do themselves such as choosing to have firewood delivered by the employee.
I think it depends on what they do to help you. Seems to me that backing your rig into a site deserves a tip.
We think that if you ask someone for help, then you should tip them. If the worker volunteers, and you accept, then the tip should be based on whether the help allowed you to better accomplish the task involved.
I tipped a campground worker $5 for his expert guidance backing into our campsite. Saved me some time and his attitude was great. I can’t see adding to a tip jar sitting on the check in counter though…
Thank you, Gail! 🙂 It depends. Generally, no. I agree, much of what they do is within their job description. However, once in a blue moon, or more rarely, someone does something so exceptional that I think, “Wow! That was ‘above and beyond’! I wish I had some cash and I’d tip them.” Sometimes I do have cash, but I cannot recall ever tipping someone. I am open to it so long as I have no cash constraint. Generally I am without cash. 🙁 But generally I am around no one, so I guess it is just as well. Thanks again, have a great weekend, safe travels, and safe stays! 🙂
I only tip if someone goes above and beyond their typical job. I don’t do any “Great, you showed up at work today and did what you’re paid to do!” tipping.
I agree.
In an unusual need or during an emergency situation a tip is appropriate.
Usually I just order a couple of pizzas for all the staff to have a lunch on us if it has been an extended stay. Back when when I carried propane, I always tipped the propane guy/gal.
Other than RV parks:
I tip often and a lot when unsolicited but if the machine they spin around recommends amounts and offers key feel good words like “25%- WOW or 18%- HERO or 15%- NORMAL or 10%- thank you” it is a game I don’t play well at. I don’t need to be gaslit or dealt a passive aggressive suggestion to do the math myself and assess the service provided. Especially in nontypical tipping situations.
If they go above and beyond or I ask for help, then yes. For doing their job, no
Specifically helping you with a task, yes. The suggested tip or jar in the office, no.
The word tips stands for “To Insure Prompt Service”. If your service is exceptional or beyond the norm then by all means tip. Sometimes it is one of the owners of the campground who helps you—I would not tip them.
If I ask for help beyond what my camping fee covers and the other person obliges, I see no harm in showing my appreciation with a couple of bucks. If they’re providing “help” that I neither need nor asked for, there’s no reason to tip.
I am dumbfounded at the number of “No” responses though. If a camp host offers to take you to town for a part, no tip? They loan you their propane tank for your stay because yours emptied somewhere along the way, no tip? They find and return your dog that got off the leash instead of calling animal control, no tip? They help you change a tire and do all the heavy lifting. No tip, no appreciation?
My knee jerk reaction was “no”! But I read comments before voting and then chose the “it depends” category. Maybe the T in TIP should also stand for “thanks”. I don’t remember being in this kind of situation recently, but I know we have insisted on remunerating (or at least writing a very positive review if they wouldn’t accept $) those who have willingly assisted us beyond what one would expect. Gratitude is so important.
Campground workers are getting compensated for their work with wages or site usage, always making at least minimum wage value. Restaurant servers are not paid the minimum hourly wage but depend on tips to at least raise their income to the minimum hourly wage (or hopefully more). Big difference in those two situations. Tipping campground workers for great work is not common, but certainly nothing wrong with it if you want to do it.
At our park all they want us to do is collect their money, make sure everything is working, keep bathrooms clean, and lawn care, collect rent/payments. We go ABOVE and BEYOND to the point of picking people up if they are broken down, need a trip to town, make and cook things ALL the time to walking their dogs and so many other things we do, I think in the 2 years we’ve been tipped 4 times. We do it for reviews and I’ll be honest – RV folk are LAZY when it comes to giving a review. That’s the best tip to leave any worker (not the company but the actual worker – some companies give bonuses for that). Your wife is right, and you are right.
If it is for something out of the ordinary, like the example of backing in your RV because you can’t, then yes they deserve monetary compensation, or reserve a pull thru site or stay home. It is not the CG workers responsibility to handle your rig or unhook/hookup your unit. Every example could have a differant response.
Where we go in Clio near Graeagle, CA — the campground worker helps every person. It seems to be standard procedure. In our case — I don’t think I could ever back in without these experts to put me between the trees.
Yes, but only for service above and beyond their normal duties.
I would normally say no, however, if a worker is delivering heavy bucket loads of firewood directly to my campsite, then I appreciate it greatly and am happy to tip.
If like the example statement: “arthritis in my back and I ASK campground maintenance to back my rig in” — That is not his job you are hiring him to do something for you that you are normally supposed to do yourself. That is not a tip, that his hiring someone to do your job.
Absolutely do. I always give them a tip – something like this: stay out of small cars.
🤣 Have a good night, Bill. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
That’s funny!
We tip at sit down restaurants, taxis, uber, lift, hairdressers and a small mom and pop outdoor seating Mexican food place we go. Tipping at places like Starbucks, fast-food and similar establishments no.
In the above scenario where someone has helped me per my request, I will tip and inform the park owner/manager who helped. On occasion I have tipped with their favorite beverage.
We rarely see Rv resort workers.. some places ask you to put the trash on the curb, but we never know when it will be picked up. I have never encountered in 24 years a reason to tip anyone at an RV resort.. we tip in restaurants.
This week, at Bonelli Bluffs in California, I asked park employees who were trimming trees if they had time to cut a few branches that would hamper exiting our site. They came right over. They were pleasant and took care of the branches. Yes, they got a tip and the front cap on our 5ver is forever grateful!
I tip anyone who provides me with acceptable service and a friendly attitude. The amount varies depending upon how far they go in providing exceptional service or thoughtfulness.
It depends. If I’m at a park with delivery services for ice, Firewood, food, etc, I do tip those folks because these folks are providing a service over and above what is expected. Otherwise, I don’t tip.
I think tipping is in order when an employee helps you with something outside of their general duties. i.e. Helping you back in or unloading heavy equipment, hooking up utilities due to your inability etc. In general I don’t think tipping should ever be required. I will however tip if someone goes above and beyond and does it with a good friendly attitude.
Yes and No. It depends on the circumstances. Did they have to pause their regular duties to assist you? I tipped an employee who showed exemplary skill in opening a storage compartment without damage after the lock had broken while shut. Thus saving me time and cost of a locksmith.
Tipping:
Don’t tip just because it is becoming a standard. Tip because of the great customer service and help, not because it is now expected! Tipping shows your appreciation for the help and a job they have performed over and above what’s expected!