So, unfortunately (or fortunately) I recently had a chance to use my AAA membership on my 02 Camry with a dead starter for a tow to my favorite repair place. AAA kept in touch, driver showed up on time, I followed him in another vehicle, and he dropped it off at the repair place with no drama.
So, as the young, courteous driver drove away, I got to thinking that maybe a tip was in order, but I don't know. Hence the question: should I have tipped the driver? Is it customary to do so?
I typically would, as long as I had a reasonable amount of cash on me.
One time I offered a tow driver $50 if he could get my car out of there before the cops showed up. I had been hooning a bit and nailed a curb. I decided a $50 tip would be much preferred to a reckless driving ticket.
Yea the AAA guys don't make E36 M3 on those calls. I was talking to one and he said he was getting $2 for a jump start.
I generally do a 5.00. Always seems to be appreciated.
I work part time (I'm retired) at a parking garage for a major airport doing jump starts, airing up tires, etc. During the cold weather a $5.00 tip is reasonable. I have found the luxury car owners are the worst tippers.
I've always tipped my tow truck driver.
I gave the last guy a few beers and we hung out in the garage for 20 mins after my truck was offloaded.
I tip them, usually $5. I figure that it keeps them from reporting something to AAA, like "this jabroni is using us to move his car that hasn't been moved in four years!"
mtn wrote: I tip them, usually $5. I figure that it keeps them from reporting something to AAA, like "this jabroni is using us to move his car that hasn't been moved in four years!"
This is what I do with AAA. $10.00-$20.00 when they arrive because it's usually something weird that might be a marginal call as to whether it's covered and say "Hey, I might forget when you're done so let me give you this now."
Never occurred to me to tip them. Figured they were getting paid. But I will in the future. They might help me out in ways I never thought.
the only time I needed one he turned out to be such a shiny happy person that the tip went back in the pocket, and I said thank you and watched him drive away
some days you can really berkeley yourself over ... this was one for him ... I don't tip for piss poor service ... anywhere
I generally tip if I have cash in my wallet. Especially if it's cold and miserable out.
$10-20, unless the driver is a tool.
I too never considering tipping a tow truck driver, but I've never used AAA. A couple of the drivers were such thieves they were lucky I didn't do something seriously wrong.
I usually do; except the a-hole who backed over my mailbox and then denied he did it....
I do. Usually $5-$10 depending on the time and pita factor.
Thanks guys. I'll remember to tip next time but hopefully there won't be a 'next time'
Appleseed wrote: Never occurred to me to tip them.
Wow............me either. I am checking my "who to tip list here" and apparently everyone is on it except me.
Seriously, not being mean but...................who don't we tip anymore? 
I always appreciated tips. Road service calls like AAA and and factory plans pay fairly low rates in exchange for steady volume. One thing I noticed was the more expensive the car the less likely someone was to tip and more likely they were to be a pain in the ass. Range Rover owners in particular liked to point how much they paid for their truck as though it were more expensive than my flatbed.
Fuel pump died and coasted to the shoulder in Detroit on I-94 right where I-75 merges in. I sat there sweating watching the merge mess in my rear view until the tow arrived. The dude that had to stand out there and load got $20
Wall-e wrote: Range Rover owners in particular liked to point how much they paid for their truck as though it were more expensive than my flatbed.
I think maybe you misunderstood. The Range Rover drivers were telling you how much they have paid in >repairs<. ;-)
Oh God now I feel terrible for having not tipped. I had no idea that was a thing in this industry (aside from sketchy cash payments before your car is impounded)
Over-tipping for everything is one of my seething pet peeves about being in north america. I HATE it & I don't understand why it's so entrenched in the culture here, yet no one has any idea who to tip and how much. It makes it impossible to budget for anything and gives the expectation to employers that they don't need to pay a fair wage. What the hell are these employers doing with all the money they collect if they're not using it to pay the salaries of the ones doing the work? Why should anyone expect this to be normal?
Yeah, I can see it if a driver goes above and beyond their ordinary duties and helps you out of a big jam - in that case s/he EARNED the tip. But you shouldn't have to pay extra to damn near everyone for just doing their job in a normal way.
Why did I never get tips from the kids when I drove a school bus? Should I have been holding my hand out going "ahem"?
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