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I remember my 15 minute ant training video. I recall being instructed to make an attempt to turn down tips, and only take them if the pax insisted. I'm ashamed to admit that I turned down some cash a couple of times. I've never worked where gratuities were part of the deal before.
But not anymore. I have learned my ant lessons well. I never turn down money. I never turn down credit or debit cards, either. I accept pocket change, and foreign currency. I accept free food, free Cokes, free bottled water, free cookies, and free cakes (yes, I've been given cookies and cakes). I have accepted a trunk load of canned soda (not kidding, several cases, took two hot promo girls several minutes to load my cargo area, and then they only wanted one each to take home, leaving me the rest). I accept gift cards, gift certificates, and even coupons (I've transported enough restaurant managers that I have a collection of FREE this, FREE that, business cards signed by the manager/owner, so I can take my girlfriend out for dinner for next to nothing). Bar managers and owners I transport remember me, so I get free drinks, too. More than one has handed me a single, one gave me a six-pack, on the after-close raids of their inventory. God bless the bar owners. Free PBR is perfectly acceptable. I always drink free Lone Star, without complaint.
https://fee.org/articles/never-turn-down-money/
I'm ashamed to admit that I didn't tip my first Uber driver. I had a $30 free trip on the app, and I used it for an Uber Black to go all of ½ mile. My girlfriend says out loud "Aren't you going to tip him?"
Like a fool, I repeated what I'd read "You don't have to tip Uber drivers." I'm sure I got 4-stars that time.
I have regretted this error on my part. At one point, my personal pax rating was 4.7, and since I'm a nice guy, you can guess why. I didn't tip. I must have had some generous noob ants giving me 5 stars to keep my rating that high!
But not anymore. I checked last week, my personal pax rating according to Uber is 5 stars (in reality, I suspect drivers see a 4.95+, but Uber rounds up). You can guess why, and you'd be right. I tip. I tip a lot. $5 for short trips, 20% or more for longer trips. I've tipped at the beginning, and the end, on the same trip, because we had to make a driver wait two minutes while my girlfriend retrieved something she forgot.
All my Uber drivers are smarter than I was. They don't turn down my money. And if I get a noob ant that does? I'll just toss the cash onto the front seat and tell him the lesson "Never Turn Down Money." He's taking my money, gorramit.
But not anymore. I have learned my ant lessons well. I never turn down money. I never turn down credit or debit cards, either. I accept pocket change, and foreign currency. I accept free food, free Cokes, free bottled water, free cookies, and free cakes (yes, I've been given cookies and cakes). I have accepted a trunk load of canned soda (not kidding, several cases, took two hot promo girls several minutes to load my cargo area, and then they only wanted one each to take home, leaving me the rest). I accept gift cards, gift certificates, and even coupons (I've transported enough restaurant managers that I have a collection of FREE this, FREE that, business cards signed by the manager/owner, so I can take my girlfriend out for dinner for next to nothing). Bar managers and owners I transport remember me, so I get free drinks, too. More than one has handed me a single, one gave me a six-pack, on the after-close raids of their inventory. God bless the bar owners. Free PBR is perfectly acceptable. I always drink free Lone Star, without complaint.
https://fee.org/articles/never-turn-down-money/
I'm ashamed to admit that I didn't tip my first Uber driver. I had a $30 free trip on the app, and I used it for an Uber Black to go all of ½ mile. My girlfriend says out loud "Aren't you going to tip him?"
Like a fool, I repeated what I'd read "You don't have to tip Uber drivers." I'm sure I got 4-stars that time.
I have regretted this error on my part. At one point, my personal pax rating was 4.7, and since I'm a nice guy, you can guess why. I didn't tip. I must have had some generous noob ants giving me 5 stars to keep my rating that high!
But not anymore. I checked last week, my personal pax rating according to Uber is 5 stars (in reality, I suspect drivers see a 4.95+, but Uber rounds up). You can guess why, and you'd be right. I tip. I tip a lot. $5 for short trips, 20% or more for longer trips. I've tipped at the beginning, and the end, on the same trip, because we had to make a driver wait two minutes while my girlfriend retrieved something she forgot.
All my Uber drivers are smarter than I was. They don't turn down my money. And if I get a noob ant that does? I'll just toss the cash onto the front seat and tell him the lesson "Never Turn Down Money." He's taking my money, gorramit.
