tip at the gas station? (credit card, how much, purchase)

[nina9966]

I just moved to NJ. And I found I can not add my own gas any more. Someone has to do it with me. And they also offer window shield cleaning without asking. I feel obligated to tip them.

So here is the question. Do you all tip at the gas station? how much is a proper tip? How can I refuse the window cleaning?

[timneh5]

No tip required. If you don't want your windows cleaned, just say so. If someone does do your windows, make sure to say thank you. I refuse window cleaning; the water is almost always dirty.

[exit82]

Someone in NJ gets their windshield washed?

[gagaliya]

Originally Posted by nina9966

I just moved to NJ. And I found I can not add my own gas any more. Someone has to do it with me. And they also offer window shield cleaning without asking. I feel obligated to tip them.

So here is the question. Do you all tip at the gas station? how much is a proper tip? How can I refuse the window cleaning?

If they wash your windshield with your consent, tip $2.

If they wash your windshield without your consent, tip nothing.

If they just work the pump, tip nothing.

[Sergio M]

My tip is included in the price. They are not shy with their prices and I don't feel guilty not tipping.

[brokenaperture]

I've actually heard that gas station attendants cannot accept tips (from my brother when he worked at one). The windshield thing isn't very standard, happens to me maybe 1/10th of the time.

[manderly6]

Everything you ever wanted to know on the subject.

http://www.city-data.com/forum/new-j...ttendants.html

[Jellybean50]

I've done it like a "pay it forward" kind of thing - 'act of kindness' around the holidays, especially if it's really cold and nasty weather outside. I've given a couple of them $10 bills - maybe 5 or 6 times in my life. I just started doing it the last couple years... when i could afford it LOL.

[Retriever]

Like Jellybean, instead of ongoing tipping, I prefer to give my usual attendant $10 just prior to Christmas. However, I do tend to see the same guy most of the time that I go to my usual Shell station. If I had different gas attendants every time that I gassed-up, I would probably not give an Xmas gift.

On the topic of not being able to pump your own gas, I do it all the time in NJ! The attendant starts the process (many stations require that a code be entered in order to activate the pump each time), and then he wanders away in order to serve other customers.

Rather than waste my time waiting for him to return long after the pump "clicks off", I simply remove the nozzle, secure my gas cap, take the receipt and my credit card, and wave them at the attendant in order for him to know that I have finished the process. In truth, most of them seem to appreciate my help.

And, in addition to saving time by finishing the process myself, I also am potentially saving money on car repairs. In case you are not aware of it, repeatedly forcing more gas into the tank after the pump clicks off for the first time will do damage to the car's Evaporative Emissions System. So, the gas attendant who does the "click-click-click" maneuver with the pump in order to "even out" the amount of your purchase is potentially going to cost you some serious $$ for repairs.

When you force extra gas into the tank, it has the potential to be absorbed by the expensive Carbon Canister that is the heart of the Evaporative Emissions System. Once the carbon canister is saturated with liquid gasoline, you will have problems filling your gas tank, and your car will be unable to pass an emissions test. Replacing the carbon canister costs $300--or more--on most cars.

So, I suggest that you do yourself a favor and take charge of the fueling process. If you don't want to grab hold of the pump nozzle yourself, simply stand next to the pump and when it clicks off, tell the attendant, "That's enough! No more!", or--depending on the English fluency and the ethnicity of the attendant--"Bastante! No mas!"

[RobRiguez]

I generally pump my own gas unless the attendant is johnny on the spot and ready before I am. Yes I could get a ticket but I have enever once been bothered by the cops in the 20 years ive been driving. I will absolutely thank the the attendant for washing the windows but not much more. Besides, I rarely ever carry any cash on me.

I did give someone a $10 one time when I had the wife and kid in the car during a bad snow storm. They were asleep in the back while i was filling up. I ran into the store and when I came out not only were the windows cleaned, the snow was cleaned off the roof of the truck, they were finishing putting air in the tires and asked if they could top off my windshield washer fluid for free. THAT was going above and beyond and deserved a tip.