Rewarding people for doing that extra bit as their job? IE tipping your garbage man.

Thermo1223

Thermo1223

Joined
Apr 18, 2005
Messages
3,206
Location
Easton, PA
Last week I spaced and forgot to drag the cans to the street, recycling & trash. I realized this as I heard the truck rolling down our suburban street. The "O CRUD" resonated in my head. I had just gotten out of the shower so running out real quick was a no go. I peered through the window and watched the garbage kid and I mean kid, maybe mid 20s go up our maybe 20ft driveway and drag both cans out to the street for me and summarily empty the trash. Now this is a no-no because I am sure the company does not want employees removing anything from private property because what if it's not trash?

Well I noticed and wholeheartedly appreciate it so I wrote him a note explaining such and gave them some Wawa gift cards especially since this week they had fun smashing an old wooden bed frame which wasn't exactly light I might add.
 
Astro14 said:
That kid didn’t just do his job, that kid did you a major favor.

What you did in return was appropriate. Gentlemanly, even.
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Something I didn't expect this day & age which I know is circular reasoning. Just surprised the heck outta me. I'd get rolled eyes from baggers at the grocery store most of the time, that is if any are actually there.
 
Gosh, this goes back years ago back when direct deposit of paychecks was new. My coworker received his pay via direct deposit and threw the statement in its envelope in the trash. The garbage man saw the statement and "rescued" it and knocked on my coworker's door to let him know. The garbage man was so proud of his good deed that my coworker didn't have the heart to tell him it was just a statement and not a live check.
 
Thermo1223 said:
Last week I spaced and forgot to drag the cans to the street, recycling & trash. I realized this as I heard the truck rolling down our suburban street. The "O CRUD" resonated in my head. I had just gotten out of the shower so running out real quick was a no go. I peered through the window and watched the garbage kid and I mean kid, maybe mid 20s go up our maybe 20ft driveway and drag both cans out to the street for me and summarily empty the trash. Now this is a no-no because I am sure the company does not want employees removing anything from private property because what if it's not trash?

Well I noticed and wholeheartedly appreciate it so I wrote him a note explaining such and gave them some Wawa gift cards especially since this week they had fun smashing an old wooden bed frame which wasn't exactly light I might add.
Click to expand...
Back in the day, my dad frequently had things that were much bigger than the normal size allowed; couches, cabinets, etc. He’d stack the stuff out by the road the day before, and the morning of just before they normally came, he’d go stick a cold 6 pack on the top middle of the pile.

Curiously, none of the garbage was ever left curbside 🤣
 
Yes I would tip the garbage man for something like extra service. I give about anyone a tip if I feel they went above and way beyond what was expected. A recent tip was given to the repair shop that took a new key fob for my old C6 Corvette and programmed it for free. 10 minute job easily worth the $20 tip I gave to him. Nice work needs to be rewarded. I have forgotten to take the garbage down to the end of the driveway and the driver walked up and took it away. I didn't give him a tip but it was appreciated.
 
I tip our mail carrier but the robot garbage truck driver, not really. If it was a crew of guys riding on the back of a truck, then maybe, but how do I know I am tipping the right guys and are they the regular crew?
 
That is a great example of when it feels right to tip someone. He was doing more than his job.

About 35 years ago, I bought a house, and the previous owner was a widower. When he moved out, he left a LOT of stuff. Of course, we had to haul it all out. For a few weeks, my wife would meet the garbage man, and he would kindly wait while she would refill the trash can with all the extra trash, that we would have staged, next to the trash can pick up point. On at least one occasion, the driver got out of the truck and helped my wife fill the trash can.

Back then no one thought of tipping anyone outside of restaurants and hotels, so it never crossed our mind to do so. But we have never forgotten how helpful this guy was.
 
Earlier in life I had a garbage man who was a one man show. He came in your back yard to empty the cans and take the trash while rolling a 55 gallon drum with one hand. He could literally toss that full drum up and into the back of an old open trash truck. Climb up, get his drum and go to the next house and so on…
The hardest working man I’ve ever seen.
 
The best tip is let them use your bathrooms. Those garbage trucks don't have restrooms for one to relieve themselves in, especially during a hot day when they are drinking a lot of fluids to avoid dehydration
 
In my last home the sanitation team of 3 workers picked up our garbage cans twice a week and the recycling container once a week. 156 trips per year, always gave us a nice greeting whenever I was out when they passed. Nothing all that much above the call of duty but it was hard work in all kinds of weather conditions which was up north with lots of ice, snow and freezing rain for a chunk of the year. Tipped each guy $50 each and every christmas to put a smile on their faces as well as mine.
 
Give our garbage guys a $50.00 Walmart gift card every holiday season. They do a good job and I appreciate it. Might up the card amount this year. Might even leave them something in our will. There service is way underrated by most homeowners who considers the service charge outrageous. Not me. Worth every cent.
 
UG_Passat said:
The best tip is let them use your bathrooms.
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I'm sorry but the garbage man, as nice as he can be, is the last person I would want in my house or bathroom. They literally walk in slime and trash at the dump.

Once you get your route, you know the best places are go to the bathroom. In my work territories, I had every Lowes and Home Depot location memorized so I could use their bathroom and a stroll through the tool aisle on the way out of course.
 
Last edited:
The woman that drives the garbage truck on our route is an idiot. Last week I rolled the can out to the street . Big plastic can on wheels provided by the City . The truck has the robotic arms that reach out and grab the can around the middle and then they lift it and pivot over to dump . Not exactly rocket science . While I was standing there watching , this crazy woman rolls up , grabbed the can and squeezed so hard the sides caved in and prevented anything from coming out when she tried to dump it . Then she slammed the can back down so hard it bounced and then fell over . Still full of garbage . Then she went on her merry way down the street . Apparently my gesturing and cursing didn't affect her . Since I live on the only route into my neighborhood I knew she would have to pass back by to get the cans on the opposite side . I rolled my can across the street and waited . About 20 minutes later I heard her coming . I stood out at the street and videoed her that time and it was obvious . Completely different attitude that time . Imagine that ..
NO tip for her ..
 
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