# How much to tip at the carwash?



## BostonTaxiDriver (Nov 23, 2014)

Usually there are two or more employees drying off our cars with hand towels after our wash; some places there are none and we just drive thru an automatic dryer, then spot clean with our own towels in the parking area.

Is $1 usually sufficient, or is $2 more acceptable?


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## Taksomotor (Mar 19, 2019)

I give $3 to the towel girl at the car wash. If there are none, I don't do towel at all.


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## UberBastid (Oct 1, 2016)

BostonTaxiDriver said:


> Usually there are two or more employees drying off our cars with hand towels after our wash; some places there are none and we just drive thru an automatic dryer, then spot clean with our own towels in the parking area.
> 
> Is $1 usually sufficient, or is $2 more acceptable?


To me, either one; and it kind of depends.
IF they really busting their butts,
IF they really doing a good job,
IF it's 105 degrees outside,
IF they pretty and sweaty and the buttons are straining on that blouse ...
I been known to give em $5 and tell em to have a cold beer on me.


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## Ubergaldrivet (Feb 6, 2019)

BostonTaxiDriver said:


> Usually there are two or more employees drying off our cars with hand towels after our wash; some places there are none and we just drive thru an automatic dryer, then spot clean with our own towels in the parking area.
> 
> Is $1 usually sufficient, or is $2 more acceptable?


I tip 2.00


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## FLKeys (Dec 27, 2018)

If you come through my car wash and don't tip at least $5 cash I'll rate you 1* and scratch your car next time you come through. LOL

I tip $0 because I am my own car wash. No car washes in the area accept for the one that is always broken and does a crappy job at the Shell station. I always tip based on quality of service If they were quick to dry my car and did a good job I would most likely tip $3.


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## Ubergaldrivet (Feb 6, 2019)

FLKeys said:


> If you come through my car wash and don't tip at least $5 cash I'll rate you 1* and scratch your car next time you come through. LOL
> 
> I tip $0 because I am my own car wash. No car washes in the area accept for the one that is always broken and does a crappy job at the Shell station. I always tip based on quality of service If they were quick to dry my car and did a good job I would most likely tip $3.


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## Taksomotor (Mar 19, 2019)

FLKeys said:


> If you come through my car wash and don't tip at least $5 cash I'll rate you 1* and scratch your car next time you come through. LOL
> 
> I tip $0 because I am my own car wash. No car washes in the area accept for the one that is always broken and does a crappy job at the Shell station. I always tip based on quality of service If they were quick to dry my car and did a good job I would most likely tip $3.


How do you know if they did a good job? Usially you are in the car and dont see if they did a good job until later.


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## MiamiUberGuy5 (Feb 20, 2019)

I use machine


Tipping a machine doesn't seem smart


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## Taksomotor (Mar 19, 2019)

Sometimes they have towel service after you exit the machine.


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## Ubergaldrivet (Feb 6, 2019)

Taksomotor said:


> How do you know if they did a good job? Usially you are in the car and dont see if they did a good job until later.


My wash place is hand wash, they do an awesome job. I have been know to drop off baked products for the guys.
I tip $2, my car used to go through everyday, unlimited pass. Now driving for Lyft I just park in their lot waiting for trips.


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## FLKeys (Dec 27, 2018)

Taksomotor said:


> How do you know if they did a good job? Usially you are in the car and dont see if they did a good job until later.


You really don'y unless you look, if I don't see any wet spots and they were quick I consider it good.


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## Taksomotor (Mar 19, 2019)

FLKeys said:


> You really don'y unless you look, if I don't see any wet spots and they were quick I consider it good.


So you get out of the car, supposedly after you pulled over, inspect it, and if you like how it looks, you go back to those people, who are already working on their next car, and say, excuse me, sorry for taking you away from doing your job, but upon closer inspection of my car, I have determined that you did a good job, so I would like to reward you with my generous $3 tip?


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## RideshareUSA (Feb 7, 2019)

BostonTaxiDriver said:


> Usually there are two or more employees drying off our cars with hand towels after our wash; some places there are none and we just drive thru an automatic dryer, then spot clean with our own towels in the parking area.
> 
> Is $1 usually sufficient, or is $2 more acceptable?


Ask our resident tipping expert, Uberfunitis.


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## FLKeys (Dec 27, 2018)

Taksomotor said:


> So you get out of the car, supposedly after you pulled over, inspect it, and if you like how it looks, you go back to those people, who are already working on their next car, and say, excuse me, sorry for taking you away from doing your job, but upon closer inspection of my car, I have determined that you did a good job, so I would like to reward you with my generous $3 tip?


No I don't get out of the car the few times I go to places like this, sitting in the car if I don't see any wet spots I call it good. No need to over complicate things. My concern is wet spots on the windows that dry and leave spots from the recycled water they are using. If I later determine a place did a poor job I simply won't go there any more. Plus simple observations like they dried the front of my car in 30 seconds and only took 10 seconds to dry the back would indicate to me that may be they did not do a good job where i could not easily see them so I would most likely tip $2.



RideshareUSA said:


> Ask our resident tipping expert, Uberfunitis.


Easy, he would not be little them by giving them a tip. That just encourages the owners to pay employees less. LOL Think I got that right.


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## Las Vegas Dude (Sep 3, 2018)

Just tell them you will tip them in the app and take off


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## ZenUber (Feb 11, 2019)

BostonTaxiDriver said:


> Usually there are two or more employees drying off our cars with hand towels after our wash; some places there are none and we just drive thru an automatic dryer, then spot clean with our own towels in the parking area.
> 
> Is $1 usually sufficient, or is $2 more acceptable?


Depends on how much time they put into it. If they take 2 minutes, and you give them $2 - that's $60/hour. Are YOU making $60/hour?
If they take three minutes, and you give them $1 - that's $20/hour. That sounds a little more appropriate. But I would time them and do the math first. If you're giving them $2, they should be putting in at least 6 minutes @ $20/hour. I wouldn't pay somebody more than what I make, for something I can easily do myself.


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## uberdriverfornow (Jan 10, 2016)

are you not embarrassed those of you only tipping $1.00 ?


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## Boca Ratman (Jun 6, 2018)

BostonTaxiDriver said:


> Usually there are two or more employees drying off our cars with hand towels after our wash; some places there are none and we just drive thru an automatic dryer, then spot clean with our own towels in the parking area.
> 
> Is $1 usually sufficient, or is $2 more acceptable?


I think 1 dollar is cheap af. When I get a $1.00 in app tip i roll my eyes. 1 is better than nothing, I guess, but it's cheap. give at least 2. If it's Super hot or cold. or otherwise nasty out go higher.


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## BigRedDriver (Nov 28, 2018)

$2. And from what I’m told it’s $2 more than most. I have unlimited wash deal so I go through pretty often. They also give free tokens for vacuuming after I tip.


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## BostonTaxiDriver (Nov 23, 2014)

BigRedDriver said:


> $2. And from what I'm told it's $2 more than most. I have unlimited wash deal so I go through pretty often. They also give free tokens for vacuuming after I tip.


Yep, but that unlimited car wash deal isn't such a deal if one uses it daily, plus "needs" to tip $1 or $2 daily on top of that.


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## Gilby (Nov 7, 2017)

Our local full service car wash doesn’t allow tipping.


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## Merc7186 (Jul 8, 2017)

$2 for my minivan, $1 for my car....everytime.


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## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

Most of the car washes here are "full service". You get the vacuum job and wipedown, whether you want it, or not. The car washes here all have a tip box. They do not allow individual tipping. I put the tip into the box. A dollar or two is usually sufficient.

I worked part time in several car washes when I was in high school (and full time in the summer). Some of them discouraged individual tipping, but the Management did not say anything if the customer tipped the individual. 

The guy who did the "checkout" usually got more than a little in individual tips. The "checkout" guy was the Crew Chief, as well. The 'Checkout" guy was up front where they wiped down the car and cleaned the windows. It was his job to make sure that everything was done correctly and either clean up after another crew member who did not wipe the car or windows correctly or to call back that crew member and make him do it correctly. The "checkout" guy usually wiped the drivers' side and cleaned the windows on that side, as well. If you were a little busier, you might have one guy who wiped the back end while two guys wiped the front part and the windows. If it were even busier, you had one guy who wiped each quarter, but the "checkout" guy wiped the front quarter and the front drivers' side window. The "checkout"" guy always collected the ticket from the customer that the cashier had given him to show that he had paid. No tickee, no ridee.

Many of the customers used to hand the "checkout" guy a tip with the ticket.

Some of the gasolene stations do have an exterior wash, only, but have vacuum cleaners. At some of those gasolene stations, you will find people who are hanging out and wiping the cars for tips.


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