Commissary: How Much Do You Tip Baggers Discussion

[PMFan]

here is the FAQ from deca
Commissaries.com - Bagging/CarryOut Services
Baggers work for tips only, however, you may choose not to use bagger/carryout services at all, or you may choose to use the services of a bagger but not provide a tip.

that said, for my regular orders, i give no less than $1 and sometimes $2. but never more than $2. if i have a small order (15 items or less), i'll either do self checkout or leave some change in the tip box.

somethings you can consider when deciding how much (if at all) to tip:
1. how far does the bagger have to walk to your car
2. what is the weather like
3. how many bags you have

also, i think you could bag the items yourself and tip yourself ! :)

[zookeepermel]

I usually tip $3-$4 depending on how many items I have, how carefully my groceries are bagged and how polite the bagger is. I average 10 plastic (not overfull) bags or about $90 before coupons. We also have several middle aged women baggers and I will sometimes give them any extras of good coupons that I have. I find they really appreciate those - esp after watching my totals go way down by using them.

[suzy24]

I usually tip $2, but I hate using the baggers here. They don't speak or understand English (as I found out when my daughter got stuck in the shopping cart seat belt and the lady didn't understand when I asked her to get help). I usually have about $60 worth of groceries before coupons and try to use self-checkout all the time. Lately if I have to go through the regular line, I have them bag my groceries and I carry them out myself. In that case, I tip $1.

[MyKidzRock]

Typically I will give them each a dollar so $2 - but now that we have the self check out - I try to go through there so I do not have to tip anyone.

[hrborn]

If my order is $50 or under, about $2, $50-100, $2-3. If it is over $100 after coupons (which happened before couponing quite often), $3-5. Also, I usually have a child or more with me, and if the bagger helps me empty my cart and does "extras," I'll give them more every time and make a point of saying "thank you for helping me unload my cart." I gave someone $10 for doing that for me last week. I have the baby in a carrier, so unloading the cart is somewhat difficult and I really appreciate the help.

[jeweltea]

It depends on how much I spend and how nice the bagger is and how well they load the car. Last week I spent about $100 and gave the bagger $2.00. Unless I am buying only a few items and bagging myself, $2.00 is my minimum tip. When I used to spend $250-$300 (before I started doing coupons), I would give more -- usually $4 or $5.

[trosario]

i usually tip $1 for my regular trips no matter what the amount is, and i prefer to take my bags to my car myself because i never remember where i parked! anyway, now that we have self check-out, i hope to keep my $1 for myself. i'm in our commissary 3 sometimes 4 times a week, so i should earn pretty good tips!

[ToHimIPray]

Originally Posted by trosario i usually tip $1 for my regular trips no matter what the amount is, and i prefer to take my bags to my car myself because i never remember where i parked! anyway, now that we have self check-out, i hope to keep my $1 for myself. i'm in our commissary 3 sometimes 4 times a week, so i should earn pretty good tips!

My sentiments exactly!!!

Also, I was talking to a bagger I know just before the self checkouts were installed and was told that the head baggers were concerned because once the self checkouts were installed they would receive less in tips. I couldn't figure out how that effected the head bagger. That's when she explained it to me. Basically, the person bagging the express lane gets paid about $5 an hour and all tips go to the head bagger. Now the $5 dollars an hour comes out of the tips earned through that line. Now think about this. The express line earns way more than $5 an hour and I had a problem with this. I told the young lady bagging that line (I know her), I will not be leaving a tip when coming through that line anymore. I would always leave tips for her. Sometimes more than I normally would leave. My reason for leaving a tip was because I received good service and it was left under the belief that it would be going to the person who bagged for me. If the head bagger bagged my groceries, then I have no problem with it. But since this is not the case, I don't leave a tip. The bagger will still get her $5 an hour and the head bagger who did absolutely nothing for me, gets nothing from me.

Sure, I know they have some other responsibilities such as replenishing carts and managing all the baggers, but I think they get paid enough considering that every bagger has to pay a percentage of their days take to the head bagger. Combined with the money from the Express lane, the head bagger makes hundreds of dollars of tax free money a day!!!! And remember, the head bagger never has to walk a customer out to the car in rain and snow.

[BostonRed]

I had forgotten about tipping the baggers at the commissary (it's been a long time since I was on active duty).

I do remember that the ones at Fort Leavenworth were actually prisoners and you had to deposit your tips in a box. At Leavenworth, you get used to prisoners doing everything...washing cars, running the thrift store, repairing furniture ... it's a different world all together.

[bluedaisy]

I usually tip $2-$3 depending on my order, circumstances, etc. One time, after coupons, my order went over $200 (shopping for a month) so I tipped $5 b/c I was also very specific about how some items were packed together (in order to freeze in deep freeze together). It was also 15 degrees outside and starting to snow. Sometimes nothing through the express lane, sometimes $1. I also use the self check outs when I possibly can so I don't have to tip.

Even though the above link says you can choose to NOT tip your bagger, in our store, you don't really have a chance to NOT use them. They are at every single open lane, all bagged up and ready and start bagging the second they get an item. I could run up and request not to use them, but I'd feel bad doing that. They would probably just stand there while I bag my own groceries and scowl. I don't know..I guess I'd rather give them a couple bucks and let them do it.