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Tipping at gas stations


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Mexicans do tip at gas stations especially if attendant washes windows and checks tires.  They know the attendants rely on the tips for the money they will make for the job.  If only gasoline is put in, they may or may not tip but usually do.  All the Mexicans I know tip every time even if only a few pesos.  Usual tip is 10 pesos.

 

 

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1 hour ago, TelsZ4 said:

Why would you tip at a gas station.  ?

Because their salary is like 20 pesos/hour. I was once chatting with one of the gals who pumps gas in my town and she told me she worked 3 jobs to make ends meet. I asked her how much she got paid for pumping gas. As I recall it was 180 pesos for an 8 hour shift.

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Heads up! Please do not let ANY gas jockey in Mexico check your oil, transmission fluid or any other fluid without you standing there and actually seeing the level or many of them will sell you oil or transmission fluid or brake fluid and add it and overfill the motor or transmission which will damage them just to get a sale and a tip. Put your glasses on and check or tell them to leave under the hood alone. Modern vehicles with synthetic oil do not ever need to be topped up between regular service.

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49 minutes ago, mudgirl said:

Because their salary is like 20 pesos/hour. I was once chatting with one of the gals who pumps gas in my town and she told me she worked 3 jobs to make ends meet. I asked her how much she got paid for pumping gas. As I recall it was 180 pesos for an 8 hour shift.

 

25 minutes ago, Upfront said:

lawsy lawsy. it is MEXICO.

Simply because one person "told" you their supposed pay means nothing to me as I know most franchise owners sometimes own a hundred or more stations and these companies pay all different wages and benefits which can change from area to area and from time to time and one example is absolutely irrelevant, even if she was telling you the truth. Now with international gas companies operating here where that alone changes the landscape of this game and the pay and benefits for their employees as well as affecting the old status quo before this occured. IMO

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I feel like the employees at the station I frequent could always use a tip even if it is just to pump the gas.  I speak Spanish, have gotten to know them a little, and know that they mostly count on tips to earn a living.  Almost all customers, including Mexicans, tip them.  Does anybody reading this board think they could live, raise a family, or have a future with options working for what locals are able to earn?  Most are lucky to earn the equivalent of 300 dollars per month.  Would you do it?  Could you do it?  Would you appreciate a tip?  They pay the same prices for things that we do (as relatively wealthy expats or visitors.)

I have never had a service station attendant take advantage of me.  I always tip generously.  Alan

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1 hour ago, AlanMexicali said:

Simply because one person "told" you their supposed pay means nothing to me as I know most franchise owners sometimes own a hundred or more stations and these companies pay all different wages and benefits which can change from area to area and from time to time and one example is absolutely irrelevant, even if she was telling you the truth.

My point, which you missed, is that they, just as restaurant servers, shopgirls, and many others in Mexico do not get paid a living wage. I'm not talking about comparing it to wages in other countries, I'm talking about Mexico. It costs Mexicans the same amount to gas up their car as it costs you or I. They pay the same price for a litre of milk as you or I. They pay the same per KWH to CFE as you or I do. They depend on tips to make ends meet.

I say this as someone who doesn't throw money around, overtipping generously "because I can" or anything like that. Those here who have said they tip 20 pesos for someone to pump gas and wash their windshield are overtipping, as far as I'm concerned. But I do like to tip them something. (the ones who come up to my window with their mask down around their neck or who don't bother to wash the windshield don't get a tip and the one gas pumper ever who washed my filthy dusty back window without being asked got 20 pesos and I told him why)

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3 hours ago, Upfront said:

everything yuo just said is baloney. seriously. everything

Why do you feel compelled to spout off about everything here without any evidence or documentation??? Alan's post seems somewhat innocuous and maybe on point or not...but who are YOU to call it baloney and use that tone of voice without any backup??? 

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We tip 10 pesos when they wash our windshield. They have never washed the back. My father worked for tips and so did I so I know what it's like.

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17 hours ago, Upfront said:

mexicans do not tip for pumping gas. this is a falacy brought on by gringos lakeside. sure the odd one does. exception to the rule.

Sadly after reading all these posts I did not realize they were part of the "expected group", like the waiters, postman, trash man, gas man, transito police man, and the dog catcher etc etc 

Unless I have asked them to wash the windows or check the tires , I never tipped the person, neither has my MX wife or family. I have always been vigilant to make sure that I get the correct amount. I would be happy to pump my own gas if it was cheaper

It doesn't seems that long ago that the chatter was about which gas stations to avoid because they added more water to your gallon of gas

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1 hour ago, lakeside7 said:

Sadly after reading all these posts I did not realize they were part of the "expected group", like the waiters, postman, trash man, gas man, transito police man, and the dog catcher etc etc 

Unless I have asked them to wash the windows or check the tires , I never tipped the person, neither has my MX wife or family. I have always been vigilant to make sure that I get the correct amount. I would be happy to pump my own gas if it was cheaper

It doesn't seems that long ago that the chatter was about which gas stations to avoid because they added more water to your gallon of gas

For the last 40 years every Mexican I have been with when getting gas at a Pemex has tipped the guy/gal whether they washed the windows or not.

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My Mexican wife and all her family tip every time if only a few pesos for pumping the gas.  They realize these people need the money and are doing their best to feed their family.  The service they provide is no different than the people who sack groceries and are tipped. 

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If you want to tip then tip if you don't want to then don't. It shouldn't matter who does and who doesn't. Tipping is not customary in Europe but if the service is good we give something. 

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