strangest/coolest tip you ever received - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

skizziks · 04-26-2011, 05:48 PM

for those of you who work in a job where you get tips...

what is the strangest/coolest/oddest/whatever-est tip you ever received?

i work in a bike shop in a bicycle destination, we rent bikes to people on vacation who come here to ride. i was helping these three guys out, and one of them left a rather large chunk of marijuana on the counter. i pointed it out to the guys, they said "oh, that's probably his (pointing to their friend). i finished helping them, they left, and the pot was still there. he casually left it for us, not saying anything. pretty smooth, very classy, much appreciated.

usually people bring in beer for us, which is pretty cool. but they left pot. i got pot as a tip. so far, that has been the best tip yet.

Charlatan · 04-26-2011, 07:07 PM

In the brief period where I was a waiter, I once had a customer leave me a book as part of the tip. We'd had a conversation throughout the service, and she decided that I needed to read the book she had in her purse. I can't remember the book now but it was a good read.

skizziks · 04-26-2011, 07:35 PM

that sounds like a pretty awesome tip. i love books.

stellabella1978 · 04-26-2011, 07:42 PM

When I worked as a waitress, I got coupons to a different restaurant. I had the flu, so the service probably wasn't all that good that night.

777 · 05-02-2011, 02:46 PM

This little Korean lady gave me some Korean peanut candies, yummy.

uncle phil · 05-02-2011, 03:15 PM

back in my youth, i held a door open for an older person in the airport - i think it was o'hare...

he said, "got a tip for you son; buy low, sell high..."

true story...

i still use it today...

CinnamonGirl · 05-02-2011, 06:08 PM

Most certainly not the coolest, but I have a collection of Chick Tracts that I've received as tips.

I keep hoping someone will leave me the D&D one (if they must leave one at all), but I guess that's not considered relevant anymore. Or maybe I don't look like the type who knows what a half-elf sorceress is. Hmmm.

When I worked at a local pizza place, a barbershop chorus came in every year for their holiday party. They tipped monetarily (quite generously), and towards the end of the evening, would sing five or so Christmas songs for the staff. That was pretty cool.

MSD · 05-04-2011, 06:59 PM

I used to work at a now-defunct quick oil change chain, and across the street from us was a Chinese restaurant. The owner, Mr. Chen, used his Nissan Quest for catering deliveries, so 3000 miles came about faster for him than for most people. Every couple of months, he'd drop it off for an oil change and ask our manager how many people he had working that day; he'd come back in an hour or two to pay, pick up his car, and bring egg rolls for everyone. It was a nice change from the usual crowd.

Ourcrazymodern? · 05-07-2011, 03:33 PM

My botany professor told me I should go do independent research. Since then I've been looking at life differently. That was the coolest tip I've ever received.

SuburbanZombie · 05-08-2011, 07:41 PM

Not really a tip but...
I used to work as a building lobby security guard. One of the business owners in the building asked me if I wanted to go to the baseball game that night as he had tickets he couldn't use. I said sure as I was a broke punk and wasn't likely to turn anything free down.
The seats were 2 rows behind the home team dugout. That was 25+ years ago and those were still the best seats I ever got for a ballgame.

xxlrg · 05-16-2011, 12:03 PM

Just last weekend an old man gave me a tip, "If it floats, flies, or fucks; its cheaper to rent it!"

Borla · 05-16-2011, 12:19 PM

Back when I was in school I was a server at a fairly nice restaurant. There were 2-3 couples in their 40s or 50s having dinner together and one of the women really seemed to like me. Near the end of the night she asked me what time I got off of work that night, and if I was single.

She literally wanted to go home, get her daughter, and bring her back to meet me and for me to take her on a date. She even started pulling out pictures and showing them to me (and she was cute, actually). Unfortunately I had to tell her that I had a GF already (now my wife), so I had to take a pass. But it still makes me chuckle to this day, I'm sure the girl would've been horrified that her mother was out trying to set her up with random wait staff.

levite · 05-16-2011, 01:15 PM

When I worked delivering pizza for a while after college, I used to get all kinds of weird or funky tips.

Highlights probably include:

nugs of weed
a blown-glass pot pipe
a Cuban cigar
$10 in silver dollars
an LP of "Release of an Oath" by the Electric Prunes
two tickets to see The Wallflowers.
a thirty-second boob flash from three girls who claimed to have no money for a tip.
a one-minute viewing of two girls making out, who claimed to be trying to save money.
an invitation to have a threesome with a middle-aged nudist couple (politely declined).

Leto · 05-17-2011, 02:19 AM

A guy I worked for (summer job) gave me a Thai stick as a summer bonus. My student house enjoyed that one...

monkeysugar · 05-24-2011, 12:59 AM

I've worked at a few places where local restaurant owners (and some from out of town) brought in huge bags of food for everyone. I've also been recruited for much, much better jobs.

04-26-2011, 05:48 PM	#1 (permalink)
skizziks Insane Location: out west	strangest/coolest tip you ever received for those of you who work in a job where you get tips... what is the strangest/coolest/oddest/whatever-est tip you ever received? i work in a bike shop in a bicycle destination, we rent bikes to people on vacation who come here to ride. i was helping these three guys out, and one of them left a rather large chunk of marijuana on the counter. i pointed it out to the guys, they said "oh, that's probably his (pointing to their friend). i finished helping them, they left, and the pot was still there. he casually left it for us, not saying anything. pretty smooth, very classy, much appreciated. usually people bring in beer for us, which is pretty cool. but they left pot. i got pot as a tip. so far, that has been the best tip yet.

04-26-2011, 07:07 PM	#2 (permalink)
Charlatan Getting it. Super Moderator Location: Lion City	In the brief period where I was a waiter, I once had a customer leave me a book as part of the tip. We'd had a conversation throughout the service, and she decided that I needed to read the book she had in her purse. I can't remember the book now but it was a good read. __________________ "My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars." - Old Man Luedecke

05-02-2011, 02:46 PM	#5 (permalink)
777 drawn and redrawn Location: Some where in Southern California	This little Korean lady gave me some Korean peanut candies, yummy. __________________ "I don't know that I ever wanted greatness, on its own. It seems rather like wanting to be an engineer, rather than wanting to design something - or wanting to be a writer, rather than wanting to write. It should be a by-product, not a thing in itself. Otherwise, it's just an ego trip." Roger Zelazny

05-02-2011, 03:15 PM	#6 (permalink)
uncle phil comfortably numb... Super Moderator Location: upstate	back in my youth, i held a door open for an older person in the airport - i think it was o'hare... he said, "got a tip for you son; buy low, sell high..." true story... i still use it today... __________________ "We were wrong, terribly wrong. (We) should not have tried to fight a guerrilla war with conventional military tactics against a foe willing to absorb enormous casualties...in a country lacking the fundamental political stability necessary to conduct effective military and pacification operations. It could not be done and it was not done." - Robert S. McNamara ----------------------------------------- "We will take our napalm and flame throwers out of the land that scarcely knows the use of matches... We will leave you your small joys and smaller troubles." - Eugene McCarthy in "Vietnam Message" ----------------------------------------- never wrestle with a pig. you both get dirty; the pig likes it.

05-02-2011, 06:08 PM	#7 (permalink)
CinnamonGirl She's Actual Size Location: Central Republic of Where-in-the-Hell	Most certainly not the coolest, but I have a collection of Chick Tracts that I've received as tips. I keep hoping someone will leave me the D&D one (if they must leave one at all), but I guess that's not considered relevant anymore. Or maybe I don't look like the type who knows what a half-elf sorceress is. Hmmm. When I worked at a local pizza place, a barbershop chorus came in every year for their holiday party. They tipped monetarily (quite generously), and towards the end of the evening, would sing five or so Christmas songs for the staff. That was pretty cool. __________________ "...for though she was ordinary, she possessed health, wit, courage, charm, and cheerfulness. But because she was not beautiful, no one ever seemed to notice these other qualities, which is so often the way of the world." "Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"

04-26-2011, 07:35 PM	#3 (permalink)
skizziks Insane Location: out west	that sounds like a pretty awesome tip. i love books.

04-26-2011, 07:42 PM	#4 (permalink)
stellabella1978 Upright Location: Portland, Oregon	When I worked as a waitress, I got coupons to a different restaurant. I had the flu, so the service probably wasn't all that good that night.

05-04-2011, 06:59 PM	#8 (permalink)
MSD The sky calls to us ... Super Moderator Location: CT	I used to work at a now-defunct quick oil change chain, and across the street from us was a Chinese restaurant. The owner, Mr. Chen, used his Nissan Quest for catering deliveries, so 3000 miles came about faster for him than for most people. Every couple of months, he'd drop it off for an oil change and ask our manager how many people he had working that day; he'd come back in an hour or two to pay, pick up his car, and bring egg rolls for everyone. It was a nice change from the usual crowd.

05-07-2011, 03:33 PM	#9 (permalink)
Ourcrazymodern? still, wondering. Location: South Minneapolis, somewhere near the gorgeous gorge	My botany professor told me I should go do independent research. Since then I've been looking at life differently. That was the coolest tip I've ever received. __________________ BE JUST AND FEAR NOT

05-08-2011, 07:41 PM	#10 (permalink)
SuburbanZombie Upright Location: Suburban Bliss	Not really a tip but... I used to work as a building lobby security guard. One of the business owners in the building asked me if I wanted to go to the baseball game that night as he had tickets he couldn't use. I said sure as I was a broke punk and wasn't likely to turn anything free down. The seats were 2 rows behind the home team dugout. That was 25+ years ago and those were still the best seats I ever got for a ballgame.

05-16-2011, 12:03 PM	#11 (permalink)
xxlrg Upright	Just last weekend an old man gave me a tip, "If it floats, flies, or fucks; its cheaper to rent it!"

05-16-2011, 12:19 PM	#12 (permalink)
Borla Junkie	Back when I was in school I was a server at a fairly nice restaurant. There were 2-3 couples in their 40s or 50s having dinner together and one of the women really seemed to like me. Near the end of the night she asked me what time I got off of work that night, and if I was single. She literally wanted to go home, get her daughter, and bring her back to meet me and for me to take her on a date. She even started pulling out pictures and showing them to me (and she was cute, actually). Unfortunately I had to tell her that I had a GF already (now my wife), so I had to take a pass. But it still makes me chuckle to this day, I'm sure the girl would've been horrified that her mother was out trying to set her up with random wait staff. __________________ Coimhéad fearg fhear na foighde!!!!

05-16-2011, 01:15 PM	#13 (permalink)
levite Minion of Joss Location: The Windy City	When I worked delivering pizza for a while after college, I used to get all kinds of weird or funky tips. Highlights probably include: nugs of weed a blown-glass pot pipe a Cuban cigar $10 in silver dollars an LP of "Release of an Oath" by the Electric Prunes two tickets to see The Wallflowers. a thirty-second boob flash from three girls who claimed to have no money for a tip. a one-minute viewing of two girls making out, who claimed to be trying to save money. an invitation to have a threesome with a middle-aged nudist couple (politely declined). __________________ Dull sublunary lovers love, Whose soul is sense, cannot admit Absence, because it doth remove That thing which elemented it. (From "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning" by John Donne)

05-17-2011, 02:19 AM	#14 (permalink)
Leto Junkie Location: The Danforth	A guy I worked for (summer job) gave me a Thai stick as a summer bonus. My student house enjoyed that one... __________________ You said you didn't give a fuck about hockey And I never saw someone say that before You held my hand and we walked home the long way You were loosening my grip on Bobby Orr http://dune.wikia.com/wiki/Leto_Atreides_I

05-24-2011, 12:59 AM	#15 (permalink)
monkeysugar I'll be on the veranda, since you're on the cross. Location: Rand McNally's friendliest small town in America. They must have strayed from the dodgy parts...	I've worked at a few places where local restaurant owners (and some from out of town) brought in huge bags of food for everyone. I've also been recruited for much, much better jobs. __________________ I've got the love of my life and a job that I enjoy most of the time. Life is good.