Three Things That Are Useful To Know About Tipping Your Tow Truck Driver

Posted on: 8 March 2016

It's never a good feeling to suffer a vehicle breakdown, especially when it leaves you stranded on the side of the road. You'll quickly feel better, however, when you call a local towing service, provide your breakdown location and get an estimate for how long it will take until the tow truck driver arrives to help you. Soon enough, you'll have your vehicle hooked up and you'll be traveling to a local auto repair shop. Given the immense help that a towing service provides, you might be thinking about tipping to show your gratitude. If you wish to take this route, here are three things that are useful to know.

It's Good To Verify If The Company Has A Tipping Policy

It can be a little awkward to tip for any service if the company asks its employees not to accept gratuities; likewise, it can be an etiquette no-no to not offer a tip when the employee is expecting one. As such, it's a good idea to ask if the towing service has a policy about tipping when you call the dispatcher to arrange a tow. Tipping tow truck drivers isn't as commonplace as tipping your restaurant server, for example. Some people suggest that tipping isn't always necessary, but that it's an effective way to show your thanks.

Tip A Flat Rate, Not A Percentage

Whereas you customarily tip a percentage of the bill at a restaurant and a percentage of the fare during a taxi ride, you don't have to worry about making any calculations when it comes to tipping your tow truck driver -- the best way to approach doing so is to give a flat rate. It's acceptable to tip about $5 for having your vehicle towed. Do so in cash and hand the driver the money alongside a verbal expression of thanks once you reach your destination and are finished with the paperwork.

Tip More In Certain Situations

Tipping $5 is a small price to pay for the high degree of help that your tow truck driver provides. If you'd like to tip a little more generously, there are certainly no rules about doing so. A variety of factors could influence you to tip more -- for example, if the driver traveled through a significant storm to reach you in a timely manner, tipping more is sure to be appreciated. You can also tip a little extra if the driver was quick, efficient and friendly. Contact a business, such as Darryll's Towing, for more information. 

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