Vendor Tips?

lauraanne9

All of my vendors are the owners of their own businesses.  I have seen both answers regarding whether or not to tip...what is the correct procedure for tipping when someone owns their own business?

Stackeye210

Etiquette states that if a vendor owns their own business you do not have to tip for services.  This is because they already receive any and all profit associated with the sale.  It is never wrong to tip but in these instances it is not wrong to not tip either. 

Ali092011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_vendor-tips-4?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:a06a581a-e67b-4568-a5b4-ef47ca0c6c4aPost:354e23fa-0b80-4aac-89cb-e5fb8bedf771">Re:Vendor Tips?</a>:
[QUOTE]I believe that tipping should be a reward for great service, <strong>not just a way for employers to underpay staff</strong>, so I tip regardless. There is no "proper etiquette" on tipping a vendor who owns their business other than to say it is not necessary, but still appreciated.
Posted by StageManager14[/QUOTE]

Good point, Stage. I never thought about it that way. It's true in a lot of cases that employees don't make as much as they should because they're expected to be tipped.

I always tip the owner anyway because I'm a tipper by nature. Also, it's not like the owner is keeping all the profits for personal use--the owner is the one paying all of the overhead for running her business!