Random People Who Aren't Allowed To Accept Your Tips (11 items)

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  (#8) Taco Bell Employees

  There is a 24-page Taco Bell Handbook with all sorts of rules for employees to follow. It includes everything from making sure the restaurant is clean, to carrying out responsibilities with a smile. 

  Under the "On the job at Taco Bell" section of the handbook, there are several well-defined rules for employees to follow. Between "Never take unsold food out of the restaurant" and "Do not sleep or chew gum while on the clock," there is a clear rule that states, "Do not ask for or take tips from customers." 
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  (#1) Flight Attendants

  On paper, it may seem like flight attendants are providing a service, and therefore should be classified as being part of the service industry. However, legally speaking, the people who work in the sky are considered safety professionals. According to Travel + Leisure, flight attendants make an average of about $18 an hour, which is well over the average minimum wage seen in most developed countries. As a result, most airlines have a company policy that bans flight attendants from accepting tips from passengers.
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  (#2) USPS Mail Carriers

  Employees at the US Postal Service are not allowed to receive cash tips or gift cards, even on holidays. There are clear rules on what is allowed and what is not allowed in their Employee Tipping and Gift-Receiving Policy:

  All postal employees, including carriers, must comply with the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Exec­utive Branch. Under these federal regulations, carriers are permitted to accept a gift worth $20 or less from a customer per occasion, such as Christmas. However, cash and cash equivalents, such as checks or gift cards that can be exchanged for cash, must never be accepted in any amount. Furthermore, no employee may accept more than $50 worth of gifts from any one customer in any one calendar year period.

  If you decide to give a postal employee a gift worth more than $20, they are required to reimburse you out of their own pocket. Since employees probably have a better idea of how they want to spend their money than you do, it's best to refrain from giving them luxurious gifts. 
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  (#5) Servers At Several High-End Restaurants

  In 2005, Thomas Keller — who was a chef at Per Se, one of the most expensive and celebrated restaurants in New York City — did away with tipping entirely. Keller replaced tipping with a flat service fee of 20% added to every bill. Another high end Manhattan sushi restaurant, Sush Yashunda, also banned tipping and raised menu prices so they could afford to pay their waitstaff a livable salary.

  In light of this, many high-end restaurants around the country now follow a "no-tip" model. Instead, the restaurant pays their employees a living wage, so they do not have to rely on tips. San Francisco restaurant critic Michael Bauer is totally on-board with restaurants that have banned tipping altogether, and thinks many other establishments will follow suit. "It’s civilized — and the wave of the future," said Bauer. 
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  (#4) McDonald's Employees

  Although it is not custom to give a tip when ordering food at a restaurant counter, some customers will still provide a small gratuity for counter service. However, patrons are not allowed to tip their cashiers, or anyone working at McDonald's, due to the company's internal policy. The higher-ups at corporate McDonald's feel that the fast food chain is all about teamwork, and frown upon rewarding an individual. Despite this team-player attitude, the company has repeatedly been criticized for underpaying their workers, many of whom cannot survive on a full-time, non-tipped salary. 

   
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  (#6) Employees At Walmart

  It is not customary to tip a cashier or retail associate at Walmart, or at a department store like Sears or Macy's. However, if an employee helps you unload a cart full of groceries, should you tip that person? 

  Not at Walmart, where it is against company policy for an employee to take any form of tip. Under their Gifts and Gratuities guidelines page, it clearly states, "It is our policy that associates of the Company, regardless of their capacity, do not accept for their personal benefits, gratuities, tips, cash, samples, etc. from anyone buying or selling to us, or in any way serving our company."

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