Dear Tom, I need your help.

[Bunny In Brooklyn]

Every time I drive through your fair state, and need gasoline, I face a terrible conundrum.  I do not understand the etiquette of the full-service gas experience, and time and again, leave feeling I have done something wrong. I pride myself on being an excellent tipper - so, I tip, naturally, but is a few bucks not acceptable? What is the customary tip amount? Why am I continually getting mean-mugged? Please help.

Love,
Bunny.

[Kormod]

Man, I can no longer tell whether people are being serious or "satirical" anymore. Fuck you, Republican Party. Anyhow, I'll respond as though you were being serious:

You don't tip the guy who pumps your gas.

[Kormod]

And I'm not saying you shouldn't do it. Just sayin' that I've lived in New Jersey all my life, and I've never done it and I've never seen anyone do it.

[Tom Scharpling]

It's not necessary to tip a guy for pumping your gas. If you want to throw him a dollar you can, but it's at your discretion. If he cleans your windshields you should tip him.

That's how I've always understood it; if I'm misguided I would love to know!

Thanks!

Tom.

[Kormod]

If he cleans your windshields you should tip him.

I and the people I know don't even do that. Maybe I've just been around crappy people all my life. I always tip when I go to an establishment that has a tip jar, though. People who get change and don't put some of it in the tip jar are creeps.

And OP, I didn't mean to be a jerk by wondering if you were being "satirical." Lately I've been getting messed with by sadistic trolls. Your question wasn't stupid or anything.

Also, once I gave a gas station attendant $40 for about $38.50 worth of gas, and he didn't give me back my change and then gave me a bow and a weird grin. I didn't know what to do, so I just drove off.

[gravy boat]

I pumped gas at an Amoco in high school-northern NJ. The only times I ever got tips were when it was pouring, on Christmas Day/Eve and New Years Eve.

[Bunny In Brooklyn]

It's not necessary to tip a guy for pumping your gas. If you want to throw him a dollar you can, but it's at your discretion. If he cleans your windshields you should tip him.

That's how I've always understood it; if I'm misguided I would love to know!

Thanks!

Tom.

Thanks, Tom. Knew I could count on your good counsel.

(Also, I had a sinking feeling people would think I was being a smartass, when I honestly just wanted to know! CAN'T PEOPLE POST HONEST QUESTIONS WITHOUT SARCASM ANYMORE???)

[Kormod]

(Also, I had a sinking feeling people would think I was being a smartass, when I honestly just wanted to know! CAN'T PEOPLE POST HONEST QUESTIONS WITHOUT SARCASM ANYMORE???)

Yeah, sorry about that. The part about the gas station attendants mean-mugging you for leaving a tip felt like chain-yanking. I found it hard to believe that someone would actually give you a nasty look for TIPPING THEM. It is New Jersey, though.

And I do agree that it sucks you can't tell a troll from an honest person anymore.

[BadGuyZero]

I've been in the same predicament when I've visited New Jersey. I always tip a few bucks. I've never gotten a scowl. Usually I receive a sincere thank you. In the grand scheme of things the extra few bucks cumulatively spent in tips during a visit isn't going to set me back financially. If I lived in NJ my position on tipping the full service attendant might change. For now I'll continue to give the attendant a few bucks.

[Steve of Bloomington]

I had a bad experience at a they pump the gas place. The guy walked off while it was pumping after I paid him, then later I saw him again. We made eye contact through the window and I thought I had made an expression asking if he was done and that he'd likewise communicated yes, and I drove off, yanking the hose right out. Fortunately those are built with safety mechanisms to prevent gas from spraying everywhere.

[buffcoat]

I had a bad experience at a they pump the gas place. The guy walked off while it was pumping after I paid him, then later I saw him again. We made eye contact through the window and I thought I had made an expression asking if he was done and that he'd likewise communicated yes, and I drove off, yanking the hose right out. Fortunately those are built with safety mechanisms to prevent gas from spraying everywhere.

Fortunately for you, unfortunately for Internet video, amiright?

[Steve of Bloomington]

I had a bad experience at a they pump the gas place. The guy walked off while it was pumping after I paid him, then later I saw him again. We made eye contact through the window and I thought I had made an expression asking if he was done and that he'd likewise communicated yes, and I drove off, yanking the hose right out. Fortunately those are built with safety mechanisms to prevent gas from spraying everywhere.

Fortunately for you, unfortunately for Internet video, amiright?

Wouldn't have hit 100 views.