Was I Santa or Scrooge with my holiday tipping?

I like to think I’m a generous customer.

In restaurants, I tip 20%. Often more when the service is exceptional. Seldom less even if the service is poor.

You know a “but” is coming. Be patient, it’ll be here in a few more paragraphs.

A recent NBC News story on “tipflation” made me stop and think. It discussed how some retail establishments are adding a tipping option at checkout for jobs that are traditionally not augmented by gratuities.

That’s ludicrous. When I use the self-checkout at a certain big-box retailer, I feel the company should tip me because I’m doing most of the work − loading and unloading the cart, scanning, paying, everything except stocking the shelves. And I’d probably do that too if I could.

However, the NBC report made me realize that I should start tipping for takeout orders. After all, somebody took time to make and package the food, and that’s a service. In the piece, Thomas Farley, a.k.a. Mr. Manners, advised 10%.

Now, here comes the big “but” (he said with a wink and just the slightest hint − a crack, if you will − of a smile).

But I didn’t know how much I was expected to tip in the following situation:

I was in New York City for the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade this year. While waiting for the parade to step off, I headed to Starbucks to grab some breakfast and take it back to my wife, who was waiting along the route.

As I exited the restaurant, I saw Mickey, two Minnies, Elmo and the Grinch walking down the street. (If they walked into a bar, it would be the setup for a joke.) Being an infrequent visitor to the Big Apple, I didn’t realize people dress like this often. I snapped a photo with my phone.

This brought me to the attention of the entire cartoon menagerie, who made a beeline in my direction to pose with me. I guess they gave me a choice, but it also felt aggressive, with lots of masked people surrounding me.

Three photos and five seconds later, all their little costumed hands were extended for a tip. I pulled out my wallet, which was my first mistake. I gave them a five, which was maybe my second.

“Five dollars?” one of them said, whipping out a roll of bills from some secret pocket in Minnie’s skirt. “There are five of us! It is more like $20!”

Indeed, the wad of money had at least one twenty on top, although I suspect this was for show and that underneath were ones and fives.

The frugal Midwesterner in me bristled. Twenty bucks per “photo shoot” would be equivalent to $240 per hour and almost $2,000 a shift. Granted, these characters weren’t ever going to make that much since most of their day was spent hustling (in multiple senses of the word) for business. And they did have the expense of the suits.

They also were using my equipment (which, thankfully, they returned) and likely weren’t claiming any of their tips as taxable income. They certainly weren’t paying licensing fees to Disney, the Dr. Seuss estate or Sesame Street. I doubt executives would be tickled that Elmo was shaking down pedestrians in Manhattan.

Armed with this knowledge, along with a certain bravado because maybe they should have been paying for a picture with me (educator, native Ohioan, proudly bald fifty-something), I stood firm with the $5. Take it or leave it.


They took it but grumbled as they disappeared into the early morning gloom. If any of them responded to my “Happy Thanksgiving,” I didn’t hear it.

Now, however, I’m wracked with guilt. Well, “wracked” may be an exaggeration, but I am thinking about these folks and wondering if I was more Scroogish than I should have been.

After all, I did get three pictures out of the deal, along with an idea for this column, which ain’t nothing.

So, I’ve decided to solicit your opinions, dear readers. If I should have tipped more, less, or about the same to the Mice, Grinch and Elmo crowd, let me know in the survey below. As a bonus, you’ll get to see one of the photos. I’ll report back with the results in a future column.

And if I’ve made you happy at any point while you were reading this column, well, I accept Venmo and all major credit cards.

Not really.

But maybe.

Survey link (use this shortened link):

bit.ly/3VkXOUf

Reach Chris at chris.schillig@yahoo.com. On Twitter: @cschillig.

@cschillig on Twitter