Bad Tipping Takes the Air Out of Jordan

61. MJ stiffed the limo driver he had in Lake Tahoe last weekend. Told the driver, "driving for me is your tip." Told the driver this! What a jerk. Did not take long for the latest on MJ to make it's way through the casinos here. And then there is Charles Barkley, We love him. MJ could learn a few lessons from Charles. But you either have it or you don't. MJ does not have it. Maybe that is why his golf game is so lousy. All that karma catching up with him!

Posted at 5:55PM on Jul 18th 2008 by chyannie

62. As a graduate student working towards my MA, as well as a waitress at a nicer chain restaurant, I can tell you that tipping has nothing to do with education or race (I've been stiffed twice, both times by white people), but rather, how you were raised. Many times I think people just don't realize that the person waiting on them depends on their money to survive. I make $3.25/hr, but my checks usually come out to less than $20 because our tips are taxed on our pay checks. I agree that if you receive poor service then that should be reflected in your tip. Chances are the bars that MJ is going to is not going to give any old server that table, as they treat the man like royalty.

As for me, I am thankful to hard working middle class people, because they are the ones that understand the value of a dollar and understand that you reward good service.

And on a more comical note...if you have ever seen the movie "Waiting" you will know never to violate the Cardinal rule of dining out...

"Don't F*CK with the people who are making/serving your food."

Posted at 6:23PM on Jul 18th 2008 by To the contrary, Architect.

63. .


My son has had run-ins with this holier-than-thou JERK on the gold course in Santa Barbara - this is NO SURPRISE...

Posted at 6:24PM on Jul 18th 2008 by Kate

64. if i was his server i would spit in his food..

Posted at 7:42PM on Jul 18th 2008 by buckeye

65. Q: What's the difference between Michael Jordan and a canoe?

A: Eventually the canoe will tip!

Posted at 8:23PM on Jul 18th 2008 by Fernando Valenzuela

66. Yes "Architect" they do get an hourly was--which is even less than minimum wage for work that is a helluva lot more physically demanding than drawing up blueprints.

I had two jobs working as servers when I was younger. It is demanding work, I didn't do it long, and swore to NEVER do it again! But you know what, that hard work taught me to appreciate what these people do. So I do tip, and I have my young children (15 and 17) tip whenever they have a pizza delivered too.

I am not the richest person in the world, I sure as hell don't have Jordan's millions, but like you (Architect) I do have a Bachelor's degree, Unlike you, however, I can empathize with people who work their azzes off for $2-$3 an hour. I'll bet you've never done a hard days work in your life, because only an "entitled," spoiled person would talk down to people like you. But a lot of us don't have the means to sponge off of Mom and Dad while we go to college. Some of us actually have to work and pay our own way!

I don't know what MJ's excuse is for not tipping, but I seriously doubt that he got bad service all of the time. think it's probably because he came from humble beginnings, and is tight-fisted because of it. Well, so did I, and to me, this is no excuse, and it's NOT funny! It's effing pathetic, and sad that a person with so much should have, from the comments I've read, such a horrible attitude about tipping. I don't care what type of background he comes from! There are times when I am not able to tip and I am embarassed. Sometimes, I serve myself when I am unable to tip, or I apologize profusely to the server.

My children will probably, at some point in their lives, start their careers working for tips themselves...I just hope they don't run into YOU, MJ, or others like you!

Posted at 10:23PM on Jul 18th 2008 by SHAME ON YOU ARCHITECT!!!

67. I apologize for my somewhat illegible comment. The edited version is below:


Yes "Architect" they do get an hourly wage--which is even less than minimum wage, for work that is a helluva lot more physically demanding than drawing up blueprints.

I had two jobs working as servers when I was younger. It is demanding work, I didn't do it long, and swore to NEVER do it again! But you know what, that hard work taught me to appreciate what these people do. So I do tip, and I have my young children (15 and 17) tip whenever they have a pizza delivered too.

I am not the richest person in the world, I sure as hell don't have Jordan's millions, but like you (Architect) I do have a Bachelor's degree, Unlike you, however, I can empathize with people who work their azzes off for $2-$3 an hour. I'll bet you've never done a hard days work in your life, because only an "entitled," spoiled person would talk down to people like you do. But a lot of us don't have the means to sponge off of Mom and Dad while we go to college. Some of us actually have to work and pay our own way!

I don't know what MJ's excuse is for not tipping, but I seriously doubt that he got bad service all of the time. I think it's probably because he came from humble beginnings, and is tight-fisted because of it. Well, so did I, and to me, this is no excuse, and it's NOT funny! It's effing pathetic, and sad that a person who has so much should have, from the comments I've read, such a horrible attitude about tipping. I don't care what type of background he comes from! There are times when I am not able to tip and I am embarassed. Sometimes, I serve myself when I am unable to tip, or I apologize profusely to the server.

My children will probably, at some point in their lives, start their careers working for tips themselves...I just hope they don't run into YOU, MJ, or others like you!

So this, there is no other word for him, LOSER, can eff off money on prostitutes and gambling, but he can't tip his fellow man/woman? I wonder if he tipped his prostitutes? I applaud his wife for dumping his azz! I hope that she is able to teach her kids how to be altruistic. Something their Dad never learned apparently.

Posted at 10:43PM on Jul 18th 2008 by SHAME ON YOU ARCHITECT!!!

68. So this LOSER can eff off money on prostitudes and gambling, but he can't tip the people that wait on him? As a former waitress, I would make him wait after my other patrons before serving him for his bad manners. Maybe that would teach him some manners about paying for the service he receives. Those damn trays are HEAVY!

I'm glad his wife divorced his azz. I hope she, unlike their Dad, teaches their children how to be more altruistic towards their fellow man/woman. There is nothing I hate more than a tight-fisted African-American, and I can say this because I AM African-American, and I was once married to a tight-fisted one.

Posted at 10:50PM on Jul 18th 2008 by SHAME ON YOU ARCHITECT!!!

69. Any real sports fan, that read or paid attention to anything during the late 80s-90s when the Bulls dominated all....would know this is not new news. Not only No-Tippen Pippen but MJ-His Airness were quite well known for their love of being comp'd dinners/drinks/sex...whatever, and never leaving a dime.
MJ was said to sometimes offer an autograph to the server instead of a tip. Usually this would be after the managers and servers had piddled over themselves because His Airness had blessed them w/ his presence. The manager would dedicate 1-2 servers to MJ's party so they would get superior service, comp their entire party's meal - and the servers who gave up all their other tables, would get stiffed.
Ask any restaurant or bar employee in the Chicago area at that time - they all have the same stories.
Moral of the story to All Managers/Owners of any establishment - NEVER COMP MICHAEL JORDAN - HE WILL NOT TAKE CARE OF YOUR SERVERS OR STAFF!

Posted at 6:28PM on Jul 19th 2008 by susan

70. I Want To Be Like Mike!!!

Posted at 2:25PM on Jul 20th 2008 by eindoodle

71. TMZ, it is a well known fact here in Chicago that MJ is a terrible tipper. It is also known that he doesn't pay up on bets he makes when he playing golf. He is known for not paying up.

Posted at 9:23AM on Jul 21st 2008 by Lisa

72. #63 - Get a grip. Don't run your yap about people you know nothing about. I have busted my butt to get to this point in my life. I have done landscaping, construction and many other HARD Labor jobs to pay for my college. I didn't have the luxury to sponge off mom and dad to pay for school and so on. You on the orher hand probably did have that luxury and probably still live at home with your elderly parents sponging off them.

Posted at 8:36AM on Jul 21st 2008 by Architect