Depends on the service. I don't tip at 7-11 if the only thing they do is run the cash register. Don't tip at the grocery store or other retail outlets. Seems everyone has a tip jar.
One big no-no in my book is chatting or texting with their friends while ignoring customers and treating you like they are interrupting their conversation. Doesn't matter if its a restaurant, yard work, or a trade. If you're on the clock, your customer gets priority over your friends (who shouldn't be there visiting anyway).
One tip I remember well was a girl at a Pizza Hut. It was full of customers. For whatever reason, they were short staffed and she was alone. She was greeter/ waitress/cashier/bus person....She flat busted her ass. Granted, we didn't get timely drink refills, nor much followup. We didn't care. Pizza was timely. My friends and I watched her in amazement. We each left $5. So it was a $30 tip. Minimum wage at the time was 2.35 an hour and we weren't making much either. She had tears in her eyes and a sincere "Thank You" because someone appreciated her work.
Didn't accept monetary tips at work. Did however get a plate full of fresh baked cookies from a nice customer because the persistent trouble with her phone line was actually fixed. Yeah, I didn't share. Most customers were so frustrated with the process of reporting trouble through automated systems. Having a real person to "tell their story" is important to them. I learned early that two minutes of listening, could often result in valuable information that saved me troubleshooting time.
