I do not tip for tire rotations. While it is portrayed as a free service, it is, in reality, just part of the overall price. That's why Les Schwab will run you a bit more than most other places.

As for the gloves, if I was handling nasty tires all day, I'd be wearing them too.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe tipping is expected for tire rotations.

However, just because something is free doesn't mean you shouldn't tip. The server/stylist/whatever has to work just as hard whether you have a coupon or not.

I waited tables in Vegas and we got people in all the time whose meals had been comped by the casino. Those people almost never tipped, but were every bit as demanding (sometimes more so) than the paying, tipping customers were. And oh boy did we hate them.

I don't tip for tire rotations either. Hadn't actually thought of it before, as whenever I've worked in service jobs such as this (not food service), I never received tips. Do people tip the guys at Les Schwab? Maybe I should rethink it?

Jim: I have shopped or price checked at 3 places: Les Schwab, America's Tire, and Firestone. I found Firestone to be grossly overpriced (orders of magnitude overpriced, in fact), but the prices at the other two cheap and virtually identical. Where do you shop for tires that is cheaper?

i guess it depends on how much of the free popcorn you eat?

When I bought tires last I found America's Tire to be cheaper but that was a couple years ago. I haven't priced out Firestone though.

Les Schwab actually will not accept tips. I believe it is company policy, but I don't work there, so maybe I'm mistaken.

Sara, you are correct. At least, that's what the manager of the Coos Bay Les Schwab told me a few months ago after they fixed my flat tire for free last month.

Fuck that tire store chain, fuck 'em right in the mouth.

I was a loyal customer for many years, until they treated me like total crap at the NE Columbia location. I wanted to pay them to mount some perfectly good tires I had taken off of my dead bus to my running one, and the manager tried to upsell me on a new $500 plus set of tires. The tires off of the old one, he said, though they were in fine shape, were the incorrect kind for my truck or some horse hockey...they would just make the alignment all screwed up, and vibrate, etc. Just absolute nonsense...I guess he figured I was one of those idiots who doesn't do his own vehicle maintenance.

He shut up real quick-like, and got that embarrassed liars look on his face when I reminded him that I bought those very tires at his store, and he was perfectly happy to sell me them then.

They are on my ride right now, and they function perfectly.

(swearing, banging shoe on table like Khrushchev)

Yeah, screw that place. I'll never spend another dime there.