A server in the posh, premium Delta One Lounge at Los Angeles International (LAX) has come up with a unique way to goad premium passengers into tipping: a laminated card with the Delta logo on it and a QR code for a personal Venmo account.
La La Land: Passengers In Posh Delta One LAX Lounge Presented With Venmo Tip Card
I recently raved about the new Delta One Lounge at LAX, a lovely lounge in Terminal 3 at LAX that I’d rank as the airport’s nicest lounge of all. One thing that particularly impressed me was how excellent the staff was…engaged, friendly, attentive, and gregarious.
But one passenger received something extra:
Just left Delta One lounge at LAX. We have been to the Delta One Lounge a few times in NYC, but this was the first time at LAX. Unlike NYC lounge everything in LAX club is ordered from a small menu and brought by staff. Before we left, the server gave us a laminated card with his personal Venmo Account so we could give him a tip. It had the Delta One logo on the bottom.
I must admit, it took some of the fun out of the experience. I wonder if this is part of the Delta One Lounge program or a rogue employees.
My guess: rogue employee.
I still love the signs that Alaska Airlines puts its lounges:
I loathe tipping in America…I dislike it so much. Yet I do tip…I even tipped (via Venmo to boot…) when I was in the LAX Delta One Lounge. But it wasn’t because my waitress asked for it or tried to guilt me into it with a not-so-subtle card. It’s because she delivered such outstanding service that I could not help but show my gratitude.
That’s when tipping is appropriate!
Every worker at LAX is paid a handsome living wage ($25.23)…that’s by ordinance. Sure, that doesn’t get you homeownership in LA, but it’s quite decent. While I am happy to tip for over-the-top good service, it crosses an unacceptable line to suggest to passengers who have paid thousands of dollars for their airline tickets to kick in more money for the (high level) of service in the lounge that is expected as part of the flight ticket.
We’ve asked Delta about this issue and I’ll update this post if I hear back…but I’m almost 100% confident in saying this was a rogue act not sanctioned by Delta and the employee(s) who do this need corrective training.
Hat Tip: View From The Wing
The guy is wrong if he is rogue which like you, I suspect is correct. However I hope he is reprimanded and not fired over this one stupid decision.
I’ve had Uber/Lyft drivers do the same with cards complete with logo as well. Though in their case there is a mechanism in place to tip on the app that they are supposed to get 100% of. Maybe trying to bypass income being reported/taxed?
Or maybe the Uber driver just doesn’t want Uber to know. Tips they don’t know about are tips that can’t be used by corporate as an excuse to reduce the driver’s cut.
PEAK Delta and Peak LA. Remember Bastain doesn’t like poor people flying his planes so if you didn’t overpay for your ticket you are obligated to pay more.
In contrast to LA, Georgia’s official state minimum wage is $5.15.
Will say that DL is doing a bit better in correcting their employees’ behavior at least in my experience.
Ugh. Minimum wage for tipped employees is $2.13 in Georgia. In Maryland it’s $3.63. The employers are to make sure there is a credit to bring up to the state minimum wage. I question how well that works.
I agree and have qualms with with this too. But the point is that I get that tipping is ingrained in our service culture but if you’re making $25 per hour, even if it’s a very expensive area, you shouldn’t need a tip. Glassdoor says that DL Sky Club attendants make between $25-$39 per hour, and if that’s true, that’s still pretty good. This pay is comparable to what medical laboratory scientists make which is about $30/hour with a bachelor’s at a lot of hospitals in the US but I’d say their job is more demanding. I’d say these folks deserve a tip for all of the lives they’re helping save and properly correcting any misdiagnoses doctors make on patients through the medical tests they do on patients’ samples. End of rant.
I was in the JFK and LAX Delta One lounges a few weeks ago and had the same thing happen. The JFK crew asked nothing of the sort but the LAX waiter gave me a Venmo card as well. Glad you’ve brought this to Delta’s attention.
I’ve spent too much time of my life in US3 Flagship Lounges and have to say that the staff make me feel more inclined to tip in the new DL1 lounges overall.
My theory is that with the Chelsea Lounge there are lot of English and international passengers which would call it absurd to tip. In addition, with UA there’s a lot of passengers from the APAC market from countries where tipping is not normal either.
Just my observations.
That venmo account is where Delta should send severance pay.
I’m with Dave…would not fire over this, but it’s a big no-no. Should not be permitted.
They do this in the D1 lounge in Boston. It’s a thing. Get over it.
Employees begging customers for money under the table is completely ridiculous. This behavior detracts from the premium experience and the employees should be fired immediately.
I’d still give them a warning, but it is indeed unacceptable.
That errant employee should be disciplined.