Tipping culture in Argentina

[Rich One]

Same here - there is already a christmas tree in the lobby for the neighbours to start placing gifts for the staff under.
The chief portero and two others absolutely refuse to take cash (even when they go way above and beyond in helping out!) but a material gift or kind gesture is much appreciated and less awkward. The others will accept cash but very discreetly. Despite this apparent "no tipping" policy, they are all always there to open the door, call the elevator, take care of shopping bags, deliver mail as and when it arrives, have the car ready and waiting out front and always up for a friendly chat etc. My take on the charm offensive is that they simply want to make sure all neighbours continue to value their work so they don't end up replaced by an outsourced security service or robo-portero should neighbours eventually start to complain about the heavy weighting of wages and social contributions on the expensas - their jobs being worth far more to each of then than a $50 or $100 tip once a year.

My previous building however was a stark contrast to this...

Your staff deserves minimum 50 bucks you're at another level..!

 

[on the brink]

True, as Rich one said, each building is an universe....!

My building is a bare-bones operation, light-years from Antipodean's fancy building. No bringing cars to the front, no chief portero plus assistant porteros, no Chrismas tree in the lobby. As a matter of fact, no lobby, either...!

There are just five units in the building, and our portero is a young guy I often chat with and have come to know well. After six years, I know all about his family, his youngest daughter's medical problems, and his wife plant-selling business.

So, I'd like to give him a good Christmas bonus. I guess a week's salary would be about right.

 

[Rich One]

True, as Rich one said, each building is an universe....!

My building is a bare-bones operation, light-years from Antipodean's fancy building. No bringing cars to the front, no chief portero plus assistant porteros, no Chrismas tree in the lobby. As a matter of fact, no lobby, either...!

There are just five units in the building, and our portero is a young guy I often chat with and have come to know well. After six years, I know all about his family, his youngest daughter's medical problems, and his wife plant-selling business.

So, I'd like to give him a good Christmas bonus. I guess a week's salary would be about right.

Excellent bonus a week salary chez moi are $300 K ars