I understand i pay a service to the shop but unless its the owner teaching the course usually i tip like i would at a restuarant to a certain degree 15-20%. The shop im affiliated with the owner doesnt teach the courses anymore his staff does. They ALL make the same pay $13hr that they pay taxes on. I know diving is a hobby but some maybe trying to generate money from it as a second job. I know plenty of friends who are bartenders bought into the bar and lost their blue collar job and luckily they kept the nights they bartended cause it got them through the bad times. Poeple might not left as much as before but they still provide u with a personal service. I do see alot of old school replies here. Barbershop owner i give $1-$2 the non owner who pays rent to the barber for his chair space i give $20 on a $15 haircut. Barbers by me charge $5per person chair fee, beauty salons more. In new york if ur a instructor whose not affiliated with a shop you have to pay a fee to the place ur teaching ur course out of for class room space or pool time depending. So its not all gravy for the instructor. I think more and more dive shops close now cause costs have gone up and they try not to raise the cost on us, but their lossing money. Gets to a point hobby or not ur time is worth something and people just dnt have time anymore when they have families when their not making any cash. I do give a small tip to my garbage men and postman still because its the same crew all the time and they take care of me on certain things. I even give a small envelope at the holidays to my doorman and employees that mybuilding collects for, even though i dnt get tipped at my job. Some jobs today the base pay is minimal and u hope u can make up alittle something in tips. Watersports has a reputation of barely being minimal pay its just fun in the sun, but when ur doing this as a main source of income u like alittle appreciation at the end. After reading some of these comments now i understand why some places add the tip into the bill cause some people i think wouldnt leave a dollar.