Hotel Room Service
 

What do you tip a hotel employee when your room service meal is delivered? The room service bill almost always already includes a 15% service charge, but its customary to give the employee some tip. But how much? <BR>I think $5 or maybe $10 ought to do it. Does this sound right? Also, do you yourself merely put the dinner tray outside your door when finished, or do you summon a hotel employee to remove it (and pay yet another tip!) ? Help, please.

I just put the tray or cart outside my door and call room service to pick it up--no tip needed. <BR>As for the tip, I usually add a just a bit, but it is supposedly calculated into the service charge. Do what's comfortable, based on whether they just bring in a sandwich or set out a complete meal on a table.

A Tip is not expected nor customary if they add a 15% gratuity or service charge to the bill. If the service person does anything special for you or you requested something unusual then a slight tip that you mentioned may be appropiate. As for the dirty dishes you can leave them outside your door for pick-up or leave them in your room for the maid, you don't need to call room service again most will pick them up if left in the hall.

Iola's right on all counts, though sometimes I don't bother calling room service to pick the tray and just leave in the hall. (A phone call usually does not speed up the pickup process.)

Geez! I must be cheap, but I only give a couple of dollars to room service if it's (15%) already added to my bill, and sort of resent that! And I just leave the tray in the hallway. Sometimes I think too much tipping is expected in some of these places. As I said, call me cheap!

This one has always confused me...so I just did an internet search to find some answers (opinions). <BR>Summary: if a 15-20% tip is already on the bill, no additional tip is necessary. If the service is particularly good (set up a table, unfold napkins, etc, etc) adding $1-5 is appropriate, but not mandatory. <BR>The automatic tip is split among people other than the room service attendant. Additional tips are exclusively his/hers.