Room Service Tipping Question
 

When you order room service in a hotel and they add a 20 percent service charge, do you also add a tip on top of that or is that service charge equivalent to a tip?

I believe the service charge is the tip. This was confirmed to me by the room service waiter at the Fairmont copley several weekends ago.

I don't, unless the waiter was especially helpful or friendly.

We always hand the server a few dollars in cash. It just seems to be a nice thing to do, no matter what the hotel's actual financial arrangement is.

I stayed at the Scotts Valley Hilton htis past week and ordered room service. The server who brought the food told me the gratuity had been added already. It was also written in the tip section of the bill. I did not give him any additional money.

I agree, I don't tip extra unless it was especially helpful.

A number of places where I've stayed and ordered room service had a service charge and tip (last place was the Westin River North in Chicago), so I'm definitely not adding anything onto those bills!

I guess I just feel different. For me to not give a little something---and I mean 2 or 3 dollars----the person has to be truly unpleasant in his/her service.

I usually give a small extra cash tip to the waiter. Not much - $1 to $3 - depending on how big the order is and what change I have on me. Maybe $5-$6 if it is a $100 order for crudites/drinks for a group.

I seldom order room service but like some others here when I do I give a small tip..two to three dollars even though the service charge is added onto the bill. I always make sure I have a lot of dollar bills when away from home as they are so handy to have when one wants to tip.

The service charge is not only equivalent to a tip, it is the tip.

The last time I ordered room service, my $27.78 bill included $21.00 for the meal, a $3.00 "delivery fee" and a $3.78 "service charge." The service charge was an 18% tip on the $21.00.

If I were a social worker, I might have slipped the guy another $3.00, bringing my total to $30.70--$21.00 plus $9.78--the $9.78 being 46.5% $21.00.

But I'm not a social worker, so I went with the $3.00 and the 18%, and I think $27.78 is plenty for a club sandwich.

I agree with MikeT

But, but, but, the gratuity added to the bill is the delivery person's tip. Where do you think the 18-20% goes?

The only room service we ever order is breakfast for 2 which involves lots of plates, glasses, cups, a large coffee carafe and food that needs to be kept warm, as well as a lot of set-up on the part of the server. It is a meal that is both labor and time intensive. Even with the extra 2 or 3 dollar tip, it is rarely more than about $10 more than going down to the dining room.

Having breakfast in your hotel bathrobe--priceless. :)

<i>Having breakfast in your hotel bathrobe--priceless. </i>

I never even eat breakfast at home in my bathrrobe :) I'm with the people who don't tip extra if an 18% tip is already included.

As for room service being service intensive, it might be more intensive when they arrive, but it's also only one trip - bring it in, set it up, collect a signature, and be gone. No returns to find out if everything is ok, to refill soda and coffee cups, etc. Sorry, but I think it's LESS intensive than waiting tables in an actual restaurant.

dmlove, I am so with you. The service industry seems to have the masses bamboozled into tipping on top of tipping. HTTY

And, PS that guy you are tipping doesn't need to know anything about waiting tables and he is the one who left that tray of half-eaten garbage in your hallway for you to pass time after time before it was removed hours later. Here's an extra $3. I don't think so.

Thanks for all of the replies. I rarely order room service but when I have, I figured that the extra 20% (or whatever amount) WAS the tip, but the last time I had room service I didn't have my reading glasses handy when I signed the receipt and I asked the server if the tip was included. His response was -- the service charge is added on. Interesting response. That made me wonder.

Hmmm. Maybe that room service guy trained in France. That's the age old reply there when you ask if tip is included. They usually say no, because a TIP is not included. A tip is something extra you may or may not care to give when a SERVICE CHARGE has been added to the bill. But in France if you ask if the service charge is added, they will be honest and say yes. It's all in what you ask.

I LOVED reading this thread. You guys are great.

I don't remember how we handle this. I think if there is a service charge of substantial amount we blow off the tip.

The SERVICE CHARGE is the tip...it goes to the waiter.

My husband, who is in the hotel biz, always tells me....&quot;the tip is already included, nothing extra unless the service is outstanding.&quot; I always double check to see what the percentage is...sometimes its different.

More importantly, don't forget to leave a tip for the housekeeper; they work hard for their money, really appreciate the tips &amp; are often forgotten.

amen to that rattravelers. I am amazed at how many people forget the cleaning staff or simply choose not to tip them.

&quot;My husband, who is in the hotel biz, always tells me....&quot;the tip is already included, nothing extra unless the service is outstanding.&quot;

I know little to nothing about room service and hope I never have to use it. I find eating in my hotel room the epitome of depressing. But I'm curious what could possibly constitute &quot;outstanding&quot; service from a guy delivering room service. He knocks on your door, he wheels it in, he presents the check. Am I missing something? Does the &quot;outstanding&quot; delivery guy make your bed while he's there? Does he salt and pepper your food for you and cut your steak? I mean really -- what WOULD constitute &quot;outstanding&quot; room service delivery?

&quot;it is rarely more than about $10 more than going down to the dining room.'

Quick..where is that hotel??????

&quot;I know little to nothing about room service and hope I never have to use it. I find eating in my hotel room the epitome of depressing. But I'm curious what could possibly constitute &quot;outstanding&quot; service from a guy delivering room service.&quot;

I sense you don't travel much for business. As a business traveler, who is often showing up at a hotel at 9pm after a flight or who has work to do after a long meeting, room service can be a blessing.

What's outstanding service? I remember a room service waiter who delivered my food quickly, then stood at the window of my hotel pointing out buildings and suggesting things to do near the hotel. That was outstanding service and I gave him a tip.

Patrick, I'm thinking that outstanding service would include at least a shoulder massage :-)

Eh, I don't really want the guy to stick around and look out the window talking to me while I'm trying to eat food that is already half cold. I find that kind of creepy.

To each her own. I don't tip in addition to the service charge and delivery fee.

And I avoid room service when at all possible.

swaymock, I'm with you on both your first two comments. LOL

No, MikeT, I don't travel a lot for business. I do know when I was doing those grueling markets twice a year, I'd return to my room exhausted each day in the early evening. But choosing between reviving myself by taking a shower and going out to a nice restaurant for a cocktail (or two) and a nice dinner even by myself in comfortable surroundings, or collapsing in my room and eating steam table food delivered to my hotel room where I sit all along -- no hesitation -- I'd head out every time. But then I'm also the type that can't think of anything worse than being served breakfast in bed. It's bad enough when I have to do that in the hospital -- no way would I ever choose to do it. To each his own.

&quot;Eh, I don't really want the guy to stick around and look out the window talking to me while I'm trying to eat food that is already half cold. I find that kind of creepy.&quot;

I asked him a specific question. Like, &quot;Boy, I love this amazing view. What's that building over there.&quot;

And I agree, NeoPatrick, that eating out is usually preferable to room service. But when you've eaten out alone for five nights, sometimes it's nice to flip open the laptop and order room service and watch a little TV.

There's also something nice about having breakfast delivered while you are dressing and preparing for an early meeting. Especially if I can expense it.

No I don't tip extra.

But I used to without knowing it.

I was faily inexperienced back then. I ordered room service. I did NOT read closely enough and didn't notice the tip was already included. My fault.

But what really confused me was that there was a blank line on the bill for &quot;gratuity.&quot; That's what made me think it was NOT included. So I ended up tipping on top of the tip. I think I did this a couple times before I read the bill closely enough!

Needless to say, quite the learning experience.

If that blank for gratuity is big enough to write INC, then feel free to do so. :D

Another time when room service worked for us was when our kids were young &amp; got tired &amp; cranky, a restaurant was no place for them after a long day of travel or sightseeing.

Examples of outstanding room service could be something like going out of their way to ensure a special request...i.e. coming through with a request for an item not on the menu.

or extremely prompt delivery; sometimes it can take up to an hour for room service...if you are short on time and say you need it in 15 minutes and they deliver, they may deserve a few extra bucks.

Maybe something like, my 5 year old immediately drops her pizza on the floor and the server quickly returns with another at no extra charge.

When I worked for a hotel in Miami, and did room service, sometimes I should have tipped THEM....it was always fun delivering a dozen EVIAN waters to a suite of models getting ready for a photo shoot by the pool.

milemarkerO, to boost your tip you could have offered to help apply a little sunblock or oil? But I bet your thought of that!

I agree with those of you who think tips are not necessary with service and delivery charges added, but I enjoy the smile of the service person when I hand them a couple of dollars anyway. I do it now that I can afford it, but when I couldn't, I didn't, and didn't feel bad about it.

I used to be a waitress, and I remember the thrill of those big tip days.

<i>Examples of outstanding room service could be something like going out of their way to ensure a special request...i.e. coming through with a request for an item not on the menu.

or extremely prompt delivery; sometimes it can take up to an hour for room service...if you are short on time and say you need it in 15 minutes and they deliver, they may deserve a few extra bucks. </i>

Do you really think the room service waiter or waitress (who gets the tip) has anything to do with special orders or how fast you get your food?

dmlove, I'm with you on that. That sounds like reducing a waiter's tip because the kitchen was slow, or even adding to the tip because the kitchen made some changes per your request. I don't consider any of that as having anything to do with the &quot;service&quot;, although I know many people do blame the waiter if the kitchen is slow.

In restaurants, waiters and cooks share tips. I'd assume, the same in hotels, no?

Faina, around here NO waiters share their tips with cooks!

And I sure can't imagine a room service guy going to the kitchen and saying to the chef, &quot;here take half of this -- the guy liked the food.&quot;

<i>And I sure can't imagine a room service guy going to the kitchen and saying to the chef, &quot;here take half of this -- the guy liked the food.&quot; </i>

LOL!

I worked in accounting in restaurant where they've accepted credit cards, so I was the one responsible for separating &quot;gratuity&quot; from payments, and I know they've shared with cooks.

The same was in the restaurant where my husband worked as a cook, he was getting tips - shared by all.

San Francisco, CA.

It was done once a week in the first place, twice a month in the second.