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.

Having breakfast in your hotel bathrobe--priceless.

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.