US Tipping Question
 

I am still reading about tipping in the States. I think I have most of it sorted.

1. Restaurants - 15-20% on bill. And I assume you just leave it on the table (or do you hand it to your waiter?).
2. Bar - $1 a drink. If it is table service is it still $1 or does it become 15-20% again?
3. Hotels a buck or two on the pillow per person each night and porter.
4. Taxis as well

OK now the tricky questions
1. Bus drivers? Do you tip them? Like long distance trips. What about the train?
2. Shop assistants like in a clothes shop? When you go to the counter. I assume no tipping but what if they help you with something?
3. Deli / sandwiches places when you go up and order ready to go. (Nothing or is this like the bar?)
4. Tourist attractions? Any extra rules to remember?

And where do you get all the small notes from? I assume cash machines give $10 or $20.

And what is going to happen if I get it wrong and forget to tip or get the wrong amount?

I recognise tipping is very natural to those who do it all the time but it is an alien concept in NZ - frankly if you tried to tip outside the tourist industry you might really offend somebody. And in Europe it is much more straight forward - just round up and it is not always expected.

So any help appreciated.

Besides restaurants there is little in the way of any 'normal' or 'standard' here in the US

1. Restaurants - 15-20% on bill is correct.

you either leave it on the table/money tray, or if using credit card there is a line on which to write the amount then the total

(or do you hand it to your waiter?). - not usually, no.


2. Bar - $1 a drink. If it is table service is it still $1 or does it become 15-20% again?

I can't say that $1 is standard amount. Some people tip less - depends on the type of bar too. If it is table service it becomes 15-20%.


3. Hotels a buck or two on the pillow per person each night and porter.

I give $1/bag to a porter, and leave what you suggest at the bedside when I leave for the maid.

4. Taxis as well - I don't calculate, but round up a few bucks

OK now the tricky questions
1. Bus drivers? Do you tip them? Like long distance trips. What about the train? Not normally. Shuttle bus drivers who handle baggage a buck or 2. There is a longstanding thread on fodors about tipping the pilot that makes a good read.


2. Shop assistants like in a clothes shop? When you go to the counter. I assume no tipping but what if they help you with something? Tipping at retail shops is not normally done.

3. Deli / sandwiches places when you go up and order ready to go. (Nothing or is this like the bar?) Normally nothing. Sometimes there is a tip jar on the counter for loose change or a buck.

4. Tourist attractions? Any extra rules to remember? None that I know of. Tour guides will appreciate a tip, but that's about it.

In my experience the only ones who absolutely expect tips are waiters & those who handle your luggage (i.e. porters & shuttle drivers). The latter will often 'remind' you if you forget. All others appreciate them, but understand it's not universal practice.

If you type "tipping" in the search box you will bring up treads on this topic about which it is hard to find any agreement other than 15%-20% in restaurants and, for lushes and barflies, $1 to the bartender for every drink or bottle of beer he pushes over the counter (another reason to stay out of bars).

Bar - If you order a drink while sitting at a table before dinner, it is included in the bill and does not need a separate tip. Also, the tip is calculated on the amount <i>before</i> taxes. 18% is most reasonable.

Hotel room maids - I leave $2/nt/room, at the end of the stay, on the dresser or table.

Bellhop - $1/large bag, but less/bag if they are small and multiple.

Tour guides will let you know if a tip is expected, or see what the others are doing.

After you get money from the ATM, get small bills ASAP, either by buying something (?at the airport) or asking for change at a counter. Then get more at your hotel reception. Don't run out.

You can be sure that at some time you will tip more or less than you should. Everyone does. If you are 'in the ballpark', it will be OK.

Of course, the tip should be higher for <i>exceptional</i> service, or lower for poor service.

Indeed, it was easier and less stressful in NZ. Best wishes for a great trip here. ((*))

Tipping: expected for those who are paid below the legal minimum wage, which includes the restaurant industry. They are taxed on the expected tips they will make. Taxi drivers: I've heard 10%; $1 bag for those who lug your bags somewhere or park your car. Maids? I am paying for a clean room and bedding, so I do not tip. (Yes, boo hoo, they don't make much, but neither do I, and no one tips me.) And, if you geet crummy service, don't tip anything.

Wilees.

It sounds like you have the basics down. I would say not to worry about the people in your tricky questions category. And if you mess up, you mess up. It's a worse faux pas not to tip a waiter/waitress. If you don't have any singles, apologize to the person. When you do get some, give the next porter two bucks just to even out your kharma.

And speaking of kharama, don't take Sylia's advice on tipping the hardest working people on your list: hotel maids. Give them a couple of dollars because it's the right thing.

You have everything correct. You don't need to tip anyone in your tricky questions column.

I will say, 20% is pretty standard, unless you feel you've had poor service. And definitely tip the cabbie 20% as well (again, adjusted if you've had bad service), 10% is way too low.

Sometimes at coffee shops or delis there may be a tip jar out on the counter. Tipping is optional.

I don't think anyone else in your tricky category need tips.

I try to remember and break larger bills for larger purchases, and carry a coin purse with singles and smaller bills, so I'll have the change I need.

And remember, as regarding about keeping a stock of small bills, you CAN ask for change, ie, from cabbies, porters, etc.

Another place to tip in the USA is: curbside check-in at airports.

It can often save you a wait in line inside the airport, if you check your bags outside at one of the little stands. Some airlines I've heard have now put a required amount per bag. Otherwise, tip the baggage handler about $2/bag, unless it's a huge bag or there's other help provided.

So have some dollar bills handy if you're going to curbside check your bags. Fold the money and give it directly to the baggage handler. It's an important job, because this person gets your bag to the same place you're going-- I always over-tip these people!
:)&gt;-

What I do with tipping the hotel maid, wilees, I will put about 3 dollars on the pillow but I will put a note with it &quot;for house keeping, thankyou&quot;

There probably have been some occasions when a maid did not pick up the tip on the pillow for fear of being accused of stealing money.

Believe me, curbside check-in people are ready, willing and able to give change if you don't have singles. In my experience, airlines now charge $2 per bag for this service, plus gratuities, and I have always tipped $2 per bag. So, if I have only one bag but no change, I just hand them 10 or 20 dollars and ask for 6 or 16 back. I learned this trick on my first trip to New York, where I seemed to encounter ladies room attendants everywhere. Despairing of EVER having enough singles, I learned to get change from the people who have plenty!

Curbside check-in is not always fastest any more--in some places, self-check can be faster and is free.

Bus drivers - not on a public city bus. If you take a tour by bus you tip the driver - amount depending on length of tour. If it's an airport shuttle bus and the driver deals with your luggage for you give him $1 or $2.

Doormen - nothing for opening the door. If they get you a cab $1 to $2 depending on how difficult (did they flag one down? phone to get one?)

You have also left out the concierge in the hotel. If they just give you a map or take a minute for directions - nothing. If they sell you tickets for a tour nothing (they will get a % of the price). If you have them make restaurant reservations or theater tickets - it depends on how difficult it was. $5 is basic for giving you a couple of restaurant options and calling for the res. If it's a place very hard to get into perhaps $10 to $20. For theater tickets $10 and up - depending on how hard to get /or expensive. For instance - if you want front row seats to an event that's long been sold out you're in the category of $50 to !100 and up.

Shop assistants - no.

Buying food items in a grocery or deli - no (unles they deliver - then delivery boy get a couple $).

Bying fast food at a counter - no.

If at a casino - waitresss who brings drinks - yes $1 - or more per drink. (And the bar depends on the number and price of drinks. $1 per drink is minimum. If a snitzy club with several $20 drinks then $3/$4 per drink.

Hairdressers - 20%; hair washers - a couple of $.

Hotel housekeeping:

Best to tip EACH DAY, as the person who cleaned your room on Tuesday might not have cleaned it on Monday.

If you are in a hotel that offers turn-down service, then you should tip the evening maid, as well (different shifts). The amount depends on the category of hotel ($2 per day per room at a Holiday Inn, $3-4 per day per room at at Ritz-Carlton, with $2 per night per room for turn-down service).

Wilees, don't think that only non-Americans are confused by our tipping system. As you can see from the responses here most of us are confused about certain areas of tipping etiquette as well.

The basics are correct:
Restaurants 15-20% in cash on the table or write it in on the credit card slip (don't forget to TOTAL the credit card slip after you've written in the tip).

Bars-10% if you go to the bar to get your drinks. 15-20% if you get table service or if you sit at the bar and get service from the bartender there.

Cocktail waitresses in casinos-$1 per drink (or more if you are winning).

Taxis- I usually tip 15% if I get a basic ride with decent speedy service. I'll tip up to 20% if I have a lot of bags that the driver helps with or if the driver is especially friendly, giving tourist info, etc. on the ride in from the airport. I never tip more than 15% if the driver is unpleasant or turns on the radio without asking my permission.

Maids-by all means DO tip them. I leave $3 on the pillow each morning (DO NOT tip ONLY at the end of your stay, often a different maid cleans your room each day so you are &quot;stiffing&quot; someone if you don't leave your tip daily). Tip another $1-2 in the evening (again leave it on the pillow) if you request nightly turn-down service.

Other hotel tips: if you make a request for something extra, robes, hairdryer, more pillows, etc., tip at least $1 to the person who brings it to your room.

Room service- check the hotel policy on the room service menu. Most hotels include a standard 18% gratuity for room service (plus often include another $3 or so for a &quot;delivery fee&quot;). Don't tip anything extra for room service even if you are confused by the line for gratuity on the check that you must sign when the waiter brings your meal. If the hotel doesn't have this gratuity already built in to the room service charge just tip 15-20% as you would in a restaurant.

I'm the most confused by tipping the bell staff upon arrival. During a hotel stay last week one bellman took our bags from the cab and placed them on the luggage cart. Another bellman actually walked the cart to the front desk. yet another bellman took the bags to the luggage storage room (since our room wasn't ready for us to check into). And then finally another bellman took the bags to our room a couple of hours later when it was ready. We tipped the bellman at the end of the chain, the one who took our bags to the room. I'm not sure what the other bellman expected from us.

The only bus drivers you tip are tour buses. I usually only tip if we get a personal tour, not a hop-on/hop-off type tour where the commentary is pre-recorded and you can't ask questions or get personal service. The same is true of tour guides at tourist attractions. Many tour guides at museums, national parks, etc. will not accept tips.

Don't tip shop assistants.

Fast food shops or coffee shops like Starbucks. Put your change in the tip jar if you get exceptional service otherwise no tip is necessary.

Tip hairdressers, massage therapists/spa staff 15-20%. They usually will have an envelope for this or leave it with the front desk.

Here's something else: When you are tipping in a restaurant, you tip 15-20% of the SUBTOTAL before tax! You do not tip on the tax amount. So... If your bill is $100 + $6 tax ($106 total), and you want to leave 20%, you would leave a grand total of $126 ($100 subtotal + $20 tip + $6 tax).

Actually, I always tip on the entire check, including the tax. It just seems awfully cheap and nitpicky to try and separate out the tax. An extra dollar or two doesn't mean that much to me but it probably means a lot to the server. I just don't understand the obsession people have with making sure the tip is exactly a certain percentage, without tax, etc. Better to be a little generous than cheap.

If you out only now and then, tipping on tax won't add up to much; however, if you spend $20,000 a year in restaurants in a state where tax is 9%, it will add up to about $360.

Just remember, you don't HAVE to tip anyone! Just don't eat (or drink) there again...

Who said they don't want to tip? This subject really brings out the anger. I wonder why?