Tipping in the US

[KeithMEL]

Haven't been there since I was a kid, so would love to clarify how tipping in the US works so I don't look like a fool when I get there.

How to tip:
- Do they have some sort of 'tipping jar'?
- Do I just leave it with the bill (supposedly it comes with a leather jacket or a plate)?

Who to tip:
- Bartenders
- Hotel concierge
- Hotel porters
- Hotel receptionists (??)
- Waiters/waitresses
- Taxi drivers
- Bus drivers (??)
- Sales assistants (??)
- Cashiers (??)

Have I missed anyone?

How much to tip:
-15% of the entire bill is what I've been told. Is 'entire bill' GST inclusive?
- What about when there's no bill, eg hotel porters?

Cheers.

[StarG]

I am not a master at this, so anyone please correct me if I am wrong.

'Tipping jars' exist only at more casual food/beverage outlets including Starbucks IIRC. In restaurants, just leave tips with the bill.

No need to tip hotel receptionists & sales assistants & cashiers I think?

In restaurants, I have been told that 20% is expected in better establishments for good service. That's what I have been leaving.
Hotel porters - I am not sure what exactly the rule is, but I have been giving - on average - about USD2 per bag.

Hope the above helps.

[Savage25]

This is what I do...good luck spotting any logic in it :

- Bartenders: $1 for a drink if I'm paying for the drink. Most of the time I'm at bars where happy hours are sponsored by clubs/recruiters at school so drinks are free - in that case I don't tip.

- Hotel concierge: Haven't tipped them for directions or suggestions. However, they are great for getting you free invites/VIP lists to clubs, even if you're not staying in that hotel - just walk up to them and if they ask, say you were having a drink at the hotel bar. $5-10 depending on how many people they can get into the club.

- Hotel porters: Never use them, but I figure $1 per bag

- Hotel receptionists (??): I don't.

- Waiters/waitresses: I tip 15%. In a restaurant in NYC one waiter actually complained to us that we should be tipping 18% instead...which I think is a reason to take away the entire tip, but the rest of the table paid up

- Taxi drivers: Round it up to anywhere between 10-15% depending on the fare.

- Bus drivers (??): I don't.

- Sales assistants (??): I don't.

- Cashiers (??): I don't.

[cawhite]

Agree with all of the above. Also, hotel porters I tend to use $1-3/bag depending on teh level of hotel, number of bags & city. Restaurants I tip 15-20% depending on the quality of service as well as the type of restaurant.

[KeithMEL]

Thanks everyone. That was most informative.

[GLAM82]

Somehow I wish they would do away with the tipping system or at least come up with something better. It's like a cycle here in Honolulu, you get bad service and don't want to give a tip, but if you don't give a tip, they say that you are a stingy asian. I mean literally, I've been to so many restaurants here and you can see that the service level is different for Asians and Americans. I think the tipping system should be based on good service, if service sucks, you should forget about getting your tip, and don't get angry when your customer doesn't give you any tips.

Anyway I think the system here now is:

Concierge - I gave the one in San Francisco $10 for making a booking for me and the rest of my stay was great.
Porter - $1 or $2 per bag
Housekeeping - $2 per day?? not sure about this, but that's what I do, just place it on the pillow
Lunch - 10% Good Service 15%
Dinner - 15% Good Service 20%
Massage - 20%
Haircut - 15-20%
Taxi - normally I just round it up and then add $1 or $2
Pubs/Bars - $1 per drink.
Bus Drivers - Public service tip is not needed, if on a tour then I guess depends on the length that you are on the bus,
Sales Assistants - not neccesary as they usually go on commission basis
Cashiers - Don't think you need to tip them.

[StarG]

Housekeeping - $2 per day?? not sure about this, but that's what I do, just place it on the pillow.

After reading an article (I think on CNTraveler or T+L) in which reps from some 4 & 5 star hotels admitting they don't change the bed linens daily if you are staying for more than 1 night, I stopped doing that. I now put the tip on top of a piece of paper (with a 'Thanks' note) on the bed.

[Lobster]

I have to say I find the tipping culture in the US very unpleasant at times. I am happy to tip for good service but these days even if the service is absolutely rubbish there will be pressure on you to tip. Once leaving a 5* hotel I called and asked for someone to come and take my bags down. No one came so I carried then down myself. Carried them out to the taxi, put them into the boot of the taxi at which point one of the bell hops ran up and closed the boot for me. I got in the taxi and he held out his hand and said that in this country it is usual to tip. I just replied that in my country it is ususal to tip only when someone has actually done some work and slammed the door shut. Any equivilent hotel in Asia there will be someone offering to take your bags as soon as you enter the lobby even if you decide to bring them down from the room yourself and I have never had anyone ask for a tip even though they are normally gratefully received.

[GLAM82]

I have to say I find the tipping culture in the US very unpleasant at times. I am happy to tip for good service but these days even if the service is absolutely rubbish there will be pressure on you to tip.

I am totally agreeable with giving tips for good service, but if tips are expected even when the service is horrible, then something is wrong.

[GLAM82]

After reading an article (I think on CNTraveler or T+L) in which reps from some 4 & 5 star hotels admitting they don't change the bed linens daily if you are staying for more than 1 night, I stopped doing that. I now put the tip on top of a piece of paper (with a 'Thanks' note) on the bed.

Hi StarG,

yeah I did the thank you note thing once when I knew that I had the same housekeeper for my entire stay. Too lazy to write a thank you note everyday if there are different housekeepers so I just lay the bills nicely on the pillow. I used to do my internship at a hotel and was in Housekeeping for awhile and I realised that actually very few people gave tips.

[KeithMEL]

I've been told tipping in the US is necessary because the minimum wage is so ridiculously low. For first world standards that is. The negative side effects of the tipping culture is servility, as opposed to actual service. I could be overgeneralising, but that seems to be the case from what I've read and what people who've been to the US tell me. But until the US government pays attention to welfare (as opposed to warfare) I think tipping is the next best way of making sure people don't starve?

[StarG]

Hi StarG,

yeah I did the thank you note thing once when I knew that I had the same housekeeper for my entire stay. Too lazy to write a thank you note everyday if there are different housekeepers so I just lay the bills nicely on the pillow. I used to do my internship at a hotel and was in Housekeeping for awhile and I realised that actually very few people gave tips.

Just to clarify - my concern was about the hygiene of putting dollar bills on pillows which linen might not be changed that day.

[GLAM82]

Just to clarify - my concern was about the hygiene of putting dollar bills on pillows which linen might not be changed that day.

Thought of hygiene did not cross my mind... might make me do things differently in future.

[9V-JKL]

Shuttle Drivers (rental car/airport hotel) I tip $1/trip.

KeithMELYou NEED also to tip me for this TIP

[Lobster]

I've been told tipping in the US is necessary because the minimum wage is so ridiculously low. For first world standards that is. The negative side effects of the tipping culture is servility, as opposed to actual service. I could be overgeneralising, but that seems to be the case from what I've read and what people who've been to the US tell me. But until the US government pays attention to welfare (as opposed to warfare) I think tipping is the next best way of making sure people don't starve?

What really gets me is that the prices do not relect the cheap wages. Basically you stay in a hotel you pay top rate and then on top of that you are expected to pay for every service in the form of a tip.