Tipping in the States

[Questions]

I got my wife to get some dollars for next week when we are off to NY (Ooh look at me ) and asked her to get plenty of one dollar bills for tipping. The woman in the bureau said,"don't offer a dollar to anyone like a porter or the like as they would see it as an insult. They'd expect 5 dollars."
I thought she must be mad, I wouldn't give anyone the equivalent of £3.50 for carry my case.
What you say ? and what's the going rate for tipping in a bar or restaurant. The whole tipping business makes me feel uneasy.

 

[desprateseagull]

I think USA bods have an 'expectation' of 15-20% of goods purchased.. For porters etc, though, no idea. Depends if you have a small case, or a huge chest (fnar..)

Pay whatever you feel comfortable with, and to whoever think deserves it.

 

[Trufflehound]

Pay whatever you feel comfortable with

I'd pay whatever they feel comfortable with. They're all heavily armed...

 

[StonehamPark]

At bars; $1 - $2 tips for drinks.
Dining out or other similar services; 10% - 15%

I carry my own bags so wouldn't know about Porters but I would agree that anything under $5 would be insulting.

 

[WhingForPresident]

Make sure to applaud when the plane lands and when you receive food, they find it very rude if you don't and can turn nasty.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Amerika appears to be powerless to introduce gun control, or provide adequate health care for its people or give workers a reasonable amount of annual leave, but you'd like to think they could at least rustle up enough decency to introduce the minimum wage. It's not like they're short of a bob or two, in global terms. What a backward excuse for a nation.

 

[Trufflehound]

At bars; $1 - $2 tips for drinks.
Dining out or other similar services; 10% - 15%

I carry my own bags so wouldn't know about Porters but I would agree that anything under $5 would be insulting.

I would say $1 per drink, unless paying with a credit card, in which case add 15%.

You'll also get beaten up if you only tip 10% in restaurants these days. 15-20% is the norm now.

But yes, pack a smaller bag and carry it yourself, then you don't have to worry about tipping porters.

And save yourself a fortune by going to eat or drink in Queens or Brooklyn rather than Manhattan.

 

[Arthritic Toe]

Yeah its a cultural thing. Just get into the swing of it and always add 15%, unless you genuinely get crap service. Thats very rare though.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Tipping a dollar a drink in bars is essential. If it's a very busy bar go higher for a quick service.

 

[Man of Harveys]

I would say $1 per drink, unless paying with a credit card, in which case add 15%.

You'll also get beaten up if you only tip 10% in restaurants these days. 15-20% is the norm now.

Exactly this: 10% would be seen as if you'd had a problem with their service. It might seem a bit weird but you are in effect paying the waiting staff's wages and, annoyingly intrusive though they can be, they do work hard in return.

 

[BigGully]

Amerika appears to be powerless to introduce gun control, or provide adequate health care for its people or give workers a reasonable amount of annual leave, but you'd like to think they could at least rustle up enough decency to introduce the minimum wage. It's not like they're short of a bob or two, in global terms. What a backward excuse for a nation.

I think you are forgetting what a great country it really is.

 

[CliveWalkerWingWizard]

Went to the states last year and tipped what I thought was fair, sometimes nothing sometimes 20 percent. I hate feeling compelled to tip. When I didn't tip there was never anything said. Also make sure service has not already been added.

 

[albion534]

People survive on tips

20% standard

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

I think you are forgetting what a great country it really is.

Frequently.

 

[Dave the OAP]

One thing to be aware of is when paying for your meal in a restaurant, they will take your card away and give it you back with a receipt not including tip....you add on the amount you want to tip and leave the receipt ....it is a bit alarming as they then debit the card later including the tip amount.

I asked for them to being the card reader over but they didn't do that...this happened in three places.

I also asked if I could tip the waitress direct, as you hear about all the issues with tips being taken by the owners, but she said she couldn't take it direct.

If you order direct for a taxi...use super shuttle on the web for airport transfers etc, you can add the tip on when you pay initially. Gets over the hassle with wondering what to pay.

 

[GingerBeerMan]

Amerika appears to be powerless to introduce gun control, or provide adequate health care for its people or give workers a reasonable amount of annual leave, but you'd like to think they could at least rustle up enough decency to introduce the minimum wage. It's not like they're short of a bob or two, in global terms. What a backward excuse for a nation.

Agree with you, but they do actually have a minimum wage. Also most states have got rid of the 'tips make up wages' think AFAIK but I might be wrong on that. I rarely tip in the UK and don't like to in the US, but I feel inclined especially if I know it makes up ther wages. The owner should be paying wages though, not taking my money and asking me to pay their staff too

 

[Kuipers Supporters Club]

I've seen a waiter run after a family who didn't tip. It's just the done thing there.

 

[Questions]

One thing to be aware of is when paying for your meal in a restaurant, they will take your card away and give it you back with a receipt not including tip....you add on the amount you want to tip and leave the receipt ....it is a bit alarming as they then debit the card later including the tip amount.

I asked for them to being the card reader over but they didn't do that...this happened in three places.

I also asked if I could tip the waitress direct, as you hear about all the issues with tips being taken by the owners, but she said she couldn't take it direct.

If you order direct for a taxi...use super shuttle on the web for airport transfers etc, you can add the tip on when you pay initially. Gets over the hassle with wondering what to pay.

That's interesting because that's the opposite of what I do here. I always put the tip down in cash even if I've paid for the meal on card just so that the tip doesn't go through the system and then - as I've always presumed - becomes taxable.

 

[8ace]

That's interesting because that's the opposite of what I do here. I always put the tip down in cash even if I've paid for the meal on card just so that the tip doesn't go through the system and then - as I've always presumed - becomes taxable.

They are taxed on tips, wether they receive them or not.

 

[Dave the OAP]

That's interesting because that's the opposite of what I do here. I always put the tip down in cash even if I've paid for the meal on card just so that the tip doesn't go through the system and then - as I've always presumed - becomes taxable.

We are the same, we occasionally add a tip to the bill, but in most uk restaurants service charges are added to the bill....it's a bit like cruising where tips are added to every transaction, 17.5% on each drinks bill, etc etc. As well as 11 dollars a day per person for tips to cabin steward, waiters, bar staff, etc etc....it can add up especially if you are doing a 2 week cruise.