SubscribeTue 26 Jun 2007
I’m all about being frugal, but I don’t believe frugality extends to tipping. The U.S. in many regards in anomaly when it comes to tipping. Neither Europeans nor Asians typically tip in their home countries, hopefully they tip here in the U.S. And while there’s a part of me that is somewhat bothered that tipping is required, making it a bit of misnomer. I would personally prefer that service was always added to the price, and tipping was always a genuine sign of appreciation. It’s not however, and many workers depend on tips as a substantial part of their income.
The problem with tipping is that nobody sits you down and tells you whom and how much you should tip. I learned some tips (pun intended) from my Dad who despite growing up in a foreign land is generally pretty good about tipping, but there’s always a new situation to deal with. Yes, we all know we should tip waiters and waitresses 15-20%. But who else?
There are never hard and fast rules when it comes to tipping, but these are the people I tip and how much I tip:
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Waiters/Waitresses:15-20% and more for extra service
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Bartender: 15% or at least $1 per drink
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Buffet: 10%+/-, depending on how much service. i.e. how many drinks and plates taken away, etc.
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Taxis: 10% if they don’t try to rip me off
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Hotel Housecleaning: $5+ a day, more for extra messes and extra people. Hence on a Bachelor party it’s usually $10+/day per room.
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Bell Hop: $2-5 per suitcase depending on the length and difficulty of journey
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Concierge: $5, extra for special services. Personally I’ve never been good with tipping the concierge, mostly because I’ve hardly used one. I certainly don’t think you need to tip for a quick question. They need to make a reservation or arrange something to make tipping appropriate.
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Delivery Service: 10%
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Valet Service: $1-3 when the car is returned
I’m sure i’ve left off other who should be tipped as well. And of course there’s tipping etiquette associated with particular events such as weddings.
If you want to save money by not tipping or tipping poorly, I’d rethink that decision and choose another option. Do takeout instead of delivery, go to the self serve buffet instead of dining out. Service people work hard, deserve to be paid.
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June 26th, 2007 at 1:03 pm
You are generous (specifically the bellhop). I usually tip $1 or $2 per bag. $5 for housekeeper is max. for me, i usually leave $3.
I sometimes (depend how much packaging it involves) tip take out at a eat in restaurants. just $2-$3.
I tip my masseuse 18%-20%.
However, I do NOT put $ in the jar next to Starbuck’s register, or most tip jar for that matter. Except to the tip jar of the florist who arranged and wrapped my flowers beautifully.
June 26th, 2007 at 1:44 pm
As a frequent hotel guest, I have to confess I don’t always tip… to be honest.. like most other areas of my life, I go through “good” and “bad” periods (I am in hotels at least 6 nights a month) and that is of course, not fair to the housekeeper to be subject to my whim and fancy… I know this is not a good excuse, but sometimes it’s simply due to lack fo small bills..
this gets at a larger issue. I’ve always wondered/struggled with the propriety of who and how much to tip, but on top of that, I’ve also struggled with the proper manner of tipping. It seems to require abit of social grace, “suavity” that I lack.. As will come to no surprise to anyone who knows me, I’m not really “smooth” and I find the exchanges sometimes so awkward I’m sure the recipient at times would eagerly pay the meager sum they just received from me to be spared from the whole awkward experience int he first place.
June 26th, 2007 at 4:08 pm
(If I don’t have that person’s attention already, a simple “Excuse me” would be sufficient to get her/his attention.) I look at the person’s (to whom I am extending the gratuity) eyes, say “thank you” or “thank you very much for your help” as I extend out my hand with the bills, and smile. Usually as I extend my hand, that person knows the protocol to receive. That person would very likely say “thank you” back to me. I slightly nod with a smile as acknowledgment. Then, it’s over.
This is what I do anyway. Nothing awkward about tipping. You are showing your appreciaton for a service person’s attentiveness. That person will appreciate it.
June 26th, 2007 at 4:16 pm
On average I’ve probably not tipped $5/day for housekeeping. $5 is actually what I’d aspire to, but my inner cheapskate does get the better of me sometime. I used to consistently tip only $2-$3, but I’ve been feeling guilty ever since one my friend who tips $10/day gave me a lecture about it. As for Bellhops, I rarely use them so the sample size is very limited.
I’m with JF on the akwardness. I feel very uncomfortable tipping the concierge….
June 27th, 2007 at 7:44 am
As a standard, I always tip at least 15%. For the most part, I try to avoid situations where I have to tip… like grab my bags before the bellhop can get it, haha.
June 27th, 2007 at 9:54 am
I also like to avoid “tipping situations”, but after over-hearing some bellhops outside a hotel while waiting for a taxi, I’m not sure that accomplishes anything. It was clear that, basically, they are nearly as bothered by a guest going ever-so-slightly out of their way to make sure they don’t have to tip as a guest who accepts services but doesn’t tip for them. As Dong pointed out: They are reliant on tips for part of their income.. it’s not really “bonus money” but built into their compensation structure, and I’m pretty sure that in most cases the bellhops would rather take your bags for you and get 5 bucks than remain standing on the curb checking out your wife.
So, simply put, going out of your way to avoid tipping (unless you are very subtle about it) is probably not much better than stiffing the guy.
June 28th, 2007 at 3:07 pm
I didn’t know about tipping hotel maids/housekeepers until my boyfriend told me to once on our first trip away together. I think my parents did it when we vacationed, but no one ever really sat me down and said this is how much you should tip a maid at a hotel. So, I started tipping $2/night while at hotels (I travel for work, like JF, so I am in and out of hotels constantly). As it is work travel, however, I can expense tipping. So I would encourage JF to do the same. After reading “Nickel and Dimed” by Barbara Ehrenreich, which chronicles a year in the life of a low-wage, blue color worker (in which Ehrenreich herself goes under cover and works as a waitress, hotel maid, cleaning lady, and walmart employee) in the U.S., I’ve started tipping $5-$10 a day. Ehrenreich makes the case that these women are being paid abysmal salaries to clean toilets. They rely on tips to feed and house their families and deserve every dollar they can get.
Also, after waitressing at Friendly’s in high school for a couple years, I’ve always tipped 20% at restaurants, unless the service is really bad. If the service is bad, I tip 15%.