Tipping

[wantonebad]

Who do you tip? Why?

Do you leave a tip for house-cleaning in a hotel? (never understood this one)

How much do you tip a cab driver?

Restaurants are easy but what about the other stuff, and what about the holiday season, I get lost trying to figure all this stuff out

[azguy]

I never tip in a hotel, unless it's a cruise or inclusive resort where it is "highly" encouraged....I will take care of hotel doormen as they are a very useful resource for many things

Holidays, the housekeeper and pet sitter at Christmas but not the landscaper.

Just my

[gwalker]

20% every restaurant unless the service is just god aweful. If really great maybe above 20%. bar tabs depend on how many free drinks I get. Sometimes at local bars we have $25 tabs all might. I might tip $30-40. I tip in hotels ur usually just a few bucks to a $10. I don't really worry about it if I only have $20s or larger. I tip in cabs but usually just a few bucks but depends on the driver.

[gmh1013]

Seems like everyone wants a tip these days.....I never understood "the movers"
moving to Houston and back to Phoenix cost over 6k each time....that was enough tip IMHO

[wantonebad]

Originally Posted by azguy

I never tip in a hotel, unless it's a cruise or inclusive resort where it is "highly" encouraged

Yeah I agree! Whenever my wife and I go away she always chides me if I don't leave a tip for house cleaning. She says since we're staying in the same room and they clean up after us everyday I should tip them, I usually don't. I pull a Costanza and claim poor or nod my head and ignore it. Am I a cheap person? I don't think so, but maybe I'm wrong. I just don't see how this is a tip-able interaction.

[mtrunner]

Originally Posted by gmh1013

Seems like everyone wants a tip these days.....I never understood "the movers"
moving to Houston and back to Phoenix cost over 6k each time....that was enough tip IMHO

Your right everyone wants a tip. A bit ridiculous. The one that gets me is that we had a furniture delivery a while back and we had to pay a $125 delivery service charge on top of the price for the furniture. The two delivery guys who just dumped the couch in our living room mulled around looking for a tip. I refused since I already paid an extra service charge.

I tip 20-25% at restuarants, doormen at our building get tipped at the holidays, and usually a couple bucks for cab drivers. That is about it or at least the only services I can think of who need to be tipped that I use.

[sea-dweller]

I tip the folks at a hotel if they were helpful. I tip at restaurants based on service received.
I tip movers if they went out of their way to help. I don't tip if I received awful service or a bad attitude!

[azguy]

Originally Posted by wantonebad

Yeah I agree! Whenever my wife and I go away she always chides me if I don't leave a tip for house cleaning. She says since we're staying in the same room and they clean up after us everyday I should tip them, I usually don't. I pull a Costanza and claim poor or nod my head and ignore it. Am I a cheap person? I don't think so, but maybe I'm wrong. I just don't see how this is a tip-able interaction.

It depends, when me and my ex-GF traveled, we may have request extra pillows, extra towels, sometimes we would return to our room and find some unopened beer from the night before re-iced etc, etc....If housekeeping is doing more than I think they should I tip.

Plus, some of these [laces to quick afternoon clean up too or nighttime turn downs.....in places like Jamaica (hedonism) a $20 can really help out these gals..

Costanza, waaay funny

[gmh1013]

Originally Posted by mtrunner

Your right everyone wants a tip. A bit ridiculous. The one that gets me is that we had a furniture delivery a while back and we had to pay a $125 delivery service charge on top of the price for the furniture. The two delivery guys who just dumped the couch in our living room mulled around looking for a tip. I refused since I already paid an extra service charge.

I tip 20-25% at restuarants, doormen at our building get tipped at the holidays, and usually a couple bucks for cab drivers. That is about it or at least the only services I can think of who need to be tipped that I use.

When we moved to Houston I bought a 55 inch Plasma T.V.
The 2 clowns they sent (and charged me like 50 bucks delivery fee) knocked over one of my wife's glass bunnies and broke it .....scratched the new T.V. and then still stood around waiting for a tip.

[rr-nyc]

Hotel stays over one night, I tip $1-2 per night which is left on the night stand at the end of the stay. Bellman get $1 per bag they carry to/from my room

Taxi 10-15% typically which can be rounding up to the next dollar or the next.

Restaurant server gets 20% unless they piss it away with crap service.

My building staff get a holiday tip each year.

My house keeper gets a tip once a year in the amount in the amount equal to one visit.

The guys in my garage get a $1 each time they pull up my car but I don't contribute to their holiday tip.

Any counter ordered food or beverage with a tip jar gets zero from me.

Mail carrier gets zero

[Spunga]

Tipping in the UK differs greatly from the US. It's not added to your bill as a suggested percentage so your not reminded with every transaction that a tip is expected.

18-20% seemed to me to be the general in the US compared to (IMO) 10% in the UK.

Maybe we pay better wages and tips aren't the be-all to somebody making a living, I'm not sure.

I generally tip if made to feel happy from any service and the level depends on where I am and the local economy.

Silly example, a recent trip to Sri Lanka, a large tip ( but in relative terms is cheap anywhere else) goes a long way when they don't have a pot to piss in. And you know when they cotton on because they would part the Indian ocean if they thought it would make you happy.

In the UK, the relative tip gets you jack.
(IMO)

Service is king in the USA.

[treeinthecity]

On top of my head:
-hairdresser 20-25%
-valet 2-3$
-hotel bell $1/bag
-hotel housekeeping $1/per person per night
-restaurant 20% on avg
-taxi 10%

[Al1988]

From my experience, it is very different here in the UK, compared to the US.

The only place I tip commonly is in restaurants. Unlike in the US, a 10% tip is the standard expectation. Even that I struggle to justify giving sometimes - the service in some UK restaurants can be quite shocking such that i drop it to 5% quite often.

As for anything else, like delivery of TVs or furniture, they already charge extortionate delivery charges that giving a tip is not even a consideration, and I find that most delivery men don't expect it either.

Actually, come to think of it, the only other place I tip commonly is at my barbers!

[wantonebad]

Originally Posted by Al1988

From my experience, it is very different here in the UK, compared to the US.

The only place I tip commonly is in restaurants. Unlike in the US, a 10% tip is the standard expectation. Even that I struggle to justify giving sometimes - the service in some UK restaurants can be quite shocking such that i drop it to 5% quite often.

As for anything else, like delivery of TVs or furniture, they already charge extortionate delivery charges that giving a tip is not even a consideration, and I find that most delivery men don't expect it either.

Actually, come to think of it, the only other place I tip commonly is at my barbers!

It seems we do have a few things in common, our retail outlets over charge for delivery as well. When I bought a treadmill they wanted $300 for delivery, I told them to keep their treadmill and I'd find a used one. They decided to charge me $100 so I did the deal. After the gents delivering spent 45 minutes putting the thing together and sweating in my reck-room I felt bad and gave them each a $20. Well you'd think I just knighted them or something, they were very pleased. Truth is I just felt guilty.

[bodybump]

Originally Posted by treeinthecity

On top of my head:
-hairdresser 20-25%
-valet 2-3$
-hotel bell $1/bag
-hotel housekeeping $1/per person per night
-restaurant 20% on avg
-taxi 10%

This is 100% right!! Hotel leave $5 for the service even if they didnt clean..this guys are being paid low and tips are a big help...restaurants 20-18% for vg service 15% for bad...they do have tip shares...

[bodybump]

If you try to tip 10% on your favorite restaurant ..try not to come back..pretty sure the servers will try to avoid you and get you something that you dont like...lol

[mjclark32]

Bars/restaurants I'm a regular at get tipped very well since I get free drinks and apps. Other restaurants get the standard 20% as long as everything goes well.
Taxis 10-15% depending on the driver
hotels depend on how long of a stay I've had, how messy I was and how big the room is.

[SPARTAN2161]

It's only money. In the end if you enjoyed the service will it really affect you to send the person providing the serivice some cash? You have to remember being in the position you are, you are mostly in a better position than them. If your out to dinner that means you can afford to go out. That server might not. Or staying at that nice hotel the people working their might never be able to afford to stay there. In the end its only money and its made to be spent. If the service is great you shouldn't think twice about tipping. No matter what the position

[SaddleSC]

Originally Posted by gmh1013

Seems like everyone wants a tip these days.....I never understood "the movers"
moving to Houston and back to Phoenix cost over 6k each time....that was enough tip IMHO

I agree...funny story, the last time we moved (local move 2 miles away), there were three guys unloading the truck. The job took about 3 hours. My wife and I gave the main driver $140 tip to split (as he saw fit) with his crew and then went back inside.

5 minutes later, the doorbell rings and it was the driver who had driven about a block away and then returned. He was actually pissed off because $140 couldn't be equally divided by 3 so he wanted an additional $10! I absolutely could not believe it.

[East Bay Rider]

More good responses here.

http://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=33444

[mtrunner]

Originally Posted by SaddleSC

I agree...funny story, the last time we moved (local move 2 miles away), there were three guys unloading the truck. The job took about 3 hours. My wife and I gave the main driver $140 tip to split (as he saw fit) with his crew and then went back inside.

5 minutes later, the doorbell rings and it was the driver who had driven about a block away and then returned. He was actually pissed off because $140 couldn't be equally divided by 3 so he wanted an additional $10! I absolutely could not believe it.

Unreal, I cannot believe he came back and had the balls to ask for another $10. Unbelievable.

[wantonebad]

Originally Posted by SPARTAN2161

It's only money. In the end if you enjoyed the service will it really affect you to send the person providing the serivice some cash? You have to remember being in the position you are, you are mostly in a better position than them. If your out to dinner that means you can afford to go out. That server might not. Or staying at that nice hotel the people working their might never be able to afford to stay there. In the end its only money and its made to be spent. If the service is great you shouldn't think twice about tipping. No matter what the position

I like to discuss things and I ask questions, especially about things I'm not sure about. I see your point i just feel like sometimes a tip is appropriate and sometimes I'm not sure, hence this thread topic.

[Highland Ranger]

From My Blue Heaven:

Vincent 'Vinnie' Antonelli: "It's not tipping I believe in. It's overtipping."

Funny movie and good advice.

[Highland Ranger]

For the guy who tips $1 in a NYC parking lot . . . . . you must have a lot of scratches and dings on your car!

[Cru Jones]

Seven+ years in France and my view of tipping has been totally skewed to the point that when I travel to the States I feel like a foreigner when it comes to tipping.

[rr-nyc]

Originally Posted by Highland Ranger

For the guy who tips $1 in a NYC parking lot . . . . . you must have a lot of scratches and dings on your car!

Why would you think that? Almost every garage have attendants park your car so there aren't any options. Monthly people call ahead for their car and its usually waiting up front when you arrive. Most, if not all, monthly people don't tip on the way in or out, just during holidays.

If I take my car out once a day, that's $365 in tips for 6 attendants ($60 per attendant) compared to the $10-20 per attendant they would get over the holidays.

I do that so they do that so they don't beat up my car. So far, none of the cars I've ever parked have been dinged or scratched while in my monthly garage.

[TSW]

If it wasn't for the tip i couldn't have bought any of my watches

[Dr.Brian]

Originally Posted by gmh1013

When we moved to Houston I bought a 55 inch Plasma T.V.
The 2 clowns they sent (and charged me like 50 bucks delivery fee) knocked over one of my wife's glass bunnies and broke it .....scratched the new T.V. and then still stood around waiting for a tip.

My last move ruined a $4500 table. It was one of about 6 or 7 things that I specifically pointed out as very valuable, potentially fragile, and requiring extra care. He took extra care, and then loaded it poorly causing damage. He kept saying, "I don't understand how it happened". Yeah, you either dropped it into something, slammed it into something, or placed it on something metal during transport which continually rubbed against it. It's not neurosurgery.
He was smart enough not to come looking for a tip.

[speedo]

i always find the american tipping culture very funny.
if the service in a restaurant is excellent, i tip (around 10-15%) but if i am not satisfied why would i leave more money? there is a bill which i pay. i have never received any tip for any work i have done.
maybe restaurant-hotel owners should start paying their employees and stop expecting customers paying their wage. really strange hearing about underpaid staff in case of a michelin star restaurant or a 5star hotel.

[Ebruner]

I tip every service person who I deal with. Service industry workers make very little for what they put up with. Tip, and tip often.