Tips on Tipping

[erkpod]

Interestingly, last night I booked a Super Shuttle for Manhattan to JFK. It had the fare (use NYVAN as a discount code!) & a spot for you to add a tip.

There were suggested amounts but when I suggested $10, it said something like "That seems a little high considering the price of the trip."

Needless to say, I reduced it by half. The second driver that got lost while taking us on a super tour of Manhattan because he couldn't navigate his way out of a paper bag got $0 from me for the forward journey.

 

[DC3]

For those Super Shuttle shared rides (say $20-$25 each), I would tip $1-$2 per bag usually. For a cab, I would tip up to 20%.

 

[serfty]

On the rare occasions I have used "supershuttle" type services (only in CA), there had been a notice on the dashboard that a 15% "gratuity" will be added to the bill.

Note that the minimum federal wage for industries where tipping is commonplace is, IIRC, $3.08 per hour.

Some states legislate a higher rate - e.g. this is set at about $8.10 per hour in CA.

Sadly, many employees don't have a social security number and often work under unscrupulous bosses for tips only.

 

[Foreigner]

Sadly, many employees don't have a social security number and often work under unscrupulous bosses for tips only.

That's a sad indictment of the way of life in the US.

 

[cove]

Last night Mrscove got the wrong meal so it was credited. I tipped 15% of the reduced amount seeing it was no pork chop at the Cheesecake Factory.

 

[suze2000]

Can anyone tell me if it's necessary to tip a hotel doorman in the US for just opening the door? Getting a cab for you? This kind of thing is confusing. And what's standard for the bellboy over there? And since it's been ten years since I've been - in a bar, is it still $1 per drink (that's what I was told to do anyway by an American friend. He also told me the fourth or fifth drink should be free!)

I once refused to tip a shuttle driver at all. I was terrified the entire way in a heavy rainstorm where he sped and tailgaited and didn't use the windscreen wipers. I told him as much when I survived the journey and he just grunted at me. He wasn't even angry which made me consider ringing up the shuttle company and complaining directly to his manager, but decided to hope that he just improved his ways in future.

 

[Doug_Westcott]

Porters1-2 USD per bag; 2-5 USD at upscale hotels and for heavier bags

Bartenders1-2 USD per drink or 15-20% of bill

Concierges5-10 USD per request for basic service; 10-20 USD if the task is difficult or 50-150 USD at the end of a stay in a luxury hotel, where you have received excellent personal service from the concierge

Doormen1-3 USD for calling a taxi

Drivers1-2 USD per person for hotel shuttle driver

 

[kpc]

I know it is the way of life in the US....hope we never follow the US tipping culture here in Oz. On my recent trip to the US, I constantly worried as to whether I had tipped enough or not., and whether I had enough small bills. In a Chinese restaurant in San Francisco Chinatown, a 15% tip was added to the bill in Chinese but fortunately my better 1/2 who can read Chinese spotted this, otherwise I would have tipped another 15%!!

Would you tip in this circumstance? At a local fresh food market stall, they were selling fresh oysters (for immediate eating) at $2 a pop....I bought 8, and noticed a large gratuity jar by the till, and wondered what to do but as none of the locals (maybe they were all Aussies!!) tipped, I did the same

 

[RooFlyer]

What about 'lesser developed' countries?

Although I loath tipping (in general), I'm not against a bit of cash re-distribution when in a 'poor' country (in the economic sense). In fact in terms of 'value' of what I tip, its higher than (say) in the USA. Room maids I try to give to directly, in the hallway, so that unscrupulous managers or others don't nab it before she (always a she) gets to it. Waiters etc always tipped in cash at the table, not on the bill if I can help it.

I struggle to get the right amount / balance where there is a driver of a private tour car, or hotel car. If you have a tour car driver for 5 days, and for 2 of you its cost say $2,000 (incl some meals and stuff not directly related to 'driving'), what would be a tip for the driver, especially (as is usually the case) they are friendly, chatty and tell you lots about their country etc? Sometimes I ask the tour agent directly beforehand, but often they stick with 'whatever you would like to give'. Sometimes they give a cash amount, which has been high enough to shock me a few times and I'm then suspicious that the agent will demand a part of the high amount from the driver. I do my best and figure out what might be a fair amount but usually end up being on the generous side, I think.

What are other's experiences, thoughts?

Lest I give the impression that I'm God's gift to the workers, when in 'western' hotels I insist on carrying my own bags, and on airport shuttle busses I manhandle my own bags too, specifically to avoid having to tip and any concierge tip will be strictly that he's done something special for me. Calling a cab doesn't meet that hurdle. But as I said in an earlier post, room maids - yes, always in Nth America and ditto to wait staff, because its the custom.

 

[Pukka]

I learned it first hand a few years ago. On my first trip to Japan, after a good meal in Kyoto I left a small tip, as I often do in OZ. Just when I was about to exit the restaurant, the waitress rushed to give me back the money. At first I thought she didn't understand it's a tip and I handed it back. She then smiled nervously but didn't accept it. Then I thought maybe I gave to little and added some more. It only made things worse as another waitress came and both urged me to put the money back into my wallet. This time they were not smiling. I was very confused, gave up and left. Only later that night, after googling "tipping in Japan" I realised what I did wrong

Well I went to Niseko over Xmas and most of the restaurants automatically added a 10% service charge which is the same as a tip in my book; in fact it's worse because it's not optional.

 

[anat0l]

Well I went to Niseko over Xmas and most of the restaurants automatically added a 10% service charge which is the same as a tip in my book; in fact it's worse because it's not optional.

Depends what the service charge is. Some of them are levied specifically by the property; that would be, as you would put it, a "non-optional" tip.

For Niseko, I wouldn't be surprised if the service charge is only levied in the peak season. That would be consistent with a "resort fee", also charged during the peak season at many hotels.

Finally, it may be a government (city, prefecture or national) tax - similar to a GST - that is billed as "service charge" in English for simplicity.

 

[get me outta here]

I seem to remember reading that in the US, they are taxed as if they had earned a certain amount of tips.

 

[dajop]

And to add to confusion in US, is % tipping based on pre-tax or tax inclusive prices? On my last trip to US, I noticed on one bill for a meal in New York, suggested tips were given, with the amounts calculated 15%, 18%, 20% - of the pre-tax (menu) prices. In San Francisco, same thing, 15%, 18%, 20% but of the tax inclusive price!

But whatever the case, when in US looking at a menu, the easiest thing to do is simply add 30% to menu prices and that is a price equivalent to what you see in Australia on a menu, but in USD. Or (with current ER) simply add 50% to menu price, and this gives you the AUD price.

 

[anat0l]

And to add to confusion in US, is % tipping based on pre-tax or tax inclusive prices? On my last trip to US, I noticed on one bill for a meal in New York, suggested tips were given, with the amounts calculated 15%, 18%, 20% - of the pre-tax (menu) prices. In San Francisco, same thing, 15%, 18%, 20% but of the tax inclusive price!

But whatever the case, when in US looking at a menu, the easiest thing to do is simply add 30% to menu prices and that is a price equivalent to what you see in Australia on a menu, but in USD. Or (with current ER) simply add 50% to menu price, and this gives you the AUD price.

Normally, from what I can tell, tipping is based on the price exclusive of sales taxes. Since most of these taxes are between 6 and 9 percent, the usual rule of thumb is doubling the sales tax gives you the starting tip (but often it's good just to mentally calculate out 15%).

Haven't been to California and had to calculate a tip, so can't comment on your experience.

 

[RooFlyer]

And to add to confusion in US, is % tipping based on pre-tax or tax inclusive prices? On my last trip to US, I noticed on one bill for a meal in New York, suggested tips were given, with the amounts calculated 15%, 18%, 20% - of the pre-tax (menu) prices. In San Francisco, same thing, 15%, 18%, 20% but of the tax inclusive price!

But whatever the case, when in US looking at a menu, the easiest thing to do is simply add 30% to menu prices and that is a price equivalent to what you see in Australia on a menu, but in USD. Or (with current ER) simply add 50% to menu price, and this gives you the AUD price.

Always tip on pre tax amount. Even though its a fiction that the tip is for 'service', no-one should argue that you should be tipping the government on its tax. Of course they would like you to tip on the total bill, but no.

I'm not sure about your rule of thumb for USD to AUD conversion.

 

[dajop]

Always tip on pre tax amount. Even though its a fiction that the tip is for 'service', no-one should argue that you should be tipping the government on its tax. Of course they would like you to tip on the total bill, but no.

I'm not sure about your rule of thumb for USD to AUD conversion.

Yes I always thought it was pre-tax, but some people are now suggesting it is post-tax. I think that's just for the mathematically challenged.

USD to AUD is simple:

Menu price - $10
Tip - $1.80
Tax ~$0.90 depending on state
Total USD - $12.70 ~ 14.60 on today's ER, add 3% if paying by CC fee, you get $15.

So at the moment, you will end paying $15AUD for an item on the menu that is listed as $10USD. (or approx $13USD using the 30% rule ... which is independent of ER ..... in this case it's just a matter of seeing $10 written on the menu, but reading $13 :!.

 

[cove]

Around Los Angeles say within 50 miles we double the tax so it is about 18% of the pretax dinner account.

 

[JohnK]

The only reason why tipping is required in the US is because the servers' hourly wage is a ridiculous $2-3,thus they rely on the tips to be able to feed themselves and put a roof on their heads.

I do not go to the USA but clearly this is the issue. No? How does an employer get away paying those sorts of wages and sometimes no wage at all?

A tip is not a tip if it is forced. Do not call it a tip and smile about it.

 

[amaroo]

Just spent 30 days in the States/Canada. I got sick of leaving money for just about everything.....I do it because thats the system in Nth America. The only people I like tipping is the Hotel Maids.

When you've had a nice meal, a couple of glasses of champers, a nice bottle or two of Napa....the amount is ridiculous:shock: Didn't take long to work out why 80% of diners only drink water.....we were well and truly in the 20% category

 

[RooFlyer]

I do not go to the USA but clearly this is the issue. No? How does an employer get away paying those sorts of wages and sometimes no wage at all?

<snip>.

Its just the wage structure there. Low. Meals in non 4 or 5 star restaurants can be moderately to incredibly cheap (ignoring FX), so giving a tip of 15% doesn't really force the price up offensively. The problem for me is that the service can be terrible and you are still expected / obliged / choose your situation to tip. Its a coughpy situation, but I go with the 'when in Rome' philosophy.

<snip>

A tip is not a tip if it is not forced. Do not call it a tip and smile about it.

I think the underlined (by me!) not isn't supposed to be there?? If so you are right. In the USA its not really a 'tip for service' when there is the expectation you will pay it (and in some places compulsion when its added into your bill).

I'm not sure if anyone here is happy about it, but you recognize the local customs and adapt to them (even through gritted teeth).