Tipping advice in USA

[Parapara]

I know this is not quite a cruise question and with tipping included in fare not a worry. However maybe someone could advise us about tipping after we arrive in New York and before we board Navigator. We really do not know who to tip, or how much or how to tip.

We will get a taxi from airport to hotel ( we have booked an extra night at hotel that we stay with with Regent). How much do you tip the driver? Do you give them cash or add it to c/c?

At the hotel who expects tips? How much? If we eat at the hotel how does tipping work there? Also at a cafe somewhere?

Any advice gratefully received. At this point in time the minefield of tipping is putting a dampener on our stay in New York.

[Pcardad]

https://www.nycgo.com/plan-your-trip/basic-information/tipping-sales-tax

 

[jimdee3636]

If you ask a hundred different Americans you'll probably get a hundred different answers, but here are my thoughts:

 

You are expected to tip cab drivers. They probably prefer cash, but if they take credit cards (and most do these days) you can certainly add it to the amount charged. I would say about 15-20% of the fare is average, but I've often given more if I'm "rounding up," especially with cash.

 

In hotels, I personally only tip the valet guy if he actually unloads the luggage from the trunk of the car or cab (the cab driver, though, would normally do that) and brings it up to my room. Unless you have a ridiculous amount of luggage, I think $5.00 or so is fine. When you check out, if the valet guy calls a cab for you and/or loads your luggage into the cab, I'd tip him a couple of dollars.

 

At hotel restaurants and bars, I normally tip the server or bartender 15 to 20%. I also leave a few dollars in cash each night for the housekeeping person---just leave it on the bathroom vanity counter.

 

Unless you ask for and get detailed service from the concierge (making hard-to-get dinner reservations for you, securing theater tickets, etc.), there's no one else at a hotel that I'd feel obligated to tip.

 

Good luck!

 

Jim

 

[Got2Cruise]

Hi I live in NYC area. We are always generous to service staff. They work hard. That said, 20% is fine.  You can add the tip onto the tip line. Make sure you keep your receipt. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Joanandjoe]

Whilst Got2Cruise is correct about 20% or so being correct in bars and restaurants, check your bill before you add a tip. Sometimes a tip has already been added.  Also, be aware that in places that show bills on an iPad, you will be asked to tip, even for a cup of takeout coffee.  In restaurants, that's OK, but be careful how much you tip.  Tipping is not required for takeout; but it's nice to put some change and/or a dollar bill into the tip jar. 

 

Many travelers with large time zone changes (NZ to NYC) have room service the first night or order from a restaurant.  Tip lavishly (but tips are often included in room service charges.)

 

Beware if there is a mini-bar in your hotel room.  If you even move the contents, you may incur an exorbitant charge.  (Of course, once you are on the ship, everything in the mini-bar is included in the cruise cost.)

[irishwitchy]

I will say, staying in New Zealand in January before we got on our cruise was great and we loved that tipping wasn’t a way of life for you!  
 

Back in NYC,  yup you need to tip,  but not everyone! Restaurants( cafe, high end, casual etc) if you do 20% you are fine.  Make sure you do this on the untaxed amount, not the bottom line!   I should mention there are some  restaurant groups that the tax is included in the price, such as Danny Meyer (Moma, Union Cafe, etc).  So beware.   If you are wine drinkers and like a great bottle for dinner,  if I’m spending $300 dollars on a bottle of wine,  I’m not giving the waiter $60 on top of that.  I do some math and adjust down.  
 

The hotel folks,  if you need help with the bags, use it and tip a couple of dollars for each bag.  If you have one bag,  when you get out of the taxi,  if you can manage your stuff, just tell them you got it and they will leave you alone and you drag it yourself.   If you aren’t familiar with NYC, these guys can point you in the right direction, so sometimes they are useful.  Tipping the maid,  lots of people don’t - your choice.  Concierge,  if they do something very, very special, maybe. Like tickets for a sold out play, not a dinner typical dinner reservations.  You will see tip jars in some very strange places,  no need to put anything in them unless you want to get rid of the coins or the person really did something special for you.  Where are you staying? 
 

If you don’t have the Uber app, it can be useful just in case you can’t get a taxi.  Where are you flying into?  I live in New Jersey and spend lots of time in NYC! 

[ysolde]

Good advice here.  We lived in Manhattan for about 30 years, and I agree with what has been posted.  I will reiterate that, at restaurants, you do not need to tip on the taxed amount.  In taxis, when paying by CC, the system proposes tip amounts (I think 18%, 20%, and 25%, or something like that).  You can also press "Other amount."  If you are tipping housekeeping, do it on a daily basis, since there is no way of knowing whether you will have the same housekeeping team each day.  I usually just leave some cash with a little note that says, "Housekeeping," if I cannot find an envelope to label and leave the money in each day.  This is if you have daily housekeeping.  If you will only have housekeeping once you check out,  just leave the money for them on your last day.  

[Parapara]

Thank you all very much for the information. Very useful. I guess when you are brought up tipping it is a piece of cake but I find it very complex. Will have to swot up on who gets what and how much! We are flying into JFK airport and staying at The Pierre. The hotel has told us there is a fixed charge of $55 plus tolls? and tips for a taxi.

Jean

 

[RetiredandTravel]

Manhattan (NYC) may be the tipping capital of the world, everyone tips and its expected.  We lived there for 30 years.  On $55 I'd give at least $10 maybe $15.  The Pierre is a wonderful hotel in a great location, if you need any restaurant or touring information let us know,  One pointer, when you take a taxi (or anything else) always act confident like you've done it before.

Edited March 15, 2023 by RetiredandTravel

[claranda]

Tight smile…. We’re boarding Mariner in NYC in September but are flying in to Philadelphia for a couple of nights pre-cruise in an attempt to prevent my husband becoming quite so apoplectic after our first and last New York visit a few years ago when he was charged 20% by a bartender who walked three steps to serve him a beer. Of course, it doesn’t help that the Pound is so weak against the dollar so US prices are high for us.

 

Oh well, I’ll take charge of the payments and we’ll put it all down to experience - with gritted teeth!

[Pcardad]

51 minutes ago, claranda said:

Tight smile…. We’re boarding Mariner in NYC in September but are flying in to Philadelphia for a couple of nights pre-cruise in an attempt to prevent my husband becoming quite so apoplectic after our first and last New York visit a few years ago when he was charged 20% by a bartender who walked three steps to serve him a beer. Of course, it doesn’t help that the Pound is so weak against the dollar so US prices are high for us.

 

Oh well, I’ll take charge of the payments and we’ll put it all down to experience - with gritted teeth!

Tips are optional...you can always go to a package store and buy a 6-pack and drink it on a park bench. You won't be alone.

[Techno123]

48 minutes ago, claranda said:

Tight smile…. We’re boarding Mariner in NYC in September but are flying in to Philadelphia for a couple of nights pre-cruise in an attempt to prevent my husband becoming quite so apoplectic after our first and last New York visit a few years ago when he was charged 20% by a bartender who walked three steps to serve him a beer. Of course, it doesn’t help that the Pound is so weak against the dollar so US prices are high for us.

 

Oh well, I’ll take charge of the payments and we’ll put it all down to experience - with gritted teeth!

Is he a true Yorkshireman? 😂😜

What I don't understand is, if the tip is 'compulsory' why not just put the price up and pay the staff more?

Funny tipping story for you - on a ski holiday in Italy when they still had lira my husband left a 300 lira tip thinking it was £3 (I think it was 15 or 20p) and we went back 😂😂

[RetiredandTravel]

1 minute ago, Pcardad said:

You won't be alone.

 

 

Which may be the reason you don't want to do this.  😬

 

 

[Techno123]

2 minutes ago, Pcardad said:

Tips are optional...you can always go to a package store and buy a 6-pack and drink it on a park bench. You won't be alone.

But they aren't optional though, are they? - there is an expectation that people will tip 20%

[Pcardad]

Just now, Techno123 said:

But they aren't optional though, are they? - there is an expectation that people will tip 20%

They are optional...I think the only exception is if the menu says a service charge of 18% will be added to parties of 6 or more. I tip anywhere from 0% to 40%....it depends on the service and if it is our regular bar/pub (they get more because we are there weekly). However, in the big picture, don't lose sleep over a 20% tip on a beer before taking a cruise that might cost $1,000 per person, per day. The bartender is not making a living wage on his salary alone.

[RetiredandTravel]

Yes in NYC a 20% tip is expected.

[Pcardad]

Expected and required by law are not the same thing. They can tip whatever they like....or not at all.

 

Edited March 18, 2023 by Pcardad

[Techno123]

29 minutes ago, Pcardad said:

 The bartender is not making a living wage on his salary alone.

And that is what is wrong. Why are service staff discriminated against with regards to earning a living wage? I am sure there is some historical reason from days of yore but this is the 21st century. Charge more, pay the staff more and then customers can tip for excellent service if they want to. It's the system most of us outside the US are used to which is why we find the US system so befuddling 😁 and the reason why I pay more to sail on Silversea/Seabourn/Regent because the tips are included. (And if the service has been outstanding - which it usually is - I contribute to the staff fund)

Edited March 18, 2023 by Techno123

[Techno123]

3 minutes ago, Pcardad said:

Expected and required by law are not the same thing. They can tip whatever they like....or not at all.

 

Can we quote you on that next time we are in NY 😂

Edited March 18, 2023 by Techno123

[Pcardad]

3 minutes ago, Techno123 said:

And that is what is wrong. Why are service staff discriminated against with regards to earning a living wage? I am sure there is some historical reason from days of yore but this is the 21st century. Charge more, pay the staff more and then customers can tip for excellent service if they want to. It's the system most of us outside the US are used to which is why we find the US system so befuddling 😁 and the reason why I pay more to sail on Silversea/Seabourn/Regent because the tips are included. (And if the service has been outstanding I contribute to the staff fund)

Why is it wrong...we do lots of things differently here. Many people work 100% on commission. A tip based job isn't discriminated against...I know wait staff who can easily make $500 a shift in tips. They choose that line of work...no one is making them do it. The crew fund is cool - it helps defray the cost of a crew member going on an excursion and it helps cover the costs of the crew departmental parties in the crew bar...but if you want them to get the money in hand, you need to tip them.

[Techno123]

16 minutes ago, Pcardad said:

Why is it wrong...we do lots of things differently here.

Not just separated by a common language then 😜

 

I use the crew fund because none of the people who provide the service in person could do so without the teams behind them. It was after doing shopping with the Chef on Seabourn when he told me how grateful the 'back room staff' are for being recognised in this way that made me realise the importance of this.

[Pcardad]

30 minutes ago, Techno123 said:

Not just separated by a common language then 😜

 

I use the crew fund because none of the people who provide the service in person could do so without the teams behind them. It was after doing shopping with the Chef on Seabourn when he told me how grateful the 'back room staff' are for being recognised in this way that made me realise the importance of this.

I totally agree.

[rallydave]

2 hours ago, Techno123 said:

What I don't understand is, if the tip is 'compulsory' why not just put the price up and pay the staff more

Tips are NEVER compulsory unless there is a notice in the menu or on the table that tips will be included.  Otherwise and in MOST cases they are completely optional.

 

And, another thing that bugs me is that the tip percentage keeps going up and up especially as prices have increased due to inflation.  The excuse for the increased tip percentage is the inflation so they are double dipping you w8ty increased costs for the item along with increased percentage.

 

So watch what you tip as extremely likely you will never see that person again and also remember tip means to improve performance so moderate the percentage of tip as to hop the person performed so poor performance lowers or eliminates the tip

[claranda]

58 minutes ago, rallydave said:

And, another thing that bugs me is that the tip percentage keeps going up and up especially as prices have increased due to inflation.  The excuse for the increased tip percentage is the inflation so they are double dipping you w8ty increased costs for the item along with increased percentage.

It’s very difficult, I agree. I think, however that perhaps the UK/European system of having a national living/minimum wage (itself a controversial subject) plus the opportunity for the customer to tip 10-12.5% for service, can bolster the dignity and lower the stress levels of the server. I find the US system a little feudal in comparison, but respect that’s the way it is and ‘will comply’ whilst there!

[mj_holiday]

Because there are the people who work in places where they can bring home $500 cash a night is one of the reasons tipping is still part of our culture.  Some states now have laws that if the wait person is not making equal to minimum weight with tips, the employer needs to adjust the pay for that day,

so basically when slow nights happen the people get sent home.  In many places the wait staff will give a percentage of their tips to hostess/table buster.

 

Yes, 15-20% is appropriate.  On our last trip (in a country with tipping) we discovered that now with table side card readers, they will bring a check to your table that looks like a check for a hotel guest to use to charge to their room.  If you want to pay with your credit card they will bring a card reader to your table and enter in the amount and you insert or tap your card.  No chance for a tip to be added.  If you want to add a tip, you add it on the initial check and when the waitperson brings the card reader they will enter the tip amount when they enter the amount from the check.  And this is the tip scenario for some places.  It took me a couple times to figure it out, basically I had to ask.