Tipping?

bboy123

Hello,

I am just interested to know about tipping in the US. I live in England (not Ireland sorry) and I have never tipped anyone in my life but have heard the US tipping is expected.

It surely can get quite expensive tipping everyone that helps you, so how do you get around it? Who do you tip? The taxi driver? the guy that brings your bags in to the hotel? the guy that brings your bags to your room? The waiter who serves you food?

Also how much tip do you give?

Sorry last time I went to America I was a toddler, just wanted to get a heads up on this crazy tipping business

Kane-N-Nite

bboy123 wrote: »

Hello,

I am just interested to know about tipping in the US. I live in England (not Ireland sorry) and I have never tipped anyone in my life but have heard the US tipping is expected.

It surely can get quite expensive tipping everyone that helps you, so how do you get around it? Who do you tip? The taxi driver? the guy that brings your bags in to the hotel? the guy that brings your bags to your room? The waiter who serves you food?

Also how much tip do you give?

Sorry last time I went to America I was a toddler, just wanted to get a heads up on this crazy tipping business

You definitely tip the taxi driver, as for hotels, I always bring my own bags in & up to my room, I just find that easier, as for restaurants, I think its safe to just tip when you're paying. I think its common to tip around 10-15%, but its really up to you.

bboy123

Kane-N-Nite wrote: »

You definitely tip the taxi driver, as for hotels, I always bring my own bags in & up to my room, I just find that easier, as for restaurants, I think its safe to just tip when you're paying. I think its common to tip around 10-15%, but its really up to you.

thanks for the info. Also thanks for the add on the fb group

Brolly

Like Kane says, its generally taxi's and restaurants that you tip in...be careful though and check your bill in restaurants...a lot of restaurants will automatically add a 15/16% tip to the bill of there are 5 or 6 people.

I think the general tip is 16%...I always just see what the service is like...if good, they'll get the 16% or thereabouts. If not, they will get very little!!!

savemejebus

You have to tip in bars too, this can be tricky though as you won't be popular if you tip only 15-20% of a drink cost and you will end up broke if you tip a dollar for each drink. Sometimes the best thing to do in bars is run a tab and pay the tip based on that at the end of the night.

Tipping in the US really is different to here (and UK, Europe) in that the waiters etc. are generally on a really really shít wage and they depend on the tips to live.

jmolloy

savemejebus wrote: »

You have to tip in bars too, this can be tricky though as you won't be popular if you tip only 15-20% of a drink cost and you will end up broke if you tip a dollar for each drink. Sometimes the best thing to do in bars is run a tab and pay the tip based on that at the end of the night. .

In NYC I tipped a dollar a drink and then after the first 4 drinks they gave you a drink and then you buy another and go. Guidebook advises most bars do this not sure if Atlanta's similar

Nadet

I'm all for tipping (even here in Scotland), but be warned - I've been to one restaurant in the States that put a handwritten "+25% gratuity" onto a printed receipt - in a buffet restaurant (where you do everything, and even the drink service, the only thing they had to do other than collect payment, was rubbish) lol

For folks that aren't used to tipping, I'd guess the best way to go about it is imagining everything is an extra 20% - so if a restaurant says the burger costs $10, just imagine it said $12 - not the end of the world for anyone that can afford to embark on this dream trip I'd imagine!

Initium

I usually tip 16% to 22% in restaurants, depending on the service. And for pubs, one dollar per drink would be fine too.

mmg200000

I sometimes take a cab home from work here in the States, and at $10 bucks a shot I rarely tip the cab drivers. Only if I have a like groceries, and they help me put them in the trunk, and take them out do I tip.