One of the great mysteries of life is how much to tip someone for a service they provide. A common question is also should I tip? Tipping etiquette is both and art and a science, and there are few hard and fast rules and several guidelines that can help take the mystery out of it.
How Much to Tip Valet ParkingWhen the valet returns with the car, tip two dollars at a decent restaurant and five dollars at a nice restaurant or hotel. How Much to Tip Hotel HousekeepingSadly, a lot of people don't tip the hotel housekeeping staff. Nowadays hotels are including little envelopes to encourage the practice, but it's always polite to tip them a few dollars, typically three to five. Housekeeping has a tough, icky job. If your room is not made up well or you think housekeeping may be shortchanging you, don't forego the tip, just bring it up politely with the front desk. |
For one thing, you rarely or never tip at a fast food restaurant. For a sit-down restaurant, you generally tip around 10-20%, depending on the service and the type of restaurant. You can't go wrong when you tip near 20%.
I'm often asked, what if the service was terrible? What if the waiter was rude? Some people do petty things like leaving a penny or something like that, but to be honest, this is the best guideline: if the service was really bad enough, or the waiter really was terribly rude, it's best just to bring it to the manager's attention. Consider this: sometimes when the food is slow or the service is bad, it's not the waiter's fault. The kitchen could be backed up, or any number of things could be happening. Maybe he or she has too many tables. It's best to give them the benefit of the doubt unless something truly unsatisfactory happens.
If you're with a large party, then gratuity may be included, but it may be only 8%-10%... give more.
The attendant in the coat room should be tipped two dollars if you're by yourself or a dollar or two per person if you're covering everyone.
I'm surprised at how often the bartender is overlooked. If you're buying a drink, tip them a dollar. Bartender's work hard, and especially if it's going to be a place you'll return to for the rest of your vacation or especially somewhere local, it'll ensure good service in the future.
This is a vanishing artform, and at the minimum tip two or three dollars. I usually round up to five but this isn't required.
How Much to Tip Cab DriversDepending on where you are and where you're going, it can range from 10% to 20%. Just use your judgement. How Much to Tip Limo DriversI always tip 25%, but check if you're setting up the limo yourself, ask if gratuity is included up front (been bitten more than once by this odd practice). |
Some airports still allow you to check your bags as you're dropped off. Tip a dollar for light-to-medium bags and two dollars for heavy or large bags.