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If I’m not in a restaurant or a cab, I’m confused. About tipping that is. I like to think everyone finds this as confounding as I do, so here are 13 tips about tipping. 1. At restaurants, tip 15% for good, solid service. Tip 20% for excellent service and 10% for sub-par service. Why tip for sub-par service at all? Restaurant servers pay taxes on 8% to 10% of their total receipts, not the actual amount of tips they earn. If you don't tip them, they are actually losing money because they are paying taxes based on the amount of your meal. So save the “no tip treatment” for a server who puts his thumb in your food or something equally egregious. 2. Buffet servers. $1 to $2 per person. $1 if all the server does is explain about the buffet and then bring you the bill, $2 is they deliver more service. 2. Bartenders. $1 to $2 per drink. 3. Hairdresser/barber. 15% for the haircut, 20% for chemical services. Remember to tip separately for the shampoo, usually $1. 4. Spa services (facial, massage, mani/pedi). 15% 5. Bellhops. $1 per bag (tip $2 if you have just one bag). 6. Concierge. $2 to $5 for dinner or tour reservations; up to $20 for impossible-to-get tickets. (This is one I always forget.) 7. Hotel maid service. $1 per person per night. If you’re staying more than one night, leave the tip each morning because the staff may change day-to-day. 8. Room service. 15% to 20%, unless it’s automatically added to the bill. 9. Doorman. $1 for hailing a cab (another one I forget) 10. Handyman. Tip is more optional than customary; 15% of the bill is fine if you are very pleased with the service. 11. Grocery delivery. $1 or $2 per bag. 12. Flower delivery. $2 to $5 13. Coffee servers. Tipping is more optional than customary; it’s perfectly acceptable to just leave your change in the tip jar. Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. Dewey 2. Thomma Lyn 3. Mamma Kelly 4. terra 5. shannon 6. Amy 7. Christine 8. Laughing Muse 9. Journeywoman 10. L-Squared 11. Wylie 12. Nicholas 13. tinkerbell 14. Lisa 15. Mo 16. Sparky Duck 17. Lori 18. Kendra 19. Barbara I've learned how to do links! Let's hear it for The (none-too-tech-savvy) Gal! |
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
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Nice TT idea! I would never dream of tipping below 20% unless the service was downright rude. But I was a waitress in college, so I know that they only get paid like $3 an hour if you don't count tips, and that tips are their livelihood.
ReplyDeleteExcellent idea for a TT -- great tips about tipping!
ReplyDeleteHappy TT, and thanks for visiting my blog!
A useful and helpful resource. A great idea for a T13!!!
ReplyDeleteMama Kelly
I did not know any of that (except the waitress/waiter one).
ReplyDeleteBut what do you tip, when they charge for ice cubes? (AND yes I had that happen, at a Applebees!)
I never tip for buffet type restaurants. Most of the ones we have been to are completely do it yourself including the drinks. So, should they tip me?? :) I'm scared not to tip well in restaurants that I frequent...
ReplyDeleteThis was a very useful TT because I learned some new things... I just learned a couple years back to tip housekeeping but have always been leaving it at the end of my stay and not daily. Good call. I also didn't know about servers paying tax on the total bill-- that seems ridiculous!! Is that really true?? I have never ever been home when flowers have come-- they are always left at the door!
ReplyDeleteWe always make sure to tip and acknowledge good service. Very good idea for a TT.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by!
If you're staying multiple days at a hotel, if you give a larger tip the first night, you may receive higher levels of service on subsequent days. (I use this often when I go to conventions, especially when I'm working the hospitality suite. The room staff have such a job to do...especially after we rearrange the room, move in the fridge, and have them cart out the beds from the "kitchen". A large tip on the first day, and sizeable tips the following days, may mean the difference between coming in each morning to a room that's been neatened up or a room that's been pretty much left alone. The word also gets around; and we find that we're able to get help when we need people to cart up our latest grocery run :D
ReplyDeleteGreat TT! And I also liked your Falwell post.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI don't ever use most of these services, but I'm always confused about tipping too, so thanks for the info!
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for stopping by my list too. :-)
Cool TT idea! I didn't know some of this so I appreciate the helpful tips.
ReplyDeleteI usually tip 15% in restaurants service is excellent. And your list is very useful. In the event that I ever get a manicure or pedicure, I'll know how much to leave. One thing I never do is tip people who simply hand things over a counter to me.
ReplyDeleteWow, I had no idea about tipping. Over here the tips are much less, but I don't know how the tax system is concerning tips.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my detective TT!
It's never occurred to me to tip for flower delivery. Perhaps that's cause I don't get many flowers.
ReplyDeleteThe only time I never tipped a waitress was at an outdoor cafe in Key West. It was HOT. I asked for water, and she pointed to my companion's glass and said, "He hasn't touched his."
ReplyDeleteBuffets are a tough one. At places like Old Country Buffet, I don't know where you would even leave tip, or for who. But last weekend at our Mother's Day Buffet, we had a waiter who kept our water glasses full and kept refilling my mom's decaf and wondered if the food was warm enough, etc. So him I tipped.
It's all so damn confusing, isn't it?
I really don't utilize alot of these services, but we do eat out frequently, and we generally tip about 20%.
ReplyDeleteGreat, informative (for me!) post.
Oh yeah...and btw...
Tag!!
(Bwhahahaha!!!)
I too forget the concierge, all the time actually. Though i dont use one that often. Thats my excuse and Im sticking to it. I love the tip envelopes the hotels use now, so you can't forget.
ReplyDeleteAnd I always tip, just because I hated when I got stiffed as a paperboy and that stuck with me.
Thanks for the info but what if its crappy service?? I dont leave a tip just because...I think people should earn them myself:)
ReplyDeletegreat TT post! thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteWe recently ate at Ruth Chris' Steakhouse and had the best waiter ever! We left a note to that effect, and we were repaid with the nicest note to our house from our waiter! We did leave him a very generous tip!
ReplyDeleteI have never tipped my hairdresser, since she owns her own shop - in her own home. Never thought about it.
I'm surprised by all the comments! I guess I'm not the only who is stymied by the tipping thing!
ReplyDeleteNo, don't tip for bad service. Everyone should take pride in their work, and it's a good job that should be rewarded. It's just that I don't think everyone realizes how important tips are to service industry workers.
And no, you never tip the owner of a salon (even if it's in her home. I don't know why, really, but that's the rule/custom/guideline I've always heard.
And while I'm musing about tips ... what do y'all tip babysitters these days? No, not the nanny or daycare provider. The one who watches your wee one on a Saturday night.
This was a great TT, extremely informative. I never know what to tip for most of these services. I consider myself to be a good tipper at restaurants though,l because I always tip 20% unless the service is bad, then depending on how bad, I begin working backwards by 5% increments. ;-)
ReplyDeleteOh, and I second Lisa's comment about not tipping for flowers, because I never get any! haha
Great post...have you heard about tipping movers? I don't get that one, I mean if people get a regular wage (above minimum) why should they be tipped? I never did, but made sure that I would have cokes and waters available.
ReplyDeleteI tip 20% in restaurants b/c of the work that they do, but if it's bad, definitely to the 15%