You generally have to tip everybody and the rule of thumb where a bill is presented, as you point out, is roughly twice the sales tax for satisfactory service and maybe up to 20% for better. If you get it wrong you'll soon be told!I have a few questions about tipping in the USA/NYC.
The tax will be itemised so you can just double and round it easily enough.In diners/cafes/restaurants, how do you actually tip? I know that you are expected to tip twice the sales tax of 8.65%.
Ok, so is the bill presented to you with the pre-tax total, and the tax amount, and you then do some maths in your head to calculate twice the tax and add it on?
Say what?Or do you say it to the waiter?
I've always found this a bit vague. I usually do c. 10% on rounds with a floor of a $1. I'm not really sure what the etiquette is to be honest. I do know that two drinks (e.g. glasses of wine) in parts of California could easily be $20 so $1 or $2 is not that big as a percentage. If you have a non drinker with you some places will do free designated driver non alco drinks.In bars, I read that the tip is $1 per drink? Is this correct? It seems a lot. So if you are a couple, and buy 2 drinks, are you expected to tip $2??
It seems to vary and I think you may be able to ask for either system in some bars.Do you pay for each round, or at the end, as in Europe, e.g. Germany?
I always carry my own but I'd guess that a few spare $s and $5 would be a good tip assuming you're not travelling too heavy.In hotels, I have always carried my own bags. But, unless TV is lying to me, it seems there are "bellboys" to carry bags up to the room. Again, as on TV, I am expected to tip them. How much?
Not sure about that one.What about the room cleaning? I been in many Irish and European hotels. But it seems in the USA you should tip the chambermaid. How much? And how?
Make sure you check before you tip - all those US bills look the same at a glance.Jeez, I will need a lot of dollar bills. Will an Irish bank give me 100 dollars in dollar bills?
What about the room cleaning? I been in many Irish and European hotels. But it seems in the USA you should tip the chambermaid. How much? And how?
This is exactly how the Americans themselves (at least the ones I know/visited) do it.As regards the drinks i think as well its a dollar a drink, you pay at the end and when you get a drink i think you are supposed to take out the dollar each time and leave it on the table beside your drinks (so it builds up).
I could be totally wrong but thats what myself and friend did and it seemed ok.
Not sure I've ever seen/heard of this one before. We had some fairly late nights, with around 6 - 10 people and about 6 - 10 drinks each (more than once or twice), and I never came across the bartender giving a free drink as a result.Thrifty1 said:The bartender should also buy you a drink at some stage.
What about the room cleaning? I been in many Irish and European hotels. But it seems in the USA you should tip the chambermaid. How much? And how?
Forgot to tip your ISP?anythime I
anythime I have left loose change on the dressing table in bedrooms its never removed so I just add a few coins daily and leave it there when going. (sometimes you might actually have to dip back into it and for some reason you always feel guilty). know a true story of two friends of mine who had a meal in usa. the bill came to $91 ( about 8 years ago) and they left $100 on the table and left the restaurant. they got as far as the car park when the waitress came after them and told them a tip of $9 wasn't enough and that she was relying on tips for her wages! true story. the other side is two nieces of mine worked in a restaurant/hotel in new jersey for two summers when they were in college and said the tips were easily around $400 per week. and that was over 10 years ago. needless to say they were made up. waiting on tables was much more profitable than cleaning rooms and as one had a student visa and the other didn't most of the time the student with the visa worked 'up front' and the other didn't. (both thought the owners were mafia)
Simple solution that has never seen me wong and I travel over to the states a lot.
Chamber maid. $10 a week I leave on the pillow on checkout. No more no less
In restauraunts etc. then it's 10% and round it up to the next dollar. E.g. Bill is $27.15, then give $3 tip. Walk out the door.
In a bar, if you order a round and the bill begins with $1x (eg $16) then leave a $1 tip on the bar and walk away.
If your bill begins $2x then leave a $2 tip and walk away, etc.
If you have a tab then it's the same advice on payment as the 10% rule above.
You cannot go wrong by following this.
We leave $1 bill, with 'Thankyou' note out every morning for housekeeping, when in hotel.Chamber maid. $10 a week I leave on the pillow on checkout. No more no less
That's exactly what we do for basic service. If server is very good, we double it (e.g. $6 tip). If server is VERY poor, we leave less than 'rounded' 10%.In restauraunts etc. then it's 10% and round it up to the next dollar. E.g. Bill is $27.15, then give $3 tip. Walk out the door.
Twice the tax which would be around 15% in a lot of places would be considered the norm for satisfactory service. Do you ever go back to the places where you tip 10%?That's exactly what we do for basic service. If server is very good, we double it (e.g. $6 tip). If server is VERY poor, we leave less than 'rounded' 10%.
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