How much do you tip?

[sutphendriver]

20%(rounded up to nearest dollar) here too unless its a sushi bar, then a little more because the wait staff splits tips with the sushi chefs.  Bad service gets much less.  Hotels 2$ a day for the maid, 2$ a bag for the doorman and 2$ for the valet.  Strippers get a dollar a dance (up to 5$ depending on their ummmm "talent" or a mixed drink for a lap dance 

[Zach]

But I do like the American way of tipping, as in choice.  You tip for good service and better service when you return to the same restaurant.  You can do the no tip, or the penny or nickel as others have suggested to hopefully improve the service fo the next time (or even the next patrons)...

 

[MIbarra]

I tip 15% if service was standard and 20% or more if the service was better than expected at a restaurant. My husband always pulls out the tip calculator on his cell phone and figures it out to the penny - which annoys the heck out of me.

I'm always unsure how much I should tip the pedicurist/manicurist and the dog groomer.. Anyone have advice on them?

[Slywalker]

I just read in today's paper that mail carriers cannot accept tips (unless it is something non-cash with a worth under $20).

The article did talk about hairdressers for the holiday seasons and advised to tip whatever the cost of a regular cut costs.  It didn't mention tipping hairdressers on a regular basis. 

[Hanify]

I have no problem with tipping in a service industry, but when I was in Vegas I went to get a massage and there was the tip thing on the bill at the end.  A) the massage was incredibly expensive to start with and adding even 10% was a huge amount of money and b) a massage is a massage surely?  How do you give bad service for a massage?

[nursewratchet]

My mom raised 2 kids alone on a waitress living.  We were poorer than anyone I have ever known, then or since.  I was a waitress, and my daughter was a waitress in college.  That having been said, I am a wonderful tipper.  I always tip 20% minimum.  If the service is bad, I report it to the manager, because he needs to know.  If it was just slow service, i still report it, and I still leave a good tip.  I leave 5. for the manicurist or hairdressor. 

My brother and I took my mom to lunch for Mothers day when I was a kid.  We saved our money, figured out to the penny.  We forgot to figure for a tip.  It came time to pay, and we were so proud of being able to pay for the meal.  Mom asked "where is your tip?" We said we forgot about that.  She splogized to the waitress, explaining the situation, then asked her "which tables do you have?".  The waitress told her where her tables were, and my mom told her to "get a glass of tea and have a break, the kids will clean your tables".  My brother and I bussed tables for what seemed like hours.  My mom did not play around, and though she is dead now, she would kick my butt if I didn't leave a tip.

[murf]

Being an Ausie, I really don't know how to tip or how much I should give. In American movies, it seems you tip just about everyone. If I was to travel to the States, I would need instructions who and when to tip.

[RichardMEL]

Agree with Hanify and the aussies - tipping here is really ONLY for great service - definitely not manditory.

I do however believe when I travel in following the local custom though, and tip appropriately (15-20%) when in the US. I never used to tip much in the UK as I always felt it was more like us... maybe I am wrong there.

Here's a situation I encountered some years ago that got my blood boiling though.

I've travelled to the United States many times in my life. I've been to around 25 or 26 states in my time, over probably 20-30 trips.

In I think 2001 or so I went with a local friend to a restaurant in Long Beach, CA (we were going to head to Catalina Island -"the island of romance, romance, romance!" but the weather was bad so no boats ran). Anyhoo we went to this Italian restaurant for dinner. Now they had set it up with a silver service kind of atmosphere so were going for up market... that's fine. We went in, sat down had an average sort of meal. Not horrible, but not fantastic - certainly didn't live up to the expectation that was set by the decor or snooty behaviour of the matre'd and staff.

Well so the bill comes out and even before we've picked it up or said or done anything the matre'd says to me (and not to my female companion, who, for all he knew could be paying!) "Sir does realise that in the United States we practice tipping." - I was absolutely incensed! My companion had an expression of "WTF?" on her face and was mortified on my behalf. I think I said something annoyed like "Yes, sir does realise this" - I was SO MAD.. just because he detected a foreign accent that I must be a moron or have no clue. I argued with my friend to leave ONE PENNY to show them just what I thought of their attitude, but she convinced me to pony up 10% (gee I was a softy!)... I couldn't believe it! (btw at another stage he suggested something that made me think he thought I was English, which may have had something to do with it).

Should have left the penny.

[dwcrawford]

How cute, Nurse.  I should have liked your mom.

Richardmel, I'm sorry for your experience and I promise you that there are few restaurants here that would treat customers that way. 

[RichardMEL]

yep it's cool. I've been to lots of places in my travels and most are just fine. I've been given a few dirty looks for "only" giving 10% at some places, but it's my choice and I'm still following appropriate practice(that I think, anyway). I've never actually done the "one penny tip" yet, but a few times have been tempted to!

Hanify does this mean I don't have to tip you for our hot pool visit? 

[mikey07840]

I tip the nurses or techs $1 per stick if they are successful, but nothing if it takes more than 4 tries to get me cannulated. I usually also tip $2 for the rinseback and $5 for removing the needles at the end of treatment. 

[Ken Shelmerdine]

I tip the nurses or techs $1 per stick if they are successful, but nothing if it takes more than 4 tries to get me cannulated. I usually also tip $2 for the rinseback and $5 for removing the needles at the end of treatment. 

Let me get this right. You actually tip your dialysis techs??? Does this go on in all dialysis units in the US?

[tyefly]

  Gee    I was wondering how some people at D get more attention than others.....    LIke those tolls roads back East.....  I better start carrying a bucket of change with me and start giving.... it is the season of giving.......

[nursewratchet]

No.  Dialysis techs or nurses DO NOT GET TIPPED.  Ever... not in the US anyway.

[cloud393]

usually 15%.  Depends on the service.

[cariad]

Ack, Richard, that place in Long Beach sounds awful. ( was it L'Opera?) The trouble with foreigners giving low tips in the US is that the staff will just assume that you really don't understand tipping custom. That's why people leave a single coin, which is well-known restaurant code for "I did not forget about the tip, and everyone knows that a tip would normally be more than this, but your service was terrible." So, I agree with you - next time leave the penny. Also tell the manager.

I have a horrifying tipping story. My husband and I took our final, pre-child holiday to St. Croix and we stayed at a marvelous resort where everyone was so friendly and accommodating. We booked a table at their swank restaurant for Christmas night. The server was a nightmare, in contrast to everyone else. She came over to take our order and when my husband tried to order she said they were out of what he wanted. I think his shoulders probably slumped a little out of disappointment, but she snapped at him (and I do mean 'snapped') "It's not my fault!" to which my husband calmly replied "Well, it's certainly not mine." We ordered something else, and she continued to be surly and just plain weird through the night. We received our bill, and she had added in her own 18% tip. My husband lost it, grabbed the bill, and marched straight over to reception. The reception manager immediately snapped into action, took the bill and found the restaurant manger.

My husband was fighting back his rage and said he wanted to leave her nothing. The restaurant manager was apologetic and then said "I hate to do this to you guys, but her mother died yesterday. I tried to convince her to stay home from work today, but she told me she just really needed to be around people. She should not have put in her own tip. Can I change it to 15%?" 

Normally, I tip around 20%. More if my kids are making extra work for the server and he or she handles it well. Less at a self-serve type place - not fast food, but cafes where we get our own drinks and order up at the counter.

[Ken Shelmerdine]

I must admit I find the tipping culture in the US excessive to say the least but that's just my take on it maybe we are being a bit tight fisted here in the UK. But tell me is there a legal minimum wage in the US?

[fc2821]

Ken this is usually something the individual states decide as a limit. Often it is not actally liveable. Also some people, particularly waitress, are paid less than the minimum wage as their employer considers their "tip money" as part of their wages. Poor tips results in substanual income for some. I have known many a waitress who was a single mother supporting childern on her income.  In some cases waitress are forced, by their employers to turn over a portion of their tips to the emplyer.

[nursewratchet]

In the US anyway, waitresses are always forced to tip a percentage to the bus boys and the bar staff.  The wage for waitresses is very low, they do survive on tips.  When my mom was a waitress,  her hourly wage was 1.05/hr.  She was a single parent, and that is the only work she did.  Minimum wage at the time was 5.15/hr in Texas.  We were very poor.  I'm a fabulous tipper to this day.

[mikey07840]

I tip the nurses or techs $1 per stick if they are successful, but nothing if it takes more than 4 tries to get me cannulated. I usually also tip $2 for the rinseback and $5 for removing the needles at the end of treatment. 

Let me get this right. You actually tip your dialysis techs??? Does this go on in all dialysis units in the US?

I was joking

[dwcrawford]

just as little as I can and expect to get service next time.  joking