Tipping?

[sightsee]

Can anyone whose an American explain the concept of tips to me? I understand the basics of you give people money when they give you good service etc. But for all I know that means you give a few dollars at every shop you go to... Help?

Also, how much money is too much and how much is too little?

Comments

[darksylvia]

You should always tip in restaurants and food service places. A lot of those people get paid a lot less than minimum wage on the understanding that their tips will make up the rest. Any sort of service industry here has a little bit of that understanding, but restaurant staff especially. If you order coffee or something, you tip more on the basis of how difficult your order was, etc.

Fifteen percent is the standard. Twenty is a little above, but still within average. I tip a dollar for coffee when they actually have to MAKE the coffee, like at a little local coffee shop.

[sightsee]

Thanks, lol, last time I was in America I was to young to even know that you tip and over here in NZ you really just don't, which is probably unfair but still the way of our fair country. So yes, thanks for the info hopefully I don't screw up the tipping to much now. Because seriously? Before I was just plaining on saying damn it all and giving tips at every shop, lol.

[darksylvia]

Hah, yeah, it's not necessary everywhere. Just where people are actively serving you a food product, or something. And if you're staying in a hotel fancy enough to have a bell boy you brings up your luggage, he gets tipped, but that rarely happens to me :D

[ccnz]

We also tip in Canada...but not for as many things as american...boy they tip for everything...even bus drivers and hotel maids!! Anywho, here you are supposted to double the GST

[sightsee]

You do? Huh. I mean I probably ought to have known that but I so didn't. Gah, so another country to tip in, lol, I bet most of my spending money shall go on tipping.

[occasusvenustas]

:) I've been a server for a while now and as a server I usually make between 2 and 3 dollars an hour so my living wage usually comes from tips and gratuity. People generally tip 18 percent of the total bill (as long as the service and food wasn't total crap)

Also, a lot of places (i.e. Fast food like McDonalds and what not) and other shops don't let their employees accept tips. So even if the service was exceptional and you want to slip them a few bucks, by law, they can't take it.

So I'd stick to tipping at a sit-down restaurant, a Valet (should you use one) umm, if you're staying at a hotel it's okay to tip the bell-person and sometimes housekeeping if you feel they deserved it. Some coffee shops have a tip jar which is shared amongst employees but for the most part, they make a decent wage and aren't dependant on tips to live.