Tipping - But not for dining
Discussion
I've been in the US since 2004 now and I am still a bit vague on the subject of tipping for things like delivery folks dropping off a new fridge or 2 post car lift (in my case today
).
What about Uber, do you tip the drivers, even though Uber touted you weren't expected to? I think they've introduced a tipping option on the app now.
What are your tipping err tips?
).What about Uber, do you tip the drivers, even though Uber touted you weren't expected to? I think they've introduced a tipping option on the app now.
What are your tipping err tips?
Hainey said:
I go to the west coast twice a year.
Everyone wants tipped and more to the point, expects it. Servers, room cleaners, Uber, doesents (tour guides) etc. Everyone has a hand out.
Prepare for grief ranging from polite enquiry to being chased down the street if you dont comply.
Cobblers, if I may be so bold.Everyone wants tipped and more to the point, expects it. Servers, room cleaners, Uber, doesents (tour guides) etc. Everyone has a hand out.
Prepare for grief ranging from polite enquiry to being chased down the street if you dont comply.
Matt Harper said:
Hainey said:
I go to the west coast twice a year.
Everyone wants tipped and more to the point, expects it. Servers, room cleaners, Uber, doesents (tour guides) etc. Everyone has a hand out.
Prepare for grief ranging from polite enquiry to being chased down the street if you dont comply.
Cobblers, if I may be so bold.Everyone wants tipped and more to the point, expects it. Servers, room cleaners, Uber, doesents (tour guides) etc. Everyone has a hand out.
Prepare for grief ranging from polite enquiry to being chased down the street if you dont comply.
Fwiw Las Vegas was the worst of them all.
Its a tipping culture. If I wasn't willing to put up with that I wouldn't go.
Edited by Hainey on Friday 14th July 18:46
Hainey said:
Cobblers not, if I may be so bold. Thats my experiences. I know you live in the states (although I cant recall where) so will have the last word, but there it is. My experiences of California.
Fwiw Las Vegas was the worst of them all.
Its a tipping culture. If I wasn't willing to put up with that I wouldn't go.
I don't dispute that US society is much more accustomed to gratuity than the UK - it was the bit about "Everybody's got their hand out" - particularly in response to geeman237's initial post that I maintain to be cobblers.Fwiw Las Vegas was the worst of them all.
Its a tipping culture. If I wasn't willing to put up with that I wouldn't go.
Edited by Hainey on Friday 14th July 18:46
In my (quite extensive) experience, most service providers do their best to provide a good experience, in the hope that it is recognized. Nowhere, anywhere, is it obligatory to furnish a gratuity - even in those establishments that add a service charge to your bill (now that, I do find offensive).
In all of my 17 years living in the US, the only time I was challenged for not tipping (because the service was piss-poor), the waiter was Irish, not American.
Some jobs are paid at below the minimum wage, so tipping is sort of necessary, it's just the way it is..
Waitresses, hairdressers etc.
Delivery guys, furniture, appliance, They don't earn a lot, I usually give them "lunch money" it makes the world go round.
Same for dog groomers, I'm not sure how they are paid but I give them anyway and just take it out of the dog's allowance
Waitresses, hairdressers etc.
Delivery guys, furniture, appliance, They don't earn a lot, I usually give them "lunch money" it makes the world go round.
Same for dog groomers, I'm not sure how they are paid but I give them anyway and just take it out of the dog's allowance
Thanks for your different perspectives and experiences. I think location in the US may play a small part on expectations too.
I always tip in restaurants, usually 20% for good service. I will tip down if the service is not on a par with what I would expect from the establishment, and I am not a high maintenance self entitled wannabe foodie
I have been in Uber cars and the owners have put blatant self printed notices in the car about tips being appreciated etc. That instantly means no tip from me.
I will occasionally tip hotel staff, always when I get my hair cut (damn, that works out at $66/hr for them!
)
Bars, usually a couple of bucks for a small round, otherwise I'll tip when I pick up the tab on my credit card.
Never had anyone give me the evil eye or cough for not tipping.
I always tip in restaurants, usually 20% for good service. I will tip down if the service is not on a par with what I would expect from the establishment, and I am not a high maintenance self entitled wannabe foodie
I have been in Uber cars and the owners have put blatant self printed notices in the car about tips being appreciated etc. That instantly means no tip from me.
I will occasionally tip hotel staff, always when I get my hair cut (damn, that works out at $66/hr for them!
)Bars, usually a couple of bucks for a small round, otherwise I'll tip when I pick up the tab on my credit card.
Never had anyone give me the evil eye or cough for not tipping.
Living in Georgia and having visited 14 states in the last 2 years, I think it's pretty simple (outside of NY)
- Tip 18% for food and 20% if service has been good
- $1 per drink if at a bar
- Uber - nothing, it's included
- hairdresser - same as food
- taxi - don't use them really, but 15% max
- deliveries - nothing, it's not expected
- bags in hotel..... take your own bag up, or $1-5 per bag, generally closer to $1
NY is different and 20% is the norm for food and sometimes 25%. Mainly due to high costs for people living there.
- Tip 18% for food and 20% if service has been good
- $1 per drink if at a bar
- Uber - nothing, it's included
- hairdresser - same as food
- taxi - don't use them really, but 15% max
- deliveries - nothing, it's not expected
- bags in hotel..... take your own bag up, or $1-5 per bag, generally closer to $1
NY is different and 20% is the norm for food and sometimes 25%. Mainly due to high costs for people living there.
The jiffle king said:
Living in Georgia and having visited 14 states in the last 2 years, I think it's pretty simple (outside of NY)
- Tip 18% for food and 20% if service has been good
- $1 per drink if at a bar
- Uber - nothing, it's included
- hairdresser - same as food
- taxi - don't use them really, but 15% max
- deliveries - nothing, it's not expected
- bags in hotel..... take your own bag up, or $1-5 per bag, generally closer to $1
NY is different and 20% is the norm for food and sometimes 25%. Mainly due to high costs for people living there.
18% is a pretty precise gratuity calculation - how do you arrive at that magical number? 18% 'for food' - but 20% if the service is good - so 18% if the service is crap?- Tip 18% for food and 20% if service has been good
- $1 per drink if at a bar
- Uber - nothing, it's included
- hairdresser - same as food
- taxi - don't use them really, but 15% max
- deliveries - nothing, it's not expected
- bags in hotel..... take your own bag up, or $1-5 per bag, generally closer to $1
NY is different and 20% is the norm for food and sometimes 25%. Mainly due to high costs for people living there.
Uber - nothing, it's included? Included where? The Uber app takes a very significant chunk of the fare, so where's the tip?
Deliveries - nothing, it's not expected - I think this is the whole point. If you only tip where it's expected, versus where you have had a great experience, you've kind of missed the point.
Just my opinion, of course.
Matt Harper said:
The jiffle king said:
Living in Georgia and having visited 14 states in the last 2 years, I think it's pretty simple (outside of NY)
- Tip 18% for food and 20% if service has been good
- $1 per drink if at a bar
- Uber - nothing, it's included
- hairdresser - same as food
- taxi - don't use them really, but 15% max
- deliveries - nothing, it's not expected
- bags in hotel..... take your own bag up, or $1-5 per bag, generally closer to $1
NY is different and 20% is the norm for food and sometimes 25%. Mainly due to high costs for people living there.
18% is a pretty precise gratuity calculation - how do you arrive at that magical number? 18% 'for food' - but 20% if the service is good - so 18% if the service is crap?- Tip 18% for food and 20% if service has been good
- $1 per drink if at a bar
- Uber - nothing, it's included
- hairdresser - same as food
- taxi - don't use them really, but 15% max
- deliveries - nothing, it's not expected
- bags in hotel..... take your own bag up, or $1-5 per bag, generally closer to $1
NY is different and 20% is the norm for food and sometimes 25%. Mainly due to high costs for people living there.
Uber - nothing, it's included? Included where? The Uber app takes a very significant chunk of the fare, so where's the tip?
Deliveries - nothing, it's not expected - I think this is the whole point. If you only tip where it's expected, versus where you have had a great experience, you've kind of missed the point.
Just my opinion, of course.
if they want a tip.. time to buy a yellow cab and deal with cash.
ked by a waiter when I tipped ony 15% when buying 2 beers (3/4 pints for £20!) in NYC last year when I dared to come back the next day!Matt Harper said:
18% is a pretty precise gratuity calculation - how do you arrive at that magical number? 18% 'for food' - but 20% if the service is good - so 18% if the service is crap?
Uber - nothing, it's included? Included where? The Uber app takes a very significant chunk of the fare, so where's the tip?
Deliveries - nothing, it's not expected - I think this is the whole point. If you only tip where it's expected, versus where you have had a great experience, you've kind of missed the point.
Just my opinion, of course.
Good challenges and I don't have good answers except that servers are on very small wages and 15% is considered in this area a low tip with 20% being a high tip. 18% is also often shown on the bill as a suggestion. It's difficult to work outUber - nothing, it's included? Included where? The Uber app takes a very significant chunk of the fare, so where's the tip?
Deliveries - nothing, it's not expected - I think this is the whole point. If you only tip where it's expected, versus where you have had a great experience, you've kind of missed the point.
Just my opinion, of course.
Uber - There is no expectation from our local Uber drivers for a tip. It might be different around the US, but not here in Georgia
Deliveries - I don't know anyone who tips for deliveries
Removals - I have no idea, but I get different answers from everyone in the US and the UK is not exactly very clear
The jiffle king said:
- $1 per drink if at a bar
The $1 per drink must be a bit of a killer for bartenders these days - it seems to have been at that level for ever.I find tour guides extremely pushy, but then they were when I visited London too.
I always tip around 20% for meals but hate the way it's never acknowledged. Bearing in mind Brits have a reputation for being poor tippers you'd think there'd at least be a sense of relief on the servers face.
SystemParanoia said:
The driver chose to use UBER.. they know how it works.. i.e cashless! so its their problem!
if they want a tip.. time to buy a yellow cab and deal with cash.
If you know anything about the evolution of Uber, you will appreciate that the % of the ride fare that Uber help themselves to has increased significantly and some of the restrictions and demands that they place on their drivers has changed a great deal too.if they want a tip.. time to buy a yellow cab and deal with cash.
I've been using Uber pretty much since it's inception and I do tip drivers who are prompt, gracious and entertaining, have nice, clean vehicles, offer me bottled water, candy etc., and are generally professional. In my experience around 50% of Uber drivers are also Lyft operators too - mainly because Lyft has always had the ability for the rider to tip within the app - and Uber are now piloting that feature in some cities too.
I don't knee-jerk tip Uber drivers, but generally they give a much, much more civilized and comfortable experience than Yellow Cabs, which are usually dirty, beaten-up suspensionless hulks, driven by no-speakies, who don't know where they are going, get pissy with you if your destination doesn't suit them and try to strong-arm you into tipping them.
The jiffle king said:
Good challenges and I don't have good answers except that servers are on very small wages and 15% is considered in this area a low tip with 20% being a high tip. 18% is also often shown on the bill as a suggestion. It's difficult to work out
work out 10 % (easy) double it, you have 20 %. subtract 10 % off the total of your 20 % tip. easy!Matt Harper said:
Yellow Cabs, which are usually dirty, beaten-up suspensionless hulks, driven by no-speakies, who don't know where they are going, get pissy with you if your destination doesn't suit them and try to strong-arm you into tipping them.
I didn't realise you had relocated to New YorkSystemParanoia said:
The driver chose to use UBER.. they know how it works.. i.e cashless! so its their problem!
if they want a tip.. time to buy a yellow cab and deal with cash.
When I was in the states a month or so ago, I installed Lyft, which from what I can tell is just like Uber, had plenty of coverage and drivers in the area I was in (Charlotte NC), but you can add a tip through the app at the end of the ride, Made for a much more pleasant experience (I don't mind tipping cab drivers, plus this was on company expenses anyway).if they want a tip.. time to buy a yellow cab and deal with cash.
My colleagues over there felt that the Uber drivers know the score when they sign up, so stuff them if they want a tip.
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