Traveling to US and I heard they have tips concept at most places.
Any idea at which places do they expect tips from customers and roughly how much is considered okish?
Tips in US
bluespider on 08/07/2022 - 11:37
Comments
@[Deactivated]: Because even though the could earn less than minimum wage, they usually earn $25 to $30 an hour on a busy night.
Primarily I hate tipping because the price should be reflected on the menu. Don't expect the customer to automatically boost their wages.
It's not even boosting wages, in most cases it is their wage!
You don't tip a percentage of the pot. It's $1 per pot that's above a certain amount ($0 tip if pot is too small) and can tip $5 if a large pot. That's for small stakes though.
Drinks are $1 tip at the table, more if you want them to come back very often.
Tip anywhere you receive a service, hairdresser, nail salon, restaurants, etc. However, I don't tip if I just order a coffee and sandwich to go, often the suggested tip will be on the eftpos machine butIi always bypass it, no service, no tip, I haven't been chased down the street yet.
You gotta tip your barista $1 per coffee. Same as getting a beer in a bar. If it’s just black coffee from somewhere shitty you might get away with no tip but a proper cafe where you get a latte etc. they would expect $1 tip on top of the $4 coffee.
What is the coffee turns out to be nasty American drip coffee?
No tip if someone doesn't make it individually. Latte or pour over yeah. Batch brew nope.
hookers tip 30% if u were satisfied
You tip your client 30% if they satisfy you?
meant to be a comma after hookers, as in u tip the hooker
Just the tip?
First meal in New York I made the mistake of tipping only 10% (I was fresh off the plane). The waitress came to my table and told me off loudly in front of all the guests. No shitz. What an introduction to the "greatest country in the world".
was she hot?
She was American, so I'd guess almost certainly not.
Wow. That is an easy mistake to make coming from a foreign country!
The most surprising thing i learned in America about tipping is that its expected even if the service rendered is absolute rubbish.
Thankfully i got a good run down on what to expect and how to handle tipping etc on the plane ride in from the American bloke next to me.
He also taught that for absolutely abysmal service and to really put the boot in, leave 2 pennies.
Can confirm, it really is an insult haha (that occasion was some of the worst/rude/arrogant service i have ever received in my life, felt it was valid - no regrets)
I bet that you felt great after doing that
Not a matter of feeling, its a matter of principle.
I’d rather offend a rude lone waiter then leave a terrible review for a restaurant.
They wasted my time, were rude to me and tried to overcharge for items not given. To leave no tip can be seen as just another ignorant tourist, the pennies are a individual review of their service.
FWIW i still tipped every other service on my trip, even when it was subpar. But, on that one occasion mentioned above, imo it was definitely appropriate to leave the pennies.
You think people should be rewarded for doing a terrible job?
Agree that rubbish still needs a tip, but it's usually 1/2 the going rate.
Totally agree.
But as I mentioned, the double penny situation was a whole different situation to just bad service.
People have bad days, but the waiter in my case was just a bad dude. Can’t remember the exact interactions but remember thinking it’s amazing this guy has a job, let alone in hospitality.
Minimum is 18% of the total food bill so you should tip 20%. Much easier to work out.
total before tax
Why has the tip percentage gone up?
In 2008 it was generally accepted that it was 20% in NYC then about 10-15% rest of the country.
It can't be inflation because the increased tips would automatically come from a higher bill.
It's one of those intangible changes that happened gradually over time. I was there in 2019 and it's quite normal to give 20% as standard, with more for exceptional service.
But yeah I remember when it was around 10-15% as well.
If you tip 15% and they expect at least 18%, then you might be called out on it loudly and you probably don't want to get shot.
Ask when you get there how the locals tip as it varies from north to south and east to west, but you need to tip. Usual tip is a min $1 and is 10% for normal restaurants and upper market restaurants it can be 15 or 20%, but check the bill a some places include it in the total and others have space for it on the bill so it can be added if paying by CC, but better sometimes to pay in cash that way it's not recorded and the waiters like cash more.
Watch the taxes as the price you pay is not what is shown in allot of places and it varies as there are state taxes and then county taxes (county is like local council).
I had a waitress chase after me when I left a restaurant without tipping, it was in the bill but I'd never heard of a compulsory tip before. Just seems stupid to me.
Thanks for the tip!
Now I know how to get US girls to chase me!
so did you pay the tip?
havent been to US, so interested to knowI didn't but she did go and get her manager so it was a hassle. I have been back since and have paid tips as I figure I know it's expected now so if I don't like it then don't go there.
Even Chinatown expects tips.
LOL. That's legendary… Hahaha
Oh wait. You are kidding. Right?
No.
A little know fact that in some states service personnel already gets minimum wage and do not work for tips.
One of such states in WA. No tipping required there.
I think it's still expected there, and the people doing those jobs probably wouldn't do them for just minimum wage, when their counterparts across the country are raking in a comparatively decent wage when tips are included.
It's locals who say you don't tip in WA. Tourists still do.
LOL, never heard about this exception… (I'm in Seattle)
I remember when I was America they had a tax similar to GST as well. It was not shown on the price of the good until you purchased it. When I had to pay the tax and then the tip on top, I'd end up paying about 30% more than the advertised price. Our exchange rate was pretty strong at the time so things weren't too expensive.
Yeah it’s sales tax. Varies from state to state but at the high end is around 10%. Tip comes out before tax fyi.
I always ended up with a dirty wallet after every trip to the USA. It kept getting overfilled with dirty and smelly $1 $2 $5 $10 notes.
$2 are lucky and kinda rare. Save those to tip someone special!
Just came back from the US and there isn't a clear rule about when to tip. When they shows you the eptos, it will have several options for tips: 18% , 20%, and 0. Your safest bet as a tourist is to choose either 18% or 20%.
Some examples:
- Drive through fast foods eptos won't show above options so I guess I don't have to tip.
- A fast food in a hotel still shows you these options so I expect to tip.
- We went to a Thai place (in San Fran) and put the bill there including 20% tip but they unexpectedly return the change. We have to explain that it includes the tip. So I guess they don't expect the tip in the first place?
- Take out (i.e. take away) also expects tips.Btw, the exchange rate is so bad that it renders buying anything in US pointless (better to wait sale in AU) unless you want it now.
Obviously tipping restaurant servers 20% is a given, but it's interesting that it has become ubiquitous in smaller places with no table service (say like a store similar to Grilld, but not necessarily a chain) to ask for a tip when paying with card. This is just part of the payment system design, not any expectation.
When you pay with card it comes up on the screen. It's essentially tipping before getting food/service.
From my research and looking at people tipping in the US for these service-less food shops, most Americans were just as confused as tourists when being asked that question by the iPad, generally 50%+ or so didn't tip. Interestingly, paying by cash, absolutely no expectation to tip, tip bowl is off to the side usually not very filled. So usually, no expectation to tip in any non service food store (obviously there are exceptions).
What's worse is that there is absolutely no guarantee those credit card tips you do go to the staff, it's likely just going to the owners pocket. I learned that the staff don't give too shits about whether you tip in these sort of places (likely because they never see it).
When paying by cash, to tip, usually you leave that on the table after you get your change (or just leave after dumping the whole amount plus tip), otherwise the server doesn't know how much you want to tip.
When landing in the US - the reason everyone gets up from their seat so quickly upon landing is they are in a rush to tip the pilot
How much? At least 20%.
Where? Everywhere except for fast food like KFC. Even the hotel shuttle bus driver.
Don't stress over it. When they give you your bill at a restaurant, it will have tips listed and you can write exact same amount or amount of your own. No cash needed.
We rarely used cash. Just carry a bit and you will end up with all kinds of denominations after sales tax purchases
US has always been f'ed up. Wages for redtos, valets etc. are poor, people literally live off tips rather than wages. Don't mind paying a couple of extra dollars for a good service, but 20-25% is far out. FCUK US
Well, I was staying in Chicago downtown and their parking price were $20/night self parking and $28/night valet. I assumed that difference is actually what pays valet service. Not so fast, they also expected me tip valet.
Just spoke with a friend of mine who was just there.
From what he told me
Avoid LA
New York was amazing, but he was paying between 12 and 18 USD for 2 coffees. 2 juices costing him around 45 USD. He only tipped 5-10% at some places. He’s exact words were this
“Some places I refused to tip because the service was absolutely shit, so they can kiss my ass”.Don’t listen to people here who say tip 20%, bunch of loonies. Don’t tip more than 10%, the USA at the moment is one big inflated (profanity) waiting to suck all your money in.
USA not in a good place at the moment.
2 juices for $45 USD? How big were they
Probably a medium, so 3 gallons each.
That’s just straight BS. Prices are about the same as here for coffee and juice from a fancy place in USD. And then cheaper places are way way cheaper. 1$ slices of pizza for example. After the exchange rate maybe your closer to those numbers in AUD. Or your friend is getting a juice from room service at the Ritz.
Beware of guns.
Don't forget to tip the shooter when they open fire.
Yep, ammo is expensive.
"Thank you for missing me this time".
Over my dead body!
Tip EVERYONE that provides a service… taxi driver, bell hop/ concierge, hotel housekeeping, waitresses/waiters.
Have lots of $US1 notes on you at all times… do not give schrapnel as tips… that just cheap
What if you're buying snacks at a corner store? Or taking away a pre-made sandwich at a cafe?
Or if you ask them to bring out a few sizes at a shoe store and walk out without buying?
What if you buy a $15 thing and want to tip $3 but only have a $20 note? Do you awkwardly ask for change? :s
So confusing!!!
With the corner store, if you're just buying off the shelf then you don't tip. If they make the snack for you, then you do tip. With the cafe, if they made it on site then I'd suggest a small tip ($1). It comes down to whether they're providing you with a service (ringing up the transaction doesn't qualify). You get a sense for it pretty quickly.
Yes, you can ask them to break change. In your scenario, you just say "$2 back is fine" when you hand them the $20. It's not awkward, it's actually very common.
Thanks! That makes sense, though it'll probably take a bit of practice.
That is bullshit. There are states with tipped wage and states with minimal wage, so if in Texas your waitress gets tipped wage 2.13 per hour and expects get rest in tips, in California she would be paid minimum wage $15/h, that's more than in Australia by the way, and you don't tip in Australia.
Have a read https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tipped_wage
TL;DR Just tip a decent amount (20%?) and don’t compare countries, they are different. People make a living on tips and I came to terms with that, makes life easier for everyone.
I agree it varies by state but one thing is for sure, it’s not a system I am comfortable with. I thought the motto in OzBargain was ‘best if free, lowest price if not, hell no to RRP’, so it’s the ambiguity that messes things up. When in US I do tip, heck, even the company expense policies covers tips in US.
But when the take away coffee joint returns the square screen to me to ‘choose my tip’, starting from 20%, I get the chills. To be honest, I don’t worry about the tips, the bigger problem is, it’s almost impossible to find proper coffee in states, they drink this weird stuff with syrup and whipped cream on top and call it coffee, maybe pack your coffee equipment and brew it yourself while there.
Echoing sentiment - i hate the US pricing system.
Sit at a restaurant, ok cool $10 entree, $20 mains. Finally get the bill, has 6.75% sales tax added, has a suggested minimum 18% tip added (20% and 22% also provided). So your meal is 25% higher than the marked price, then for us convert to AUD and what you thought was reasonable isn't. I reached a point where i would preference take away joints, didn't have to be name brands but just places where you didn't need to tip.Some of the expectations boggle too, so i get in a taxi and the fare is $30, but i need to pay extra? Come on.
This one got me when I visited - I got a massage (at a standard Thai massage parlour) after a long day of exploring NYC and was shocked to learn I was expected to tip the masseuse.
Did you ask for extras with a wink?
So you gave them just the tip or…
Doesn't count if it's just the tip.
Tip basically everyone in hospitality
Taxi, restaurants, waiters, valets, even your bartender for each individual drink you order.We went to an all you can eat buffet and didn't interact with any staff. But at the end when we went to pay they complained that we didn't leave a tip for the staff who came and cleaned up the plates 🙄
Chances are they're getting paid $3 an hour because they're job allows for tips.
Tip whoever you want
Don't tip whoever you want
It's not mandatory, if the people doing the job have an issue with how much they are making then they need to take it up with the person that employs them.Not true. This is something that trips up many foreigners and gives tourists a bad name. Unfortunately you may not agree with it but it is mandatory. I had some friends under tip in a restaurant in nyc and they got chased across the street after they left by the manager lol. Don’t think you want to be on holiday watching your back for saving a few $$.
It is absolutely not mandatory, show me where in law that states tipping is required to be paid on top.
It's not mandatory, but it is expected, and they'll quickly let you know what a dirtbag you are if you knowingly refuse to tip.
Just because you don't agree with the practice doesn't mean it's okay for anyone to exploit it.
@[Deactivated]: You literally said yourself it's not mandatory, explain to me how following the law (mandatory tipping isn't a law) is exploiting. The exploiting part is on the part of the business, not the consumer.
I wonder if you even understood what you wrote yourself, you have all the information you need to understand the situation but you just don't get it.
"Don’t think you want to be on holiday watching your back for saving a few $$." - and you call yourself an Ozbargainer!
It’s not a bargain if someone can’t afford to pay rent because I saved a $. Just because I like a deal doesn’t mean I don’t have morals.
I've had people give me my tip back or say you've given too much and I try to tell them that's the tip.
They're probably doing that because they know I'm a tourist.
Yeah most locals are pretty honest about tipping. In places like nyc you could honestly ask and unless it’s a taxi or some tourist trap people are pretty straight up and down about what’s normally expected.
I've never been but I'm curious, are the prices about the same as here and tipping will make the price of everything 15-20% higher overall, or is it cheaper so when you add the tip you're paying about the same? I imagine if it's the former it would be very expensive to visit USA.
It depends on the current state of the Aussie dollar more than anything. ATM it costs a bit more than in Oz on average. Ten years ago when an Aussie dollar could buy a whole US dollar it was cheap.
Another thought, if the system is designed to make up the difference in tips then how does it work for industries where tipping wouldn't be a thing (like a teacher for example), if the person working in hospitality without necessarily having qualifications could potentially earn more than a teacher who's had that higher education? Is the non-service industry pay rate fair over there?
Easy. Teachers get paid well above the minimum wage in the US. Though school teacher is about the lowest paid of the professions there.
Funny, used to be 10%, then 12%, then 15%, then 20% now 25 or 30%.
I rarely tipped on % because it's a stupid system. If I decide to order a 20 meal, and 20% is $4 or I decide to order a $40 meal at the same place, suddenly the tip is $8 for the same amount of work??
Yeah, the system is broken.
I get livid when we go to pay in Australia and the eftpos machine automatically brings up a tip screen after I swipe my card. Get (profanity). Wonder how many people have been stooged putting in there pin instead of the tip amount?
The Chinese hotpot restaurant in Lonsdale St Melb has that on the eftpos machine.
Tip the minimum. Don’t fall into the trap of feeling like a Scrooge and feel you have to tip midway or the upper end. After eating out nightly, it friggin adds up. Secondly,
lets face it, you’re unlikely to see them ever again.Yeah great, fly in and screw over a few locals. Sounds like a great time.
username checks out
That's why people go to Thailand right…
lets face it, you’re unlikely to see them ever again.
If you don't tip enough, you might see their face again as they're chasing you down the street!
Wow can’t believe people upvoting your scummy behaviour. If you can’t afford to tip when your on holiday sounds like you can’t afford to go on holiday. People literally survive on tips in the US, it’s not some optional thing where you get to pick and choose because your feeling like a tight ass.
Not saying you shouldn’t tip, course u should. That said how is the US tax system my problem. Things in the US are not cheap these days and with our crappy exchange every penny in your pocket is better than in some strangers, irrespective of their own financial circumstances.
Brag to your friends that you tipped at the higher bracket each time and see whose the fool.
Not sure you understand. In NYC the standard tip is 18% and most people expect 20%. I’m not saying you need to tip over that amount but there is no such thing as giving a 10% tip for average service. You just have to give 18 and get over it.
Tipping should only be optional. A fair living wage should be paid to workers. This cost should be reflected in your prices.
If you can’t afford to pay your workers fairly and they have to rely on tips to earn a fair wage, then you’re in the business of exploitation.
(Yes yes, i get it that it is the way things are in the USA)
Should be! But that’s the problem in the US. Capitalism unchecked.
It's a very annoying place to travel to because of this sht tipping culture.. instead of having a good time you are all the time wondering how much you should be tipping..apparently $5 for the hotel clerk to bring your wheeled luggage up is not enough.. and you said it wasn't needed to start with.. Europe is probably a much more interesting proposition anyway, the tipping thing in the US rules it out completely
It’s annoying but even subpar service gets 18% in nyc. 20% is normal and higher if your feeling generous. Talk to any local and they don’t even think about it.
If you can’t afford to tip don’t go in holiday or just eat maccas.
@[Deactivated]:
Because the hour rate is worked out over a longer period of time not per shift, aka weekly or monthly. So heaps of time for the worker to get some tips elsewhere to cover the shortage.
Plus what the law says should happen and what really happens, are not the same thing.