'Tipping' while in the US

[moneyrich]

Restaurant ... general "rule" from the restaurants I've worked in/at.. is 8.75% of the bill.

I think you're confusing the tax rate with tip. NOBODY tips 8.75%. That is definitely not the standard. Standard is 15%.

[FitnessCPA]

There are some bad tippers in here.

Cab - I'd say the greater of $2 or 15%.

Restaurants - 20% is considered a good tip. You're probably OK with 18%. Anything less is cheap. Period.
No need to tip at fast food restaurants or any restaurants where you order at the counter and they give you a number and bring your food out. Typically if they take your order at the table, you tip. If you place your order at a counter, don't tip.

Hotel bellman - about $2 per bag

[Lvisaa2]

There are some bad tippers in here.

Cab - I'd say the greater of $2 or 15%.

Restaurants - 20% is considered a good tip. You're probably OK with 18%. Anything less is cheap. Period.
No need to tip at fast food restaurants or any restaurants where you order at the counter and they give you a number and bring your food out. Typically if they take your order at the table, you tip. If you place your order at a counter, don't tip.

Hotel bellman - about $2 per bag

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks people are being cheap in here. I almost never tip less than 18%. I'll go up to 25% if I thought they were very good. Usually 20-25% range

$2-3 for valet/bellman, etc. Taxis I do by feel, just round to whatever is close and seems like a decent number

[AlwaysTryin]

And as noted, be careful about restaurants adding an 18% tip automatically to your bill. This is especially common in some touristy areas such as South Florida.

Interdasting, I will be down there

[desslok]

You're probably OK with 18%. Anything less is cheap. Period.

Strong global rule based on your own personal feelings, lol.

OP, this is a good read for you here:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g1...Etiquette.html

[AlwaysTryin]

Just so I don't make another thread... If I were to train once in a gym there... Gold's?? World? Which city?

Just want to see a crazy size gym with crazy ass huge people lol

[AlwaysTryin]

Strong global rule based on your own personal feelings, lol.

OP, this is a good read for you here:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g1...Etiquette.html

Repped thanks! That answered everything

So 0-10% if terrible or 15-20% standard

Good to see about the buffet too... As some buffets will be had lol



How come Disneyland is 3-5%?? Higher wages?

[KayPS]

Just so I don't make another thread... If I were to train once in a gym there... Gold's?? World? Which city?

Just want to see a crazy size gym with crazy ass huge people lol

Bally's and LA Fitness are usually good for entertainment value. WOW, too. that one is more local, though (i think). A nice mix of wannabe builders and cardio queens. Golds around me is the place for the big guys.

[desslok]

Just so I don't make another thread... If I were to train once in a gym there... Gold's?? World? Which city?

Just want to see a crazy size gym with crazy ass huge people lol

Man, you're going to LA, if I were you I think I would have to go to Muscle Beach Gym in Venice while there. Its an experience in itself. You can see where Arnold and Lou worked out etc, Venice boardwalk is a trip too.

[KayPS]

How come Disneyland is 3-5%?? Higher wages?

Because everything is so expensive, lol! But yeah, i think they pay their workers more.

[Lvisaa2]

Man, you're going to LA, if I were you I think I would have to go to Muscle Beach Gym in Venice while there. Its an experience in itself. You can see where Arnold and Lou worked out etc, Venice boardwalk is a trip too.

^^. It isn't what it used to be, but you'll still be a bunch of big dudes and the occasional pro

[aaron2686]

I've only ever seen that for parties of xx or more, usually around 8 people but have seen as low as 6 people.

I've seen it around Minneapolis/Saint Paul in a few places, regardless of party size.

[AlwaysTryin]

Man, you're going to LA, if I were you I think I would have to go to Muscle Beach Gym in Venice while there. Its an experience in itself. You can see where Arnold and Lou worked out etc, Venice boardwalk is a trip too.

Oh I'm going to go there

[desslok]

How come Disneyland is 3-5%?? Higher wages?

No, you misread that. Its saying in places where the waiter gets a lot of help, like for example, a drink runner bring drinks and refills them, food runner brings the food, sommalier brings wine,bus boy clears table etc. And the waiter basically just took your order and then brought your check, then the Waiter has to pay 3-5% of sales to the "helpers" pool of money. So you should give the waiter a little more to cover their "costs".

Also, what I usually do here is double the tax and then round up to nearest dollar. For example, here in CA tax is 8.875% (I think?). So for ease of math say your bill is $10, so plus tax is $10.89. I just estimate/double the .89 and round up, so $2. It usually comes out about 20% of the pre-tax amount. Of course in some podunk towns the tax may be a bit less so have to look.

[psychodiver9]

Of course you would "Come at me", go troll some one else "*******".

Not trolling. If you tip sub 10% you are a piece of ****

[snorkelman]

I gotta admit, I never heard of anyone tipping 8.5 percent. How do you even figure that out in your head?

[anonymous]

Not trolling. If you tip sub 10% you are a piece of ****

this

unless the waiter literally gets up on your table and takes a **** in the breadbasket

[Nvrlift]

Went to the US for a month and not a single tip was given. Tipping is nothing but a completely retarded american custom.

brb we should be tipping everyone just for doing their job.

[Nvrlift]

Server checking in.
Minimum wage here in AZ is $7.80 and minimum wage for servers is $4.35 so majority of my earnings come from tips.
For me unless the service is terrible (not the food btw) my standard tip at restaurants is %20.
But like I said, I feel that's the standard if the waiter or waitress does their job efficiently, is attentive, and friendly.

minimum wage is still $7.80, regardless if you get tips or not. Some people have no idea how tips and wages work in accordance with each other. No wonder this dumb tipping culture still exists. Just the blind leading the blind.

http://www.dol.gov/elaws/faq/esa/flsa/002.htm

Read the law.

[NBisMe]

minimum wage is still $7.80, regardless if you get tips or not. Some people have no idea how tips and wages work in accordance with each other. No wonder this dumb tipping culture still exists. Just the blind leading the blind.

http://www.dol.gov/elaws/faq/esa/flsa/002.htm

Read the law.

Usually if your tips + hourly wage as a server don't equal too the minimum wage of the state, you put it in the computer or whatever and it bumps it up so you have minimum wage of state for each hour you worked or whatever. something like that

[MarkVI]

TLDR.

From what I understand, the tip is typically split up with the back of the house staff....I guess that really changes from place to place...but if I assume that is the case, then your tip should only partly be reflected by the service. If food and service both suck, no $ tip, instead you write an actual tip in that section of the receipt.

20-25% is my norm for good service.

[dukend]

Went to the US for a month and not a single tip was given. Tipping is nothing but a completely retarded american custom.

brb we should be tipping everyone just for doing their job.

feels good to have the ability to make red.

[desslok]

Went to the US for a month and not a single tip was given. Tipping is nothing but a completely retarded american custom.

brb we should be tipping everyone just for doing their job.

That's one way to qualify you being a cheap bastard instead of just being honest with yourself. Do you avoid other silly customs like washing your hands after taking a dump, etc?

[dukend]

That's one way to qualify you being a cheap bastard instead of just being honest with yourself. Do you avoid other silly customs like washing your hands after taking a dump, etc?

Everyone calmly ignored his post stupidly before we took action.

[desslok]

Everyone calmly ignored his post stupidly before we took action.

Maybe a real rain will come and wash the scum from the streets.

[dukend]

Maybe a real rain will come and wash the scum from the streets.

necon has literally had to make it rain to wash his mom from the streets before.

[desslok]

necon has literally had to make it rain to wash his mom from the streets before.

That better not be some kind of clean food joke!!!

[dukend]

That better not be some kind of clean food joke!!!

"chicken breast and rice cakes."

-WP


LOL

[Domicron]

Something to consider: servers in some restaurants have to pay out a portion of their tips (usually based sales) to bussers, food runners, or even hosts. 15% is a fine start for people who give average service. Someone who gets you the food, no bad attitude, no delays, etc. I tip 20% unless they're awful and hire if they're really good, usually not more than 25.

Before you skimp on their tip, remember if a server is doing a good job but your meal soured by someone else, like the food being poorly prepared, or poor attitude. Ask to speak with the manager and voice your concerns. Then hopefully your experience is made better, you can happily tip the full percentage, and the server isn't penalized for someone else's mistake.

As for a consierge, if I ask for a recommendation and the concierge gives me a great tip, they get tipped later, usually on checkout. Case I point: I went to San Francisco last year. Hotel guy recommends chestnut street instead of all the big touristy places. We go there several times in the following week and eat our best meals there. I tip the guy $20 bucks for the great tip and regret not handing him a little more.

If he had just recommended an over priced tourist place to eat, probably wouldn't have given him anything

[Ondemand]

feels good to have the ability to make red.

got him out of the red, mad?

I too don't understand this whole obligatory tipping. Good service? Sure. Obligatory? No thanks jeff.

Then again, don't live in the US, so it's normal here