Tips on Tips
From Mr. Manners’ Quick and Dirty Tips For A More Polite Life:
For many people who work in the service industry, tips may be the majority of their income. So do keep that in mind when tipping. But, a tip is also given for quality of service, so don’t be afraid of being more or less generous depending on the service you have received. You may find that the quality of service becomes linked to the generosity of your tip in establishments you frequent, so certainly remember to be as generous (if not more so) in places where you are a regular.
In terms of amount of tip, many people are familiar with the idea of a standard 15% tip, although 20% is becoming more common in fine dining establishments and larger metropolitan areas in general. My personal preference is to tip 20% or a little more where service is excellent.
Now, here are a few specific tipping suggestions:
- For service at a restaurant, tip 20% for good service, 15% for merely adequate service, or less if you are truly disappointed. I will tend to tip on the full bill; for very high end restaurants you may wish to separate the tip to the wait staff from the tip to the sommelier. If you are at a self-service buffet, then I think a 10 to 15% tip is adequate, depending on the service involved.
- For bartenders, tip 1 or 2 dollars per drink, or 20%, whichever is more.
- For bellhops, tip 2 to 5 dollars, or more if you have excess luggage.
- For taxi drivers or limousine drivers, tip 20% of the bill (not including tolls).
- For delivery people, I suggest tipping a minimum of 10% of the bill, and certainly at least 2 to 5 dollars.
- For barbers or hairdressers, tip 20%, with a couple of dollars for the person who washes your hair (if that’s a separate person). If the person doing your hair is the owner of the salon, then it may not be appropriate to tip. If you are unsure, then you may ask if they are the owner and inquire if they would be offended if you were to offer a gratuity. The likelihood is that they will happily accept.
- For valet attendants, tip 2 dollars when they retrieve your car.
These are all, of course, only suggestions, so please be sure to give what you feel is appropriate to the service you have received. And remember, a tip is not a substitute for good manners. It does not relieve you of the responsibility of treating those serving you with civility, politeness, and respect.
