Tipping

Ah the glorious American tradition of tipping! It can seem rather baffling at first- whom do you tip, how much, when?

Here are some guidelines:

Waiter/Waitresses: 15% of your bill for okay service, 20% for good service (if this seems like a lot, keep in mind that in most states servers only get paid a hourly wage of between $3-$4; if the service was terrible and it was the waiter’s fault, not the kitchen’s, then it’s okay to leave less). If you are a large party (typically over 6 or 8 people), gratuity will often be already included on the bill; if this is the case, it is not neccesarry to give an additional tip.

Bartenders: $1 per drink or 15% of the total bill
Delivery Drivers: (pizza, etc): 10% of the bill, $2 minimum
Take out (carry out): Not usually tipped
Hairdresser/Barber: Between 10 and 15% of the bill
Manicurists/masseuses/other spa treatment personel: 15%
Valet Driver: between $2 and $5 to be paid when the car is returned
Cab Driver: 15% of fare, a couple of dollars more if lifting of heavy luggage is involved
Hotel Housekeeper: $1 a night if you are staying more than one night or $5 dollars for a single night
Bellhop: $5 to $10 for taking your luggage up to your room
Concierge at a hotel: $5 to $10, more if they have gone above and beyond to help you.