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We all that know that tipping your waiter 15-20% is the standard (though some of you will surely disagree) or that you usually throw the pizza guy at least a couple bucks, especially if he braves flood waters to deliver your order. But what about your tattoo artist, or your salmon fishing guide or your sherpa?
The folks at CouponSherpa.com have come up with a handy reference list of 63 different tips for tipping. Here are some highlights:
*Take-Out Food - 10% when you pay. Make sure you tip based on the entire check if you use restaurant coupons.
*Mom & Pop Coffee Shops – $1 if you’re just purchasing a drink. 10% if you’re running a tab or making a meal-sized purchase.
*Chain Coffee Shops – 25 cents tossed in the tip jar, if they were nice and you feel like it. More if they made you a complex drink and served it pleasantly. Nothing if you got your own cup and filled it while all they did was take your cash.
*Taxi - 10% to 15% is standard and 20% if the driver helps you with heavy bags.
*Stylist, Colorist or Barber – 15% to 20%
Pizza – $2 to $5 depending on the distance the delivery person had to drive. If you use pizza coupons, make sure you tip based on the total price of the check. Check first to make sure a small tip was not already included in the total price, but make sure this isn’t a “service fee” not shared with drivers.
*Furniture – $5 per large item delivered. You may want to tip more if the delivery requires a lot of set up.
*Hotel Housekeeping Staff – $1 to $5, depending on the hotel’s quality and extra services provided. Tip daily as staff varies and put the cash in a sealed enveloped indicating it’s for housekeeping.
* Blackjack Dealers — $5 chip per gambling session (higher at high limit tables). Also, you can set up a side bet for the dealer as a tip, usually at the minimum betting level.
*Salmon Fishing Guides — 15% is the average for independent fishing guides, but not less than 10%.
*Museum Guides — $1 per tour participant.
*Tattoo Artists – 10% to 20%, depending on the difficulty and amount of work performed.
*Movers – $10 to $20 per mover, depending on the amount of work necessary.
*Tow Truck Operators – $3 to $5 per car towed, even if it’s covered by AAA.
*Mail Carriers – Government employees are prohibited from receiving money as a gift or gratuity, but the Postal Service tends to turn a blind eye during the holidays. A $5 to $10 tip is sufficient, unless your mail is delivered by a different carrier each day. Even better, write a letter of appreciation to the carrier’s supervisor.
*Sherpas – Tip one Yak for making it up the mountain and an additional Yak every time the sherpa has to save you from falling off the mountain.
You can check out the entire list at CouponSherpa.com.
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Excellent list!
And don’t forget, if you’re rich, double all of the above tipping guidelines. At least.
You know, to stimulate the economy, you cheap bastards…
The only takeout I tip for is the Chinese and Japanese place around the corner from my house. Seeing as we’re regulars dining in, and the waitresses/Hostesses are cute, I don’t mind….
Well, I may be inviting people to attack me with this comment, but I think tipping should never be expected. I’m not saying I don’t tip, because I do. I’m saying that tipping should be an activity to recognize superior service, not an additional fee on standard service. Restaurants should be required to pay a flat wage and not expect patrons to tack on a fee of 15-20% (When & why did it increase from the 10% it was when I was younger?).
Paying waitstaff should be included in the cost of the food. If someone is exceptionally nice or goes out of their way, hand them a couple of bucks, but the very idea of required tipping is offensive.
Now… back to reality… I recognize this will never happen. So I tip decently for decent service and really well for superior service. Occasionally, very poor service results in a low tip (probably not more than 1 out of 20 times I go out) or none at all(I’ve only done this 4 or 5 times in my life).
I agree, I wish tipping weren’t necessary but workers in low-end jobs are exploited so heavily that it really behooves we in luckier situations to try to help them out.
My complaint with tipping is when people get upset at people who don’t tip because they got bad service, claiming that by not tipping they’re hurting the busboys, chefs and dishwasher, not just the waiter, or that it’s not the waiter’s fault. I go to a restaurant to get a meal prepared and served to me, and I want to pay one price (in an ideal world that price would be printed in the menu). I don’t want to have to worry that everyone is being compensated for their time, thats the restaurant’s responsibility. The markup on restaurant food is incredible – for what I can make at home for $4 I’m paying $15.99 for at a restaurant. If it takes 45 minutes to arrive cold, I’m sure not paying an extra 20% for it.
This is why I want to move to Japan. Tipping is considered offensive for ANY service! So much easier.
Taxis and food delivery get a couple bucks.
Waitstaff get 20% unless they’ve done me wrong.
But the pot delivery guy gets $10 every time. That’s someone you want on your good side.
Oh goodness this is so embarrassing… All this time, I was unaware that tipping sherpas was common practice! No wonder last time he let me take a good several tumbles down the hill before jumping into my rescue, with that taunting look in his eye…
I tip them the same way I used to give gifts to my mom when I was a kid:
“This coupon redeemable for one free compliment!”
“This coupon redeemable for one free hug!”
etc…
I don’t mind tipping and I am reasonable about it when I agree with it. I automatically include the tip in my head as the price of whatever service I am receiving. I don’t see it as “extra.” I wish more restaurants would include the price of the gratuity in the cost of the food and that’s what you pay. Period. It works in other countries.
Who I do NOT tip:
Pouring me a cup of coffee at Starbucks – No.
Towing my car – WTF? No.
Making me an ice cream cone? No.
Museum guide. No. They are usually volunteers and/or docents and do not expect to get paid or tipped.
Grocery Baggers – Never heard of this. Would you tip the cashier? No. So why baggers?
Garbage collector – Those guys are union and have a good salary and benefits.
Mail Carrier or any other Civil Servant? No. They too are paid a living wage and have good retirement and benefits.
Who I DO tip:
20%-25% – Waiter/Waitress
10% – Take out from Restaurant
$5-$10 – Each person for furniture delivery; more if they set something up for me or take away the wrapping.
15%-20% – Hair Dresser
15%-20% For pizza or food delivery. My formula is ($total bill – $any delivery fee) = $amount I use to calculate tip. Also, FYI the delivery fee does not usually go to the driver. I know a lot of people assume that, so you should ask.
$2-$5 per day for hotel cleaning person.
I’m pretty sure Sherpas prefer cash. Try a yak and they will probably butcher you for feed.
How come Hardware store employees don’t get tips?
We are advising you on jobs that if you hired a professional, would cost you $50+ per hour.
I found more money sweeping the floor than I ever got in tips, of course that $100 kind of skews the average.
Every time one of these lists comes out its always from an over-tipper.
Tip on take out? Not on your life.
I don’t tip the guy at Taco bell, I’m not tipping the guys at Bob Evans because they threw some wildfire in a box instead of a plate.
I’m surprised on the pizza drivers they don’t mention weather. If it is raining, I toss a couple extra bucks. If it is snow/icy out, I have been known to tip 100% depending on how bad the weather is.
You guys must of fallen on your head. Waiters in a sit down restaurant and pizza delivery people are the ONLY ones I tip, and the pizza guy only if they are fast and the pizza is hot.
This brings up a good question:
If you go to one of those naked sushi places, how much should you tip the “platter”?
I tip waitstaff only because their employers aren’t required to pay them minimum wage and most are dependant upon tips for income. Everyone else accpets what that employer is offering them and I don’t tip. As it is now, everyone has their hand (or jar) out expecting a tip. It’s to a point where the expectation of a tip extends to every aspect of business and it’s a trend that really needs to stop.
That’s not true for Alaska, California, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington, where waitstaff do make minimum wage as required by law.
http://www.dol.gov/whd/state/tipped.htm
Should they be tipped at the same rate as states without minimum wage requirements for waitstaff?
I wish someone from one of those states would post what the rule of thumb is. There should be a difference.
I was a salon assistant and we got paid well below minimum wage because we were (allegedly) tipped. Except most people don’t think to tip the shampoo person so we just got really crappily paid. The salon is ridiculously successful and never lacks for assistants, of course.
Most of these I will not tip for. I feel like what they are doing is part of their job.
.
What if your tattoo artist owns his studio? I would think it a little absurd if he were to charge less than he felt he needed/deserved and subsequently expect a tip. I will have to ask mine his thoughts next time I go in.
Wait – you tip when you get take out? Not delivery where someone brings it to you, not dining out where you sit there and someone serves you – but where you drive to the restaurant pick up the food yourself and go home to eat? Where the extent of their interaction with you is operating the till?
Fuck that. If I’m doing all the work, I’m not tipping.
Wait – you tip when you get take out? Not delivery where someone brings it to you, not dining out where you sit there and someone serves you – but where you drive to the restaurant pick up the food yourself and go home to eat? Where the extent of their interaction with you is operating the till?
Fuck that. If I’m doing all the work, I’m not tipping.
Some of these make sense. Some of these blow my mind. Museum guides? Movers? Tow truck operators?
One of these is usually a volunteer, and the other two are incredibly expensive services. I’m not made of money. Maybe we just need a list of people we’re not supposed to tip?
The pizza recommendation says “$2 to $5 depending on the distance the delivery person had to drive,” but then says to figure the tip based on the amount of the bill before applying coupons. Confusing.
I’d go with “whichever is higher.”
Experience has shown that if you tip delivery drivers very well, they will take care of you. Consider it an investment in fresh, hot food and possibly some free stuff.
Eight Percent – Which is fair…
As a garbageman we often got tips like a a 1/5th of a 6-pack for xmas. I didn’t drink but was careful not to dent their cans after that. As a pizza delivery guy for Dominoes, never got a tip unless it was a few cents change (We had to say we didn’t carry cash and they’d grudgingly let me keep the 17¢).
Take-Out Food – nope
Mom & Pop Coffee Shops – pennies
Chain Coffee Shops – pennies
Taxi – usually ~$10 (not that often)
Stylist Colorist Barber – a buck or two but now I shave my head at home
Pizza – %15
Funiture delivery – huh?
Hotel Housekeeping Staff – I don’t even know how to do this. If I leave money out & it comes up missing I’ll be pissed.
Blackjack Dealers – don’t play but I’d tip
Salmon Fishing Guides – huh?
Museum Guides – not on your life
Tattoo Artists – I’d tip them if they tattooed my drunken friend but I have no tats
Movers – Always moved myself (so many moving companies are criminal orgs)
Tow Truck Operators – more criminals who have always tried to rip me off.
Mail Carriers – Some of our mailmen screw everything up, always not getting our mail but getting a lot of other people’s mail. My assumption is my neighbors don’t bring it to us. One mailman found every excuse not to deliver “loose dog”, “cars parked near boxes”, “too much rain”, “angry peasants” These guys make a killing; if I tipped them it’d be with 1¢ stamps.
Sherpas – Sure, every time I climb Everest.
ferryman – DO NOT TIP UNTIL you get to the other side!
*Take-Out Food — Hells no.
*Mom & Pop Coffee Shops — I might if I went to one, but I don’t.
*Chain Coffee Shops — there is no tip jar at the chain I go to.
*Taxi – 10-15% — Yeah. Same for airport “limo” drivers.
*Stylist, Colorist or Barber — 15% to 20% — Yeah.
Pizza – $2 to $5 — Yeah.
*Furniture — No, not unless they go above and beyond somehow.
*Hotel Housekeeping Staff – In a nice hotel, sure. In the types of places I usually end up at? No.
* Blackjack Dealers — Never been. Good to know in case.
*Salmon Fishing Guides — Never been. Good to know in case.
*Museum Guides — AHAHAHAAHAHA NO. First, I’d never use one. Second, why should they make MORE if they handle MORE people? That’s less attention/service for me.
*Tattoo Artists — Never been. Good to know in case.
*Movers – $10 to $20 per mover — Yeah, tipped the 3 guys who did my last move $20 each.
*Tow Truck Operators — Only used one once (to take dead car from my house to mechanics) and didn’t. Oops?
*Mail Carriers — Something at Christmas maybe?
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Is it just me or is who we have to tip getting ridiculous? Also, my brother-in-law waiter told me recently “we’re trying to push the normal tipping amount up to 20%”… gotta admit that pissed me off to hear.
This is a bunch of BS.
The only tips that are expected are 15% to servers and even that has no legal requirement and most restaraunts do not require tipping unless you have 6 or more.
Nothing else is considered a tipped position.
LOLWHUT? I don’t know where you live, but you’re completely wrong.
Waitresses/delivery people aside, are any of these other people relying on tips? How did these certain professions evolve into being deserving of tips?
I feel like tipping is now something that we are expected to do if we want to get good service in the future, not something that we do to thank people for their good service.
I think the folks at CouponSherpa are smokin’ crack. Why on earth would I tip for take out?!?!?!?
Why am I supposed to tip the taxi driver, exactly? What is “service above and beyond” when it’s just a matter of taking me somewhere?
Adhering to all traffic laws – no running red lights, no tailgating people – nothing that makes me think I’m on a roller coaster rather than in a car.
Sadly, that is “above and beyond” service for a taxi.
Running red lights and ignoring traffic laws to get me somewhere faster might actually earn a tip from me. I look for “above and beyond”. Simply driving me somewhere earns them their fare. Saving me time earns a tip.
Never a shortage of people telling you what to do with your money or what you are because you don’t do it their way. Here’s to Maxwell House in my house and DiGiorno instead of delivery. I’m not against tipping but tipping should be a reward for outstanding service and not just doing your job.
I only tip the hair stylist 10% and I think that’s plenty. If I pay $50 for a haircut that takes 15 minutes max, a $5 tip is plenty. That’s $20 an hour just in tip money. And they get paid a salary.
Wow. So many reasons to not tip, it just boggles the mind. Does the server at a takeout counter deserve a tip for handing me a cup of coffee, which I then have to bring to the cream and sugar counter afterward? Two words: F**k no! Do pizza delivery guys/gals deserve a tip? Yes–and it gets bigger if it gets here faster. Does your barber/hairstylist deserve a tip? If (s)he does a great job, definitely–always go to the same barber–charges $15, give him $5 as a tip. Don’t take taxis too often, but will always tip at least 15%, more if he turns off the meter when we get stuck in traffic. Can’t comment on the other scenarios listed, as I’ve yet to step foot in a casino, a tattoo parlour, or on the base camp of Mt. (pick your mountain). Nor had it ever occurred to me to tip a furniture delivery guy — after all, isn’t that what he’s paid to do? Notwithstanding the other scenarios I do tip aren’t in the same situations, but you’ve been conditioned to tip those guys, not the guy that delivered your mattress and took away the old one. Would the world be a better place if all employees in the service industry (food or otherwise) were paid a fair wage that would make them not rely on tips? Yes. Alas, it doesn’t work that way on this continent.
Some of these tips are from the weird world of New York City tipping traditions and are certainly not part of the norm where I grew up. Tipping the Mail Carrier … really? Tipping Carryout Food … Huh? And that Sherpa thing? I have nothing against tipping your Sherpa (if I was willing to squander big-bucks trying to kill myself); but is that for real.
20% tip (about 10 for carryout) is my starting point, and I’m easy to go by. Keep my drink filled and it goes up. I try to be as generous as practical, because most waiters/waitresses rely on tips for income (in most chains, the host(ess) gets a cut as do bussers and bartenders
At least, I hope at the local mom & pop pizza shop, they remember me and I get a little better service.
On our last trip to NYC, I drove around the block our Times Square hotel was on four times during rush hour because there were no spots in front of the hotel to unload luggage. The fifth time around, the door guy signaled me to stop and roll down my window. He asked if I was staying there and when I said I was he shooed a couple of cabs away and directed me in. You better believe I gave him a tip, mainly because he was perceptive enough to notice the idiot in the rental that decided to drive into midtown on a Friday afternoon and kept circling the block.
take out – I only tip if a server had to run around and gather special items for me (condiments, extra bread, etc.) and if they are pleasant.
I wasn’t aware that all of these professions were paid less than minimum wage with the understanding that I (the customers) would make up for their cheap ass bosses.
If I tip my mail man does that mean that I have to tip the Fedex and UPS delivery guys? What about my local garbage man, won’t he get jealous if he sees that my mail main gets a tip? How about plumbers? Why do movers make the cut but plumbers don’t? And why stop there, what about doctors and nurses? Isn’t the medical field a service based industry as well? Ooh, do computer repair men make the cut? Should I expect a tip every time I set up a wireless network?
I’m telling you, companies are getting smarter and smarter. They realize that they don’t have to pay their employees any more because they know that their customer’s will do it for them out of some ridiculous guilt that we’re supposed to feel if we don’t.
Ok first let me apologize for my choice in wording, I’ve had a very frustrating week. But I do have a few responses for everyone.
“THEN GET ANOTHER JOB. I WORKED PIZZA DELIVERY TOO. YOU GET PAID PORTION OF DELIVERY FEE AND IN MOST CASES + MILEAGE *AND* AN HOURLY WAGE. “
Ok, another job isn’t available here. I get paid $1 per delivery and nothing for mileage.
“Further, this is a hard lesson to learn. The choices you make in life have consequences. Having a child before a career leads to Pizza Delivery. Working Pizza Delivery pays what it pays. Is it not enough that when you go on welfare we pay for YOUR child? How’s that for a tip. “
Ok because you know me. I’m not on welfare, I work my ass off to make sure my daughter has what she needs.
“To do what with, exactly? Mess with their food (which is legally assault)?”
HELL NO. That is absolutely disgusting and I honestly would never even think of it. But if I notice a pretty far out address that has repeatedly not tipped, even as friendly as I am and even when I get their food to them in 30 minutes,sometimes less, maybe I’m not going to go out of my way to get the food there super fast.
On a happier note, I didn’t get stiffed at all today and walked away with a decent amount of money. Now I need to try and sleep as I have to be up early.
Most places don’t charge a delivery fee anymore. Most drivers now have to pay for their own gas, or else get a tiny stipend that doesn’t cover it. Times, they change.
Rip-off.
I actually wanted to know how much to tip a Sherpa.
I wonder how many people here would flip their opinion if performance bonuses were properly considered a sort of tip. My guess is most. Interesting, that.
How about the airport shuttle guy? And if he helps you with your bags vs if he doesn’t?
BTW, I’ve never tipped a museum tour guide, as having worked in several museums, I’ve never heard of anyone tipping them. i’m not even sure if they’re allowed to take tips.
Tipping for takeout is like paying extra to print your own Ticketmaster tickets.
I tip for people like wait staff and delivery drivers where it is known that they rely on tips as part of their wage. My tip depends on the level of service I recieve.
I don’t tip people who make a “normal” wage, for simply doing their job. That includes the furniture delivery guy, tow truck driver, mover, Dunkin Donuts cashier, mailman, or housekeeper.
Now, if I ask for special consideration from these folks, and they comply, I have no problem giving them a little extra. My UPS guy always puts my packages in plastic when there is a chance of rain, and he hides them behind a bush. I might leave him something come Christmas. He doesn’t need to do that. If I buy furniture and the delivery guy is willing to help me move another piece while he is there, then he gets a tip. Again, he doesn’t have to do that.
I don’t tip at coffee shops or when I pick up food. I feel it’s unnecessary, the person who made the food / rang up the food doesn’t depend on tips like drivers or the wait staff. Same with coffee shops.
I do have to say that I get offended if I go into a chain restaurant (with no wait staff like Moe’s Southwest Grille – it’s set up like a cafeteria line) and they have a tip jar at the register. If someone should go above and beyond their job I will tip, but for your regular duties – nope.
When tipping is “expected”, I am curious to know who sets these expectations and what they are based on? My understanding with restaurant tipping is that it is for the wait staff. Now 10% is expected for carry out. I understand that chefs, host, cashier, etc work hard to get me a take out order, but that’s what I pay the base price for. What if food turns out to be bad, cold, etc? Can I get my 10% back?
I don’t think hardly anybody will read this far, but I have a question:
How much are we supposed to tip at a buffet-style restaurant?
We do 15% at most regular restaurants, and usually 10% at buffets. We figure, the waiters usually work more tables because their job is much easier, just picking up dirty plates & refilling drinks.
Yes no?
i usually do a dollar a person at buffets for the drinks handling. If they don’t bring me anything or serve me in any way, they do not get tipped.
That’s not a bad idea. It probably works out to about 10% in and of itself. Thanks.
Anyone else find it really creepy how so many people use tipping as a power trip? Fascinating, but creepy.
I’d say “abolish the tip economy!” but then, what else would these people do to get their power trip on? Er…
Oh, look. Another one of these insane “how to tip if you live in New York” articles. As usual, if you don’t live in the Big Apple where they seem to have people with their hand out for a tip every thirty feet, feel free to ignore most of this article.
What is proper etiquette when the person you are supposed to tip is also the owner/operator?
I’m paying the guy a bill, and he is getting all of my money. Am I supposed to tip him on top of that? I know the answer it yes, but it just seems odd.
The general rule is that the owner of an establishment does not get a tip. I have heard of people doing it, but it should not be expected.
Here’s my list:
Take-Out Food – No. I did all the work.
*Mom & Pop Coffee Shops – No. unless you come to my table and take the order.
*Chain Coffee Shops — No.
*Taxi – No. 10% if the driver helps you with heavy bags.
*Stylist, Colorist or Barber — 15% if they do a great job
Pizza – No. This is tip creep.
*Furniture — uh….No, that’s why they charge a fee.
*Hotel Housekeeping Staff – pfffff. you must be kidding.
* Blackjack Dealers — Only if im winning. Its their job to throw you off. screw them
*Salmon Fishing Guides — WTF is this? why do you need a guide?
*Museum Guides — I tipped the museum when i came in.
*Tattoo Artists – depends on how much i liked the work.
*Movers – 10% if they don’t drag their damn feet the whole time.
*Tow Truck Operators – No. More tip creep.
*Mail Carriers – No way.
*Sherpas – 1 chicken.
Tipping for takeout, tow truck operators??? This list is pure, arbitrary BS.
I have always tipped tow truck drivers. Especially since I have AAA with 100 mile allowed per tow. I have taken full advantage of that 100 miles as I work 56 miles from my home. Getting towed 56 miles to my mechanic in rush hour traffic is worth $20 to me even though I have already payed my $80 or so for my annual AAA dues.