Money
& Life
Tipping the Scales
 How
much should you tip? Whether it's that cute waiter or your favorite
hairdresser, tipping is a hard thing to figure out—without a calculator,
that is. Read below to get some great tips…on tipping!
By Jennifer Park, GirlSite editor
The following list is meant to be just a general guide for tipping various
people and services. Keep in mind that tips are a way of expressing
your satisfaction. So, larger tips should be left for those who provide
extraordinarily good service, and smaller tips should be left when your
service is provided poorly. Like with anything, just use your best judgment
to make the decision.
Food Services
At a sit-down restaurant you should tip the...
| Waiter
or waitress: |
You
should leave them at least 15% of the bill. Or you can just take the
tax and double it to get the tip amount. You should leave at least
20% if it is a really expensive restaurant or if you have a large
number of people dining. |
| Owner:
|
Nothing,
unless they are the one who is serving you. |
| Busboy:
|
Nothing.
They usually get a portion of the waitstaffs' tips. |
| Servers
at counter: |
You
should leave them at least 15% of the bill. |
| Coat
check attendant: |
You should give them at least $1 for one or two coats. |
| Rest
room attendant: |
You
should give them at least 50 cents to $1. |
| Car
park attendant: |
You
should give them at least $1. |
At a buffet-style restaurant you should tip the...
| Waiter/Waitress: |
You
should leave them at least 5% to 10% of the total bill. This depends
heavily on exactly how much work is done by the waitstaff. In some
restaurants, the waitstaff does very little, like simply bringing
fresh linen and/or utensils. In other restaurants, the staff brings
drinks, and some orders from the kitchen directly. |
For food deliveries you should tip at least...
| $1-$2 |
If
it is a short distance. |
| $2-$3
|
If
it is a longer distance. |
| $5
or more |
If
it is a large delivery or if you live really far away. |
If you are picking up your food order, which is...
| A
small food order (less than $30): |
No
tip is necessary, but a small tip (50 cents-$2) is appreciated,
especially if the carry-out counter is busy, and especially if you
need silverware or request extra stuff like seasonings. |
Beauty Services
At a beauty salon you should tip the...
| Your
hairdresser: |
You should give them at least 15% of the bill. |
| Several
people fussing over you: |
You
should give 10% of the bill to the person who cuts your hair, and
10% divided amongst the others. |
| Owner:
|
You
should give them nothing, unless they are the one cutting your hair,
then follow above rules. |
| Person
who shampoos or washes hair: |
You
should give them at least $1 to $2. |
| Manicurist:
|
You
should give them at least $3 or more, depending on cost. |
Car Services
At the gas station you should tip the...
| Gas
Attendant |
Nothing.
Most gas attendants don’t check your oil, clean your windows
and pump your gas like they used to back in the old days. Most times,
we’re pumping our own gas, and I prefer it that way. |
At a parking garage you should tip the...
| Parking
attendant: |
You
should give them at least $1. If your attendant helps you with your
luggage or packages slipping them a Lincoln ($5) is customary. And
if your attendant has to go far and beyond the call of duty (like
more than three blocks to get your car) $2 or more is suggested.
|
Traveling Services
At a hotel you should tip the...
| Hotel
maid: |
You
should leave them at least $5 a night minimum, more if you have
a long stay (over a week) Consider $7 to $9 a night. |
| Room
service waiter: |
You
should give them at least 15% of the bill. |
| Bellhop:
|
You
should give them at least $3 for bringing you to your room with
luggage, and at least $5 dollars for opening and showing you the
room. |
| Lobby
attendant: |
Nothing
for opening doors or calling a taxi for you, but you should give
them at least $1 or more for help with luggage or finding a taxi
on the street. |
| Desk
clerk: |
Nothing,
unless special service is given during a long stay, then at least
$5. |
At an airport you should tip the...
| Skycaps: |
You
should give them at least $1 or more per bag. |
| In-flight
personnel: |
Nothing.
Peanuts and pillows are just the extras we get. |
If you went on a tour guide (day trips only) you should tip the...
| Bus
Driver: |
You
should you give them at least 10-15% of the tour cost. |
If you took a taxi you should tip the...
| Driver: |
You
should give them at least 15% of the fare, but no less than
25 cents (come on, please.) |
For more help, go to
www.tipping.org.
They also have a cool spreadsheet that shows tips calculated for 15% and
20% from $1.00 to $150 dollars.
|
