I'm going to NYC! Need advice about the tipping culture

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So, I'm going for a vacation to NYC next Sunday, and since we don't really have a tipping culture where I'm from, some things about it confuse me:

- How many percents of the bill does a tip have to be? I used to think that 10-15 % would be a good tip, it certainly has been passable in some other countries, but when I started to read specifically about New York, lots of sites say that 18 % is the minimum if you don't want to be rude, 20 % is standard and above that is good. Or at least, these are apparently the rules at restaurants. Is this true?

- Let's say I get a bill of 40 dollars in a restaurant, yet all I have to pay with are 100 dollar bills. If I give the waiter the entire thing, will I get 60 dollars in return? Or will they automatically take some sum as a tip before giving me the change? ...They can't take the whole thing under the pretense of it being tip, can they? This has apparently happened to some people, though the cases I know of have happened in Southern Europe and the sums have been smaller.

- If one happens to leave a tip that waiters (or anyone really) sees as not enough, are they really gonna run after you? If they do, they don't have a legal right to demand more; the "correct way of tipping" is a social rule, not an actual law, right? I mean, I get it that leaving no tip is a big social no no, but one can't get in legal trouble for it, right? Not that I plan to be rude, but just in case I forget.

- Sometimes the service is already included in the bill and one doesn't need to leave tip, right? Is the already paid service tax usually mentioned clearly in the bill, or do some places try to hide it in order to get double tips?

- For hotel cleaners, dollar/night/person is enough tip, yes?

- And finally, not exactly a tip question, but how do taxes on prices work there? I mean, I heard that sometimes the tax is included in the price and sometimes not, so how does one tell the difference? Is it clearly written somewhere, or is there so specific symbol that tells if the price includes tax or not?

This stuff might seem obvious to some people (mostly Americans), but like I said, we don't have tipping culture here, and I've never been to USA before either, so I don't really get this stuff despite reading about it quite a lot since starting to plan the trip.

I do not live in NYC, but I’m going to assume it’s not like a separate country and I have traveled extensively in and out of the USA.

Native New Yorker opinions should outweigh my opinion.

I have had servers at higher end places just take that 100 dollars and I have had to request my change. If you use a bigger bill like this - do not hesitate to tell them to bring you the change.
It might save you some worry to instead use a credit card. Or bring a prepaid credit card to avoid having any long term issues with number theft. Some cities have rules about not taking the card away from the customers sight but instead bringing the card reader to the table. Locals please respond to this.

However - do not deposit a large sum of money into one prepaid card. I did this for my daughter when she was traveling and even though it was through a very reputable company the issuer blocked the use of the card and it left my daughter in a difficult situation (long story).

I do tip generously if I have been impressed with service 20% (or more) and less if they were obviously neglectful. This applies to sit down restaurants.

If you stop at a food stall/food truck (counter service)-Usually just a couple dollars - no matter the amount of the food bill.

I don’t tip at fast food restaurants except maybe Starbucks or a place you expect to return to often.

I do not worry about irate responses to my tipping as i am happy to explain my logic and if it was a reduced tip I won’t be coming back anyway due to their poor service.

No one has ever “run” after me or responded much at all.

Ubers and taxis - I do tip - maybe 5 dollars or less depending on distance if they were friendly and accommodating.

I tip at nail and hair salons - usually closer to 15%.

Baggage handling 1-2 $ per bag.

Concierge 5$ per help or more if the task required phone calls and extra time.

Some hotel room workers expect tips - many do not - higher end ones more so but I would leave this until the end of the stay. Do not leave valuables laying around your room - ever. I’ve even known women whose makeup was taken.
Depending on your hotel - since the pandemic - room cleaning has been reduced and may be on request. I tend to refuse any room cleaning unless I’m present and just get towels or whatever on request.

I would imagine NYC is so diverse and full of tourists that whatever you do no one will do or say much of anything.

It should be clearly posted if the tip is included but I’ll leave that to native New Yorkers response.

It’s is my understanding that the worst offense is blocking the sidewalk while gawking.

Have a fun trip!!

I thought those wouldn't need to be tipped at all, or that I could just leave the change if it was a few pennies or something. Well, good to know.



I see... I think I should try to use up the bigger bills in stores if I can, then.



I've usually tipped the hotel staff on the last day, but apparently that's not the preferred way since then the one who happens to be in turn that day gets the whole sum instead of everyone who cleans my room? Of course, some hotels always have the same cleaner for the room and that's different, but in case there are several, wouldn't it be fair to tip daily?
Fortunately I don't usually take any valuables along, let alone leave them in sight, so that should be fine... should I be worried about my meds being taken? They aren't anything too strong, but one does need a permit from a doctor to get most of them.



I sure hope so.



I think that's kind of universal... and I've been guilty of it before. Hopefully I'm experienced enough of a traveler by now to not do that, but no promises.



Thanks!

I'm not in NYC, but I am on the West Coast of Canada in Vancouver where tipping cultures are very very similar being an expensive location w/ a strong tipping culture for service employees.

Correct on the percentages - but they're still just very loose guidelines. People tip according to the quality of service And what they can afford. If a customer is a very nice good customer and they leave a ~10% tip because they simply don't have it in their budget to leave 15-20%, whatever, so be it. Only the greediest servers might grumble about it behind the scenes. If someone is rude and difficult despite receiving phenomenal service and leaves a ~10% tip the server might grumble to other staff a bit more about how they were rude customers and then didn't even leave a good tip.

There are no rules. No one is going to come chasing after you for not tipping high enough. They just might not give you as good of service if you return is all. Like if you buy a drink for $4.75 and tip 25 cents you might not get prompt service the next time you order a drink, but if you buy a drink for $4.75 and tip $1-2, then when you come back to the bar you might find yourself getting served faster, maybe being poured a stiffer drink etc.

I used to bar tend for several years and I don't eat/drink out often At All, almost never buy drinks from a bar.. so that 1-3 times/year where I have 2-3 drinks, if I buy a $7 drink I'll pay with a $10 bill. If I buy a double for $15 or whatever, I'll pay with a $20 bill. I know I'm only going to have a couple drinks, but a solid tip on the first one means I get good service, free glasses of water or pop when I stop drinking vs. being sold bottled water, and have a good rep with the bar staff should their be any problems at the venue - you never know in some places when a fight might break out so it's good that the service & door staff acknowledge you as someone on their side should anything go down.

If you pay a $60 tab with a $100 bill they're going to bring you change and it'll be broken down into 5's 10's 20's vs. just a couple 20's. They do this as they don't expect a $20 bill as a 33% tip so create the opportunity for you to select 5, 10, 15 etc to leave as a tip. They won't just keep the change on the bill unless you specifically tell them to keep the change - which is a common thing, but more like if the bill was $80-85 and you pay with a $100 bill then you might say to keep it when you hand it to them, or when they go to hand you change back. It's rare that someone is as bold/rude as to just assume that the change is theirs.

As for automatic gratuities, they're usually printed right on the bill at the bottom BUT sometimes service staff fail to mention that (intentionally) and then people pay with their card/cash and leave an additional tip on top of that - which is then a huuuuuuge tip. Crazy. Keep an eye out for that. You're not obligated to pay a penny more than the automatic gratuity - which are typically 18% And usually only on larger parties of 6 or more people. Sometimes 8 or more etc. These policies ensure that servers and kitchen staff get paid the tip $ they rely on for serving large parties... because it sucks when you spend a bunch of time serving a large party that occupied the table for twice as long as smaller parties and then they don't leave a tip at all.


Tips aren't mandatory, but they are customary and somewhat expected. You don't HAVE TO tip. If you don't, no one's sending you to the non-tippers jail or anything. Unless there's an automatic gratuity policy on a large party that's applied to your bill, or a policy like on a cruise ship where it is a mandatory expense you're automatically billed, then you're not OBLIGATED to tip anything at all. Some people I served were too poor to tip anything as they're scrape their couch cushions to buy a $2 beer on Wednesday night and they'd say they wish they could afford to leave me a tip and I'd just tell them enjoy themselves have a good night let the people in the room with deep pockets pay me well.

Also, people in the service industry have come to stereotype people with British accents as non-tippers. So, you might find yourself getting poor service based on your accent because they assume that no matter how good of a job they do serving you they're not getting a tip. If they give you terrible service, don't tip them. If it's ok but not very good, tip them low. If it's good/great, and you can afford it, leave them the more customary 15%ish. (Which is nuts that the % is creeping up while menu prices are also rising... makes for some damned good tips on a busy night! But so many servers lost their income during covid so if they make really good $ now for a while they're catching up a bit I suppose.)

Many debates on tips.. some places people make $50/night, other places they might make $300-500+, REALLY high end places I've heard of people making $1500/night in tips presenting expensive bottles of wine. And then there are the majority that fall somewhere in between the $50-300 on top of their minimum wage. Much to debate, but, "It is what it is," so just knowing that it's simply the way things are in the place you're visiting, if you want to not be labelled as a cheap tourist, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."

I tip about 20% because it's easier to calculate mentally.

I don't really understand all this stuff about 'service'. All I'm interested in is paying for my food & drink and then being left in peace to eat it. I don't want any interaction with the staff in the restaurant or bar beyond that. Thank goodness I only eat at McDonald's these days. Hope they never bring in a tipping and 'service' culture there.

You wouldn't like wagamama then

Ok.

Then don’t ever dine in a restaurant with table service, and especially not one with Someliers or Cicerones.

...You mean tipping's not a thing in the UK?

Asking as someone who went to London in 2018 and did tip when going to eat, McDonalds not counting. Well, even if it's not a thing there, no one sure seemed to mind.

My mom and my aunt once went to NYC and a big, burly man, my mom said he didn't speak English too well and looked like he might have been Greek or Russian once came running after them after leaving a pizza place because they didn't leave him enough money for the tip, according to him. When my mom told me the story she thought it was pretty funny, but if a total stranger who looks like some kind of a bodyguard came suddenly running towards me I think I would have been terrified.

The tipping culture in the States is insane. If people want a tip, I'll tell them something like "Don't take candy from strangers".

Tipping culture here is getting a bit nuts. With all the debit/credit tap payment machines they can be programmed with automatic prompts to leave a tip of x% (choose one of three options) or enter a custom % or dollar amount.

Automation is fine for sit down restaurants where people have traditionally tipped servers, but now these prompts are at fast food places, liquor store cashiers, possibly other cashiers etc and it’s like ummmm, you didn’t provide any actual service you just rang up my order.

Different story when a product expert recommends the perfect bottle/gift etc, in those cases I have tipped liquor store employees. Or on a holiday when they’re working so we can drink and party etc.

But it is getting nuts who Expects to be tipped for no other reason than being customer facing even if they don’t have to do anything beyond the duties of a grocery store cashier. Wtf. But since the prompts are there and people are generally super polite these people are getting a boost in their income - maybe in part because they had to hold down the front lines during Covid, but mostly just because the electronic billing machine interfaces changed.

I tip 20% minimum at restaurants, and that's only if the service was really bad. I tend to tip more than that. The waitstaff gets paid well under minimum wage and tips are how they earn a living. I also tip in cash and don't put it on a charge card. That way they get their money now v/s later, and they also don't have to pay taxes on it (or as much) since it doesn't show up on their check. But's that's me and I've been a server, so I have a bias here.



Yeah, you will get the entire amount back. The waitstaff person will likely bring you two twenties, a ten, a five, and five ones, so you have tip options from the change.

Some places (though not common and usually in fancy places or for gatherings of ten or more people) will automatically include gratuity on a check. But like I said, you usually have to go someplace fancy or have a huge group before that happens. I've never eaten somewhere and had gratuity automatically figured in for me.



Nah, no one will come chasing you down for leaving a small tip, and you can't get in trouble for it. The worst that will happen is the server will briefly complain to their coworkers (or tiktok) about how cheap or crappy you are once you leave.



It will tell you on the bill if you are being charged gratuity. The bill will break things down like how much the meal cost, how much tax you're paying on that meal (not sure if NY taxes food though), and any fees for the meal. Legally, they have to tell you.



I have no idea on this one. I don't do hotels.



I'm not sure I understand. Not all states play by the same rules regarding what is and isn't taxable. The only thing that's kind of universal is prescription meds, you don't pay taxes on those. Everything else? Eh, it varies and they don't tell you in the stores, you're expected to just know that. You can always ask an employee if you aren't sure and want to know if something is taxable. They'll tell you.

Beyond that, the bill will tell you how much tax you are paying on whatever it is you bought/paid for. They break it down like...

candy bar - 1.00
tax - .06

total- $1.06


(it keeps screwing up the quote boxes. hopefully it works this time. lol)

15 to 20 percent is a good tip but personally I never tip anybody anywhere I go because I am philosophically opposed to it and tipping is technically optional.

So it's kinda like an unwritten rule?
Boo! I don't approve... but nothing I can do about that, is there... here taxing is just so simple in comparison;
Medicine, culture services (books, movies, theater visits etc.) and staying in hotels or such have 10 % tax
Food and restaurant services have 14 % tax
And pretty much everything else have 24 % tax.
All of it is automatically in the prices, though the receipt does show the price separately too. And yes, this is in the entire country.

Different here - they get minimum wage. However, for a while, and maybe still I'm not sure, people who serve alcohol got paid $1/hr less than minimum wage because the bar industry lobbied the Provincial government to save money on wages and sold it to people by saying they get a lot of tips. They do get a lot in tips.. if you're at a busy bar/restaurant, most of your money is in cash tips and your paycheque is just a bonus. But it's still at, or near, the minimum wage of $15.65/hr here. They Can make really good money especially if they work more than one job (most serving jobs are part time) - but no matter how much money you make, living here is still tight because everything is astronomically expensive.

Taxes aren't shown in retail prices here, a common complaint of immigrants from the UK. Most things get a 12% tax, some like skilled labour a 6% tax, and other things don't get taxed - groceries don't get taxed, but junkfood does I think. Something like that. I never really pay attention to what the exact tax is on a grocery/retail/restaurant bill etc is I just pay whatever the total is like everyone else.

The only thing I can think of where all of the taxes are built into the price on display is gas/diesel at the pump -> what's displayed is what you pay.