Tipping in USA

[hopeishere]

I hate tipping it makes me feel awkward and I think you should just pay people properly but I get it's the norm in America.

Few questions:
Taxis - if you pay by card can you add a tip?
Bars do you need cash? I read it's $1 a drink?
Tour guides - how much should we tip them?
Porter $2 per bag?

Thanks!

The costs of everything have gone up hugely here and many people in the restaurant industry quit altogether. Don't forget, the price of the food is also including the wages of all the cooks and BOH staff. Many places are paying servers over minimum now. Tip wage has been abolished in some states. After Covid, some restaurants that had abolished tips refused to work without them: they can make much more money.

I tip housekeepers a few dollars a day. That is mainly because, for us, we usually need extra towels. WE are tidy and even make sure the vanity in the bath is cleaned. But, I don't think they make the type of money other jobs make, and I always appreciate the nice clean room when we get back to it.

That's why they need to have it one way or another. But this is unsustainable. Going out to eat with prices 20-25% more than in 2022 and then expecting a large tip is going to cost businesses. Give the wait staff a decent wage and then lower the tip expectations (10-12%), if you aren't going to go "tip-less".

When I was 19 I did one of those Work USA Uni things and was living and working in USA for about 3 months. I worked in a big theme park in the candy store. I remember one day a young man came in and was obviously intrigued by my Brit accent. He started asking me loads of questions about the UK. I am embarrased to say I didnt answer very enthusisatically - politely but I remember being annoyed as I had lots of work to get on with so tried to keep the chat to a minimum.
After he had finished asking me questions he handed me 10 dollar tip! So kind, especially as I could have been more friendly. I dont think you would get this here.

In Canada recently we opted for no daily room service. We got $10 off a meal in one of 10 partner restaurants per night. They paid us and we never saw a room maid. Suited us. Don’t have a maid at home. The Can$ is a better exchange rate than Us$. Go to Canada!

It's expensive to eat out in the USA if you pay the listed prices, you have to remember this is the land of the coupon, the deal and with the chains at least, nearly all locals will have a deal of some kind. Download appropriate apps before going - for your standard pizza, pasta or tex Mex type meals you are paying well over the odds if you don't. Remember to mentally add appropriately 40% to listed prices to get what you'll actually pay. Even expensive popular restaurants often have deals Monday to Thursday so investigate

Americans are often fascinated by Brits, and most feel very positive towards them. We've forgiven you for mad King George III. 😀

George III was a constitutional monarch. We had a parliament. Often forgotten about,

I loved my time there and they loved me just for the fact I was a Brit! Had a lof ot Princess Diana questions :)

You had a parliament. The colonists didn't. That was the whole argument really - no taxation without representation.

I think it (possibly) depends where you go.

We've travelled through Colorado, Utah, and Arizona this last week and have never once felt pressured into tipping anywhere - where we've thought the service was good, we've done the usual 10-15% we would at home; where there hasn't been any service, e.g. coffee shops where you get served at the counter, we haven't.

However, we're now in Vegas for one night and have just had a bit of a snotty attitude from the server in the hotel Starbucks when I opted for the zero tip option.