USA tipping allowance anyone?

[PickwickPaperFile]

Does Anyone have any idea how much to budget for a couple of weeks travelling round in the US? Mix of staying in national parks and LA, mid range hotels will be eating and drinking at mid range bars, cafes and restaurants. Is 20% the norm? Don’t want to stiff people and equally don’t want to pay over the top unnecessarily. TIA.

Why, because we are used to staff being paid a fair wage by the employer rather than through tips? At least far less Brits are choosing to travel to the US so you'll be unburdened by them paying 5% less than an arbitrary amount it's been decided people should pay.

@pices- who defines the "norm" ?

If an establishment offers a range of tips on its terminals, i.e. 12, 15 and 18% (which is what the vast majority of restaurants in the small towns I visited in CO, UT, NV and AZ) surely this is their "norms" ? And it's acceptable to tip the middle amount - which i always did - and no server ever showed any displeasure at this.

And seriously, if I'm not willing to pay the top %, you'd rather your establishment didn't have my business ? Some model that for making revenue.

no server ever showed any displeasure at this

Of course they didn't. Part of the culture of customer service in the US is "the customer is always right." Servers wouldn't have a job very long if they signaled displeasure about a tip.

The OP is asking for guidance on budgeting. Generally speaking, she should budget 20 percent for tips in restaurants as that is the norm.

I guess you've never been to Ellen's Stardust Diner off Times Square, NY then lol

in delis or places that just have a tip jar you can put a dollar or two or the change, etc.
For full service restaurants 18-
20% is the norm.

ether is actually a difference between tipping in a deli and tipping a server. Tipping in coffee shops etc is pretty new and the lowest or even custom is ok—$2-3 for an order vs. $5 if someplace like a Starbucks. but if you are sitting down and someone takes your order at the table and then brings you food, refills drinks, etc. 20% is pretty much the norm

Probably not. It's a tourist hellhole.

The tip in the US is an intrinsic part of the cost of hospitality, like the tax. If you were being offered 15% as the middle range in your location it probably was fine, but paying the tip isn't generosity. It's just the deal when you eat out.

Im American and was a waitress in a former life so I do 20-25%. Agree though that the options on the screen will give a clue as to what’s standard.

remember that waitstaff get taxed on their presumed tips as well so if you don’t tip you’re actually costing them money. Whatever you think about the structure, that’s a terrible thing to do to someone.

when I worked the minimum wage was around $2.50
and hour - taxes taken out based on a proportion of my sales so my paycheck was often like $20 for two weeks. Depending on the state you’re in, it might still be around that now.

@Ridingthespringwave- I've been travelling to the US since mid 90s on an almost yearly basis, for both business and holidays - my favourite country to visit.

I tip everywhere there (including for Starbucks takeaway) same as I do in the UK (including my barber and taxi drivers - which a lot of people dont).

I'll always pay 15% for restaurants in the US if it's offered as an option on the terminal - if the lowest option is higher than that, I'll pay it, but if the service hasn't been great, won't go back.

Yep. 20% unfortunately.

Towards the end we we're only tipping 15% because the service we received in most places was honestly pretty shit, or efficient but so rude. And for smaller purchases (like 1 round of drinks), we drew out some cash so that we could just tip a couple of dollars.

Re the National Parks, do you know to buy an America the Beautiful pass?

And it's worth noting that you tip AFTER sales tax has been added, so your 20% is of the higher post-tax amount.

Obviously we have VAT here, but it's already incorporated into prices so you know what you're paying from the outset.

Former waitress here. We used to argue amongst ourselves about who would have to serve the non-US customers because of the bad tips (yes, this does include 15%!).

Of COURSE we never complained directly to the customers—we didn’t want to get fired!!!

The reality is that wait staff earn $2.13/hr PRE TAX. That’s £1.60/hour. The cultural expectation is that the restaurant doesn’t pay the wait staff—the expectation is that the wait staff work hard for their money. So if they have worked hard for you; they deserve to be paid. If you don’t agree with the system that wait staff aren’t paid by the restaurant and aren’t prepared to tip 20%+, I suggest you eat where the staff are paid by their employers, eg, McDonalds.

Just pay 20%. Pay 25% if something was really incredible or highly personalized to you, or someone went out of their way in a big way. All these people saying, "well, I gave 15% and that was clearly fine," are in the wrong. You could be a stingy tipper and no-one will chase you down to chastise you (okay, perhaps incredibly rarely), but just don't.
Tipping on your card payment is fine, but be ready for the disconcerting experience that in some places (restaurants, mainly) you put your card in a little book and the waiter disappears off with it. That said, touch payment systems are now widespread (they came to the US a lot later than the UK).

Your food will be cheaper because the cost doesn't include a decent salary for your servers, so please be a decent person and tip 20-25%. It will still be good value for what you get. Have a great holiday!

Just because no one complains about 15% doesn’t mean it’s in line with expectations. Too 20% in restaurants.

Yeah - I remember playing rocks/paper/scissors to avoid waiting on European/British tables as we 'knew' it would be such a disappointing tip. I would never have said anything though as how would I even do that?

We never figured out a way to do it without getting fired.

It is so demoralising to be busting your bottom for someone, on practically zero pay from the restaurant, only for that person not to fairly pay you for the job you did for them.

American here. 20% on food and drink restaurants where you have been seated and served. You are not obligated to pay a tip on the tax. Nothing in places where you order/serve/clean up after yourself (i.e., coffee places or fast food.) $5.00 per night for the maids at your hotel. Otherwise, only tip at a hotel if someone does a special service. 20% for room service. 15-20% for Lyft/Uber. Nothing for public transport. 20% for mani/pedi/hair or any other personal care or spa services. Again, tip on the amount for the service, not on any taxes added on.

Also, as a general reminder: if you can't afford the tips, you can't afford the trip. As you are a guest in our country we expect you to respect our culture and traditions while you are here, and that includes tipping appropriately.

We are off to America soon so pleased to hear not to tip on tax. Our USA friends always said tip should be double the tax. Those days have gone I think.

We will also take $ for tips. Thank God we are doing some self catering! Food isn’t cheap in the USA either. It’s increased a lot in price.

Can sometime explain phones in the airport? Other than don’t use them!

Border control can search your phone so if you have anything on there they might not like it’s advised to delete it or wipe the phone.

They mean you are not allowed to take photos of staff and the area when you are in immigration and customs. It's really not sinister. There are signs which tell you this.

The current advice (although not official government advice) is to take a burner phone.

No that’s what this used to mean. Not now

Yeah. Considering it for our upcoming trip