Originally Posted by
anat0l
Most of this thread seems to answer some of my queries, but here are some more:[list=1][*]Oft asked: How much would you tip...[list=a][*]The person behind the counter at McDonalds (and does this depend if you take away in a bag or eat-in with a tray)? The thread seems to say 10% (which is acceptably under the "normal" 15%).
Nope. Counter service at a chain fast food restaurants is never mandatory to tip. If there's a tip jar by the register, small change is welcome, otherwise no tipping at all
A non-fast-food counter service restaurant - if they take the order at the counter and deliver the food to your table - a lot of people will tip around 10%, or a dollar or two per person/entree, although it's not universal.
Telling the difference between one of these and a more expensive fast food place can be difficult - watching for a tip jar by the register (sign of fast food), a tip line on the charge slip (sign of non-fast-food, but not universal), or a significant # of others having left cash at the table for tips (definite sign of non-fast food.)
If you place your order with a waiter, it's tipping-expected.
[*]Someone who serves a drink at a bar area in an airline lounge? OK I think the answer to that is the standard $1-$2;
Yes.
would you also tip, say, an attendant who removes your used plates/cups from your area?
No.
[*]Check-out attendant in a supermarket or shop (big, small, family run, etc.)?
Not tipped for normal service, and would likely get a weird look.
I'm not sure if one is expected to tip if you get their assistance in bringing things out to the car for you and help load the car - something they routinely offer in case one is disabled.
In places which still do "pick out your groceries, check out, leave an address for delivery" (mostly gone) I'd expect to tip the delivery guy a couple of dollars.
Similarly for other shop attendants, whether or not they help you (e.g. find an item you inquire about) or merely just help you pay for your items.
Often paid on commission, and no, I would never expect to tip.
Another example is a drug store attendant (who may help you locate appropriate drugs or fill in a prescription for you)?
Absolutely not tipped, and in this one because they may handle controlled substances, I'd worry about it being misunderstood.
[*]In fact - is there a need to tip anyone who works in a service industry but is not working in a restaurant, a hotel or as a taxi driver? For example, ticket booth operator at a theme park, bus drivers, train station clerks, information booth attendant at airport......
Non-public-employee shuttle bus drivers, if they handle your bags significantly, will usually be tipped. None of the others will be usually tipped. Tourist-area information-booth attendants might find it welcome - in many of the other cases, they might actually be required to refuse (ie city/county busses for one definite case.)
[*]Is it wrong (morally, socially or legally):[list=a][*]To do something yourself and insist that on staff, which means you will not pay any tips? For example, getting out of a car and carrying your own bags to the reception and to your room. This is not necessarily because one wants to actively avoid giving a tip.
No, not unreasonable - in general, except at the fanciest places, it's much easier to decline these services than (in my experience) it is in say, Asia. The one exception is where they'll claim (possibly legitimately) that they have to handle things for liability reasons (OTOH, more often you'll find the services have been cut because of that - ie FAs who can't help you get bags in and out of overheads.)
[*]For service staff to chase / tout you for service or perform a service which you did not want then ask for a tip? Not sure if this is common at all (seems more common in, say, some Asian countries, e.g. a cleaner in an airport bathroom will offer you a paper towel and then ask for a tip)...
Not OK. Not common here, perhaps outside of NYC or a few other east coast where annoyingly assertive service seems to be better accepted. In general, if you tell someone "no," they'll get the message, and a second "stop" should make it clear. In no case should you tip for a service you've actively declined.
[*]To ask for change from a big bill if the big bill does not represent how much you want to tip? For example, if the bill comes to $50 (all in for simplicity) and you want to tip 20% of this, bringing the "grand total" to $60, is it OK to hand over a $100 to "pay" for everything and ask for $40 in change? Or should you be prepared to pay the exact amount including the tip?
For restaurants, it's normal to wait for change, although I don't think it would be gauche to ask for a specific amount of change back. Sometimes they'll ask if you want change, in case it turns out you're leaving a very big tip or have left exact change.
Asking for a specific amount of change back is highly normal for taxis and paid delivery (ie pizza) - on a $13 trip/bill, handing a $20 and asking "give me $5 back" would be normal.
Or is it always taken that change is always the tip?
No, although as others have mentioned in
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/dinin...estaurant.html that some unethical restaurant servers will try.
[*]Finally, when one arrives in the US, usually they are carrying huge bills - $20, $50, $100, whatever. Obviously not tipping currency. What is the easiest way for tourists entering the US to arm themselves with plenty of $5, $2 and $1 bills so that they can tip as soon as they leave the airport? I don't think many forex places offer small change (or even enough small change). I know, sounds like a silly question, but.....
$50s and $100s outside of a few very large cities are very inconvenient denominations - basically, not very handy outside of supermarkets, high-end shops, fine-dining restaurants, nicer hotels, and airport vendors - many smaller shops, casual-dining and fast food places will refuse to take them. As far as possible, try to get $20s, which are the ubiquitous midsize bill - and what most ATMs provide. You can probably get some change made at your hotel, and at airport. In the worst case, during banking hours, you can probably get them broken although US banks tend not to be very friendly to those who don't have accounts there.
Even $20s are not terribly handy for tipping bellhops (etc) who are used to $1-$5 tips and not giving change - the best advice I can give is that convenience stores, coffee places and fast food places are very convenient places to break a $20 - or in those cases (ie airports) where they'd be willing to take a $50/$100, larger bills as well.
Also, $2 US bills are not in common circulation; on rare occasions, people have mistaken them for fakes. You can get them at most banks, and they make a nice souvenir (ditto the uncommonly-used half-dollar coins) but would not recommend them for day-to-day use. Which is a shame, really, since they're in many cases perfectly sized for tips.
Dollar coins are also regularly available at banks, supermarkets, and transit ticket machines, and if you acquire some using them for tips etc is doing a good deed getting them into broader circulation.