Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Travel&Dining > DiningBuzz
Reload this Page >

15% or 20% for tip?

Community
Wiki Posts
Search

15% or 20% for tip?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jan 4, 2011 | 7:48 am
  #31  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
10 Countries Visited
20 Countries Visited
30 Countries Visited
20 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 55,213
Originally Posted by ktravelbear
I am trying to figure out the acceptable amount to leave for tips and I have always been told it is 15% of the bill, but recently people have been telling me that you should leave 20% if you received good service. What is it?
15% is for standard, acceptable service. Anything more is up to you depending upon the level of service you got. Here in NYC, I take the tax and double it for good service. That ends up being about ~17.5%.

Last edited by Analise; Jan 4, 2011 at 10:40 am
Analise is offline  
Old Jan 4, 2011 | 8:19 am
  #32  
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: DFW
Posts: 413
I usually double the tax (8.75 here) or just go 20% depending on service.

--wes
wesmanz is offline  
Old Jan 4, 2011 | 9:25 am
  #33  
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: SZX/HKG/BWI
Programs: UA 1K 1.1MM, CX Diam 1.0MM, Bonvoy LT Titanium, Hertz PC, MGM Pearl
Posts: 2,637
15% round up to the nearest dollar is my rule of thumb.
mjcewl1284 is offline  
Old Jan 4, 2011 | 10:41 am
  #34  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
10 Countries Visited
20 Countries Visited
30 Countries Visited
20 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 55,213
Originally Posted by wesmanz
I usually double the tax (8.75 here) or just go 20% depending on service.

--wes
Wes, our tax is wee bit higher than that: NYC's sales tax is 8.875%.
Analise is offline  
Old Jan 4, 2011 | 10:44 am
  #35  
All eyes on you!
15 Years on Site
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Shanghai
Programs: BAEC (Gold), PC (Plat), HH (Gold), MR (Gold)
Posts: 2,732
How did yet another tedious old tipping thread manage to spontaneously reignite?
User Name is offline  
Old Jan 4, 2011 | 11:06 am
  #36  
30 Nights
30 Countries Visited
1M
15 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: YXU/YYZ
Programs: AC SE, AMEX Plat, Marriott Gold, NEXUS/GE
Posts: 649
20% unless I get poor service.
cavitron is offline  
Old Jan 4, 2011 | 11:10 am
  #37  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
10 Countries Visited
20 Countries Visited
30 Countries Visited
20 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 55,213
Originally Posted by User Name
How did yet another tedious old tipping thread manage to spontaneously reignite?
Send a PM to the OP to get your answer.
Analise is offline  
Old Jan 4, 2011 | 11:54 am
  #38  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
30 Countries Visited
2M
All eyes on you!
25 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: in the vicinity of SFO
Programs: AA 2MM (LT-PLT, PPro for this year)
Posts: 19,784
Originally Posted by sjeon89
I also have this tendency to just round up the numbers... For example, if the total is at $20.98, I would tip $4.02 so that the bill comes to exact $25.00

maybe I am the only person who does this...
By no means.

I used to; it makes sense as a carryover from paying cash most of the time rather than cards, since you'll almost always leave the small chance (if the waiter even brings it back - and indeed, it's fairly normal not to take it in some of the "non tipping cultures" I've visited where a large tip WOULD elicit surprise) and out of habit I used to do it regularly with cards as well.

I still do occasionally, when I hit someplace where the bill is small enough tip amount is going to be much different if I don't use a whole dollar amount.
nkedel is offline  
Old Jan 5, 2011 | 11:03 am
  #39  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Formerly HPN, but then DCA and IAD for a while, and now back to HPN!
Programs: Honestly, I've been out of the travel game so long that I'm not even sure. Maybe Marriott Gold?
Posts: 10,677
I use 20% as a standard. 15% is probably my minimum, barring horrible service.
dchristiva is offline  
Old Jan 5, 2011 | 3:07 pm
  #40  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
20 Countries Visited
All eyes on you!
20 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Either at the shooting range or anywhere good beer can be found...
Posts: 52,783
Originally Posted by indianwells
It depends how much the meal is for me. If the bill comes to $100 then they will never get more than $15-$20, which is a pretty good tip. If the bill comes to $40, if i've had good service then I may leave $10 which is more than 20% but the waitstaff probably need it more.
If your bill is $100, but it's just for you or one other person, then $15-$20 isn't bad. If the bill is $100 because there are several other people as well, then the $15-$20 is really not that great. Large tables usually require more work than a few smaller tables, and likewise, when servers are given large tables, they'll usually not be given as many other tables at the same time, because the large table will occupy more of their time, thus diminishing their total tips if everyone feels like you do.
Originally Posted by nkedel
By no means.

I used to; it makes sense as a carryover from paying cash most of the time rather than cards, since you'll almost always leave the small chance (if the waiter even brings it back - and indeed, it's fairly normal not to take it in some of the "non tipping cultures" I've visited where a large tip WOULD elicit surprise) and out of habit I used to do it regularly with cards as well.

I still do occasionally, when I hit someplace where the bill is small enough tip amount is going to be much different if I don't use a whole dollar amount.
I always round up to the next dollar.
kipper is offline  
Old Jan 5, 2011 | 3:40 pm
  #41  
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,856
I'm usually between the two depending on how good service is. Of course if the meal was cheap and the service good to great, I will go 20% because it's usually a matter of only a dollar or so extra.
CMK10 is offline  
Old Jan 12, 2011 | 8:23 am
  #42  
500k
All eyes on you!
20 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Texas, USA
Programs: AAdvantage, HH, SPG Gold
Posts: 240
20% unless the server is bad. But honestly, I'm ready for restaurants to pay a decent wage to their servers thus enabling the quality of servers to improve.
Sweetone is offline  
Old Jan 12, 2011 | 4:54 pm
  #43  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
30 Countries Visited
2M
All eyes on you!
25 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: in the vicinity of SFO
Programs: AA 2MM (LT-PLT, PPro for this year)
Posts: 19,784
Originally Posted by Sweetone
20% unless the server is bad. But honestly, I'm ready for restaurants to pay a decent wage to their servers thus enabling the quality of servers to improve.
California has no tips credit on the state minimum wage which already slightly exceeds the federal one ($8/hr vs. $7.25/hr), and several cities around here have living-wage ordinances which are higher still ($9.92/hr in San Francisco.)

Service quality is still relatively hit or miss. I don't know whether getting rid of tips and just raising prices to even out tip revenue would either help or hurt.
nkedel is offline  
Old Jan 13, 2011 | 7:54 pm
  #44  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 334
The OP should clarify the country in his statement. The answer varies greatly be geography. The US being the highest thanks to the tax laws.
new2japan is offline  
Old Jan 13, 2011 | 11:01 pm
  #45  
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: PHX/SFO/LAX
Programs: AA-EXP (1.7MM), BA-Slvr, HH-Diamond
Posts: 7,784
I usually start out at 15% and move up from their if the service is good. Most of the time, I end up at 20%
ByrdluvsAWACO is offline  


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.