How to Tip Properly in North America

One of the most common questions asked by vacationers is "How much should I tip?" The answer is complex when you consider various protocols around the world, but general rules do apply here at home. Commit these tipping tips to memory to avoid getting fleeced or forgotten.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Don't tip if it's not deserved. You're essentially buying good service, and if it's not earned it shouldn't be rewarded. You're only promoting poor service habits and wasting money.

2. Tip above the norm for two reasons: if service is exceptional, and if you plan on returning to the hotel or restaurant in the future. Big tippers are rarely forgotten by the staff.

3. Tip discreetly. There's an art to passing money: Fold the bill three times, cup it in your palm with your thumb, and hand it to the staff member with a casual handshake while saying, "Thank you."

4. Tip big when first checking into a hotel to assure better service throughout your stay.

Tips & Warnings

• When in doubt, tip. Failure to tip--or not tipping enough-- can have dire consequences to your vacation, from lost luggage to molasses-slow restaurant and room service.
• See How to Tip Properly, and How to Tip in a Foreign Country.

[Tommy166uk]

on 2/13/2008 These rules laid out are ridiculous and totally wrong! In America you do not tip for service you tip because people cannot live if you don't! You try going into a restaurant waiting 30 mins for cold soup and then not tipping. The waiting staff will chase you down the street!

I cannot believe this was posted as actual advice!

Tipping in America is just something you've got accept. My real advice would be that before you touch down at JFK reconcile with yourself the idea that you're going to be coughing up money from the moment the lacky at the Airport takes your bags. If you don't like it, don't go!

Generally though if you’re in a bar and you don’t know how long you’ll be staying tip roughly one dollar per drink. So if you order two beers and it comes to $6 give the man $8. If it came to $6.80 give the man $9. Alternatively if you think you’ll be there for a while you cou

[Tommy166uk]

on 2/13/2008 These rules laid out are ridiculous and totally wrong! In America you do not tip for service you tip because people cannot live if you don't! You try go into a restaurant wait 30 mins for cold soup and then not tip. The waiting staff will chase you down the street!

I cannot believe this was posted as actual advice!

Tipping is just something you've got accept. My real advice would be that before you touch down at JFK reconcile with yourself the idea that you're going to be coughing up money from the moment the lacky at the Airport takes your bags. If you don't like it, don't go!

[yerit]

on 9/24/2007 For God's sake. Aussie here planning a holiday to the USA and all the how much to tip, what to tip for is doing my bloody head in. Just raise (set) the minimum wage and be DONE with this tipping nonsense.

[jimtipper]

on 6/11/2007 If your airline loses your luggage and it has to be delivered to your home in the middle of the night, should you be tipping the person that is delivering it? And if so, how much would be considered reasonable? Some things to take into consideration. Would a tip be paramount to rewarding poor service by the airline? Why should you spend anymore money after enduring the anguish of lost luggage.

[patti32]

on 4/10/2007 I am a housekeeper and I can't believe most people don't tip the housekeeper; they tip the taxi driver that gets them from A to B, the server that brings their food, a hair dresser to cut or style their hair but not the maid who scrubs their getrms from the toilet and changes their bedding.