Tipping etiquette guide for dummies?

Can you please explain to me about tipping. I have no concept of this what so ever, and it's the only thing I'm worried about (health issues aside!!!). Seriously, major stress I'm gonna offend people.

Do you tip EVERYONE? How much? If I ask them outright (hello, am I supposed to tip you, I'm British, help me!) will they be offended?

Like do you tip anyone who offers you any help?

Reception staff??!! Fast food places??!! People who carry something for you?? Do you tip every time you order a drink????!!!!!

Is there a dummies guide anywhere? Do I need to tip you for helping me now??!! Why do you tip so much???!!!! Arghhhhhh!!!

Does this mean I will always have to carry cash?????!!!! And change?!!!

I've read I have to tip the hotel maid?! Is this true? Do I just leave it on the side?! What is this madness!

You tip people who wait on you: waitress who takes order AND delivers it to your table. Valet & Bellhop if you use them. Delivery person if you order in.

Places where you order at a counter, pick your food up yourself and bring it to your table yourself it's not required though they often have tip cups and are happy if you do.

For drinks you can tip each drink or 1 tip at the end. That's personal preference, a lot of people go both ways... Though the at the end tippers are usually the ones that stay sitting at the bar, the each drink ones are usually the ones who only go up to the bar to order.

And no you don't have to tip everyone. LOL.

I don't even know what a bellhop is

But the rest makes sense.

It's recommended. I know a lot of people who don't... I've not depending on how I felt about the place.

It's really if someone provides good service I leave a good tip.

Bellhop unloads your luggage and (usually) brings it to your room, only the fancier places have them, so depending on where you stay you may never see one.

You tip XP for her responses in this thread.

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-much-should-you-tip.html

Well I'm staying in 2 hostels so I'm sure they won't have bellhops! Do I have to tip anyone in there

I'm going on a trip on a boat - do I have to tip them?? Do I just hand it to them?? Do I have to say anything? I've only ever tipped for food (and like once or twice the hairdresser, but that just feels awkward). Oh and a taxi. Like 50p or something lol.

I rarely even tip bar staff and I used to be one.

Do I put money in people's hand?

I only have a slice of cheesecake to give away currently!

And a dummies guide!

So you don't actually tip that much then??

I had no idea about the tip for the maid. Where do you leave it?

I totally accept cheesecake.

I wouldn't think you'd need to tip anyone at a hostel.

But as far as how to tip... With waitresses you leave it on the table. With valet, delivery, bellhop type stuff you just say "here this is for you" and hand hand it over. With a maid you'd leave it on the room's dresser or table.


I can be an awesome or cheap tipper. I am of the mind they need to earn the tip and that it shouldn't just be assumed. With waitresses I usually always tip something unless they totally suck... But if someone rocks I may leave a HUGE tip. It's a sliding scale. HaHa.

Stupid question #103 - you don't have dollar coins there do you?

Actually we do!!!! But hardly anyone uses them, so I highly doubt you will ever see one. LOL.

You get them mostly out of vending machines in the US, cruise ship employees hate them because many places will not take them lol.

For delivery I usually tip $5, my maid, depending on the length of my stay, usually I give one tip at the end, but 3-5/day, if I'm at a resort I will tip first day, because you usually get better service then lol. Wait staff, is generally 10%, but I will give more for exceptional service and less or none for crappy service.

I do usually tip at fast food/take out places, but only cash in the jar, never on my debit card.

If there is a bellhop somewhere, tip them first as well, for better service.

I pretty much only tip waiters and waitresses at restaurants if they take my order and serve me. If I am picking food up at a counter (like fast food) then no tip, unless I go there often and they have a little jar - then I'll drop in a couple dollars. you are never expected to leave tips in the jars at coffee shops or take out restaurants, but it's appreciated.

I always tip waiters 20%, though in other areas 15% is more common. For drinks at a bar I tend to tip $1 per drink, or $1 per two drinks. It's a courtesy to leave the tip as cash, but it's also ok to write in on the credit card receipt (there will be a line for tip, and a line to total up the bill). At a bar or restaurant you just leave it on the bar or on the table.

Otherwise I wouldn't worry about it. If you take a tour you might want to tip the tour guide, but I typically don't. There really aren't that many people you need to tip. I don't tip unless it's earned (like a tour guide or something), or someone at a hotel goes out of their way to carry my bags. At a hostel it's very unlikely you'd be expected to tip anyone. Outside of waiters or bartenders, the only person I remember tipping in the last couple years is my hair dresser.

ETA: Oh, and I tip taxi drivers. I rarely take taxis so I forgot about that one, but it's typical to tip them

Basically, as said, if they provide you a service, you tip.

Restaurants or bars, since they just give a bill at the end, you just tip with that. If you use cash, you can just ask for a certain amount back if you don't have change (say it was $29, and you only have $40... you can give the $40 and ask for $5 back or however much you want). If you are paying by credit or debit, the machine will ask if you want to tip - and usually let you decide by percentage or a set amount.

The general understanding here (granted, Canada) is 15% tip, lower for crappy service/higher for great service. Personally, probably being that I am a bartender, if staff is attentive and polite, I try to leave 20%. If I find that they're not really being attentive (and the place isn't absolutely packed and understaffed), it's closer to 12-15%. I don't think I've ever really not tipped either a bartender or waitress, I think it would have to be really bad service to make me do that.

Coffee shops and fast food places have tip jars, usually. I'm pretty bad about tipping there, tbh. I just never really think about it, I guess.

I hate maths

My phone calculator is going to get some good use :rofl1:

Like 10%, 20% - easy. 15%.... :yikes:

I think I'm calmer now though. And let's face it, if I offend someone, I ain't never gonna see them again opcorn: I will try and be a good local though!

15 is easy too...just figure out 10 and then half of that will give you your extra 5


Though most places like restaurants etc standard is 20 so there you go

See, I told you maths wasn't my strong point

That's one of the reasons I tip 20% at all restaurants - it's standard in many places, and it's very easy to calculate.