Re: USA Etiquette?
[QUOTE=GregWhelan;1189986]Evening all - I am heading on my honeymoon next week. We are visiting San Francisco for 3 days, then onto Hawaii for 7 days then back to Washington DC for 4 days before home. Really looking forward to it.
What's the deal with tipping out there? I've been to Orlando a few times but we've always had a hire car and a villa, so havent really needed taxis, hotels etc. I have heard tales from people who say that literally everywhere you go you have to tip people - even saying that there is a guy in Vegas who literally motions to a taxi 10 metres away who you then have to tip.
Ain't got a problem with tipping for service, but at the same time don't want to embarrass anyone by not tipping when I should etc.
Any advice from US members?[/QUOTE]
For San Francisco and DC, fuck taxis, use Uber. The only place in the US where Taxis provide better service than Uber is NYC, and in that case, the subway beats both of them. DC also has a great train system, use it.
As for tipping taxi drivers, it depends on the fare: if the fare is like $17, i'll give him a $20 and get out...if the fare is $31, i'll give him $35 and get out. A couple of dollars is fine, and in most cases that philosophy will work across the board- bellman, cab stand, etc.
Protip: if you're going to be at the same hotel for several days, make it a point to introduce yourself to the bellman and tip the at the beginning, and don't bother tipping during your stay, then maybe catch him on your way out. If you need anything during your stay, that's the guy you ask for something. Need tickets to a ballgame? Need a donkey and a set of rubber sheets? Those are the people who get things.
Restaurants: %15 to %20, unless your service is shit, in which case, notify the manager that your service is shit, and if the service doesn't improve, leave nothing.
Bars: I tip a $1 a drink unless running a tab- then it's %15 to 20% at the end.
Btw, Vegas is different.