Whats the craic with tipping in the USA

[CodedFire]

Hi guys,

Ok so ive booked my first holiday EVER, Woo Mee! And me and the other half are flying to miami. The travel agent told me to read up about tipping. I mean i tip over here if i feel a job has been done correctly but it seems to be a staple thing in the USA. So do i need to tip everyone and what advice could you give me to make sure i have a plesant stay thanks guys!

[System_Error]

I usually tip people at restaurants and various places because I know it's tough to make a living with their salary. The amount depends on how enthusiastic and helpful they are, but turds that hold out their hand before I leave and expect a tip usually get the least. After all, they're already getting paid, right?

So do i need to tip everyone

No!

what advice could you give me to make sure i have a plesant stay thanks guys

Just be yourself and do what you want to do.

[CodedFire]

So i mean whats the average tip, i feel bad for some of these guys they dont seem to get paid very much though. It seems the goverment wont increase the minimum wage because they know they are getting tips!

[timeshifter]

I think 10-20% is commonly accepted as the "norm". But again, it depends on service. If the person did a lousy job, they get a small tip. If they were rude, they may get none. But they are at the bottom of the salary totem pole. Tips are generally their primary income.

[CodedFire]

Ok, now when i get to the hotel is it a good point to "over" tip the bell boy as he is the guy who looks after you while you stay..

EDIT: Also any good software and hardware shops in miami and if so can i use the PC software back home in ireland, i was hopping to get photoshop and maybe the new speedpad te

[timeshifter]

You can get the trial of Photoshop CS3 for free... use your imagination from there





DISCLAIMER: The writer of this post in no way condones less-than-legal activities regarding trial versions of software, however easy it may be.

[CodedFire]

You know what i used to be fine with that but as ive got older ive just decided to pay for software, maybe is because i understand what goes into them!

[Atheist]

If someone does a bad job, why give them any tip at all? I just dont get it.

[System_Error]

Ok, now when i get to the hotel is it a good point to "over" tip the bell boy as he is the guy who looks after you while you stay..

I've never had anyone look over me at a hotel, and neither do I want that.


I guess Atheist, timeshifter, and I all have about the same opinions on tipping. Basically just use your own judgment. Don't tip just because someone expects it. Do it based on what you felt about their service and whether or not they were sincere in treating you.

Also any good software and hardware shops in miami and if so can i use the PC software back home in ireland, i was hopping to get photoshop and maybe the new speedpad te

I've been on the gulf side of florida and never saw any kind of technology shop

[CodedFire]

@ System Error: Your kidding about a tech shop i hope! Ive never been to the USA and its supposed to be extremely different to here thats why i ask!

[System_Error]

You should definately be able to find something in Miami, but I tend to stay near the beach when I'm in florida.

[CodedFire]

I would be the same but aparently there is an Abercrombie & Fitch warehouse where we are going this means il be on my own for 24 hours while she oogles clothes. Please tell me there is no Christian Audugier boutique. I may as well go on my own, she wants to goe with no clothes and buy everything over there, go figure!

[mendhak]

It's alright to not tip. If you're at a restaurant and a waiter is serving you, then you are not the only person they're serving for the day. When you pay the bill and give them no tip, they will simply remember you as "that jerk from this morning", but soon enough you will be forgotten among all the other jerks that don't tip him throughout the day. Besides, some restaurants have started doing a 10% service charge, like an automatic tip.

It's only good to tip if you've particularly enjoyed the meal.

Also, drink Mountain Dew while you're there.

[System_Error]

Ever taste a snot rocket in your meal, mendhak?

[mendhak]

Virginian root crop?

[CodedFire]

What is mountain dew?

Edit: Are you originally american Mendhak?

[szlamany]

Someone handles your luggage - brings it to a room or what not - $2 per bag.

If you have a car and it's valet parked - $5 when they park it - $5 when they get it back for you.

At a restaurant - never give less then 15%.

If they do a terrible job and you are never going to ever go back to that restaurant - then tip less. But that's because you are so pissed off (that would be angry...) that you want to teach them a lesson.

We spent a week in Baltimore last year (daughter does competitive dance). There was a Shula's Steakhouse in the hotel - we knew we were going to eat there several times. We tipped probably 25% first time - and 20% every other time. That got us free bottles of wine. When we brought a group of 10 in (several other parents and kids) we got top notch treatment. The wait staff actually gave my wife and I a hand written/signed note the last night we were there.

It pays off if done the right way...

[CodedFire]

Thanks man, thats a good help. What about drinking..... i understand you guys from the us drink considerably less then we would i suppose i would get through about eleven pints and a few half ones (whiskey) in a night. Should i ease up when their, i dont want them to think im an alco!

Also what the hell is malt liquor? ive never had it here?

[szlamany]

If I recall my time in Toronto properly - that pint is a pretty large mug...

Eleven of those and some shots of whiskey must make you feel pretty smooth by the end of the evening...

If you aren't driving - it's your vacation - do what you want!

If you are driving then be really careful - the US is on the lookout the past few years for drivers that are drunk. And the test for levels of alchohol is really low - so it's not much to get you in trouble.

Beer is always served cold here - none of the warm stuff I believe you guys are into.

Malt liquor has a long history. Most state laws from our post-prohibition days don't allow more then 6% alc in beer. 3% was called "near beer" and could be served to underage kids back 50 years ago...

Malt liquor back then was for a brew that had more then 6% - basically making it a liquor not a beer.

Lots of our states have strange laws about where beer or wine or liquor can be sold. Sometimes never on a Sunday - sometimes never after 8:00 pm - find out before you get burned what the rules are!

So malt liquor has a strange history of being what hobo's had out in shanty town!

Now malt liquor is a marketing ploy by our microbrewery's to distinguish what they sell from what the mega-brewery's throw down peoples throats!

I do wine now - been 15 years since I was a beer person...

[CodedFire]

Cool, i suppose i would feel smooth enough, i guess its just culture! On the subject of drink driving, i cannot understand why someone would be stupid enough to do it, i drive and have found NO need to do it, it should be a ban for life!

On the subject of warm beer, i think your thinking of the uk they have bitter which can be served at room temp, thats just disgusting... I would be a carlsberg or guinness man. It will be very interesting to taste american guinness.....

So guys the main question do you have lyons tea bags!!!????

[CodedFire]

Actually i like a good wine esp with pasta, a glass of nice dry goes down a treat!

[szlamany]

I remember being shocked back in the 80's when I was in Toronto at how different a real carlsberg was compared to what they were allowed to import into the US.

Good luck with the tea - the coffee shops make believe they are sophisticated by selling what they claim to be british and over-seas type tea...

My wife is 100% italian - I'm half - and now that we realize that Chianti is a really really good wine we can't go back. I'm about to open a bottle right now and put a huge steak on the grill. We are having a winter heat wave here in Connecticut...

[CodedFire]

Yeah i like Chianti although i wouldn't eat alot of red meat which i would enjoy it with. On the subject of tea, i may bring my own tea bags. I remember getting candy back from the US and it is so different, they actually sell hersheys now but i wouldnt be a fan.

Are you saying the carslberg is weak or tastes different? I presume Bud would be the weapon of choice state side. I belive milk also tastes different stateside. I have to say i cant wait to go! ive always wanted to go the US, all my friends have been to new york but i wanted to try somewhere different! I would actually like to go to connecticut i heard is very beautiful!

[szlamany]

It was weak in the US - strong in Canada.

People do drink lots of Bud - I never enjoyed it. There is a style of beer making from Pilsner Czech that I liked better - Miller beer is that here.

Bud is a pale lager...

I grew up in NYC - now live in CT about a 1 hour drive out of NYC. Manhattan is a truly great place...

[CodedFire]

I wouldn;t be gone on a pilsner, altough i did like holsten. Are bud and miller not beers as apposed to carslberg being a lager?

[szlamany]

Miller or Bud - both beer - beer is a more general term here...

Lager or pilsner - methods - just some words on the label of the beer can...

[CodedFire]

Now thats Blasphemy right there my friend!

[timeshifter]

Beer sucks.

[CodedFire]

You can be such a child at times TS you know that!

[timeshifter]

You suck.

[szlamany]

Now thats Blasphemy right there my friend!

The red neck's can spell beer...

If it was called ale or lager they would think it wasn't American

[CodedFire]

Ah no i see!

[mendhak]

You wine connoisseurs and your bottles of Chanti and Port... one day you'll all get Wine cancer and there won't be a cure. You should drink Mountain Dew! MDX! Through an IV!

@Coded: No I'm not originally American, I'm imitation material.

[grilkip]

I can't understand why I should give money to someone simply for doing his/her job well. I work hard for a living and don't even get a pat on the back.

/rant

[szlamany]

In the US tips go on your W2 and are reported as taxable income.

It's a way for the owner of the establishment to push responsibility to the workers to do a good job.

These same workers can make less then minimum wages...

[penagate]

In the US tips go on your W2 and are reported as taxable income.

It's a way for the owner of the establishment to push responsibility to the workers to do a good job.

These same workers can make less then minimum wages...

In other words, it's a racket.

No-one tips regularly here.
I suppose I tip sometimes, but usually when I can't be bothered dealing with the change. In such cases the 'tip' consists of no more than a few dollars at most.

[CodedFire]

I worked in bar work for years and never got much tips, i suppose we got more than the minimum wage!

@Mendhak, i think just immitation in general eh?

[mendhak]

I worked in bar work for years and never got much tips, i suppose we got more than the minimum wage!

Or you never realized that you were supposed to spit in the customer's beer when they're not looking.

[CodedFire]

No no thats what the slop trays are for......

[FunkyDexter]

she wants to go with no clothes and buy everything over there

Now that should make the flight out interesting.

Actually, I kinda think the American Tipping culture is a good thing. I've noticed the service you get stateside tends to be a lot better than in the UK.