have i been had over when i went to N.Y.C?

Question

Im english ,when i went on a trip to new york the tour operater told us it is expected that you tip the bartender a dollar when you buy a beer .I think this is a little generous but i ended up paying it anyway. is it the norm for americans to tip this much or was i miss guided .I mean if myself and my Husband had a skinful then the bartender could be $20 up ,ten others do the same hes $200 up on top of what he gets paid .in one evening.

Answer 1

I was told one to two dollars per round, and we tended to round this up per round so they usually got more. I noticed the attitude of the bar staff changed the more you tipped.
But what about these people who wave down your taxi outside the hotels? It takes all of 50-60 seconds to complete. I would give them a dollar, then they'd be earning about 60 dollars an hour. (I am a professional in the UK and after tax take home the equivalent of 13 dollars an hour). My partner said when he tipped 5 dollars these people were shrugging and looking down their noses.
We were told by our guide that you had to tip 15% as workers were taxed on this, but from the attitude of most of them you would have thought they received no wages at all. By the way in the UK we tend to tip at least 10% contrary to an earlier answer.
Of all my experiences on a recent trip to the USA it was their attitude towards tipping that most lowered Americans in my estimation. We even gave 30-40 dollars after day trips around Arizona, but that was also looked down on. Certainly next time I go to USA I'm going to stick to a strict budget with the tipping, and if they wish to look down their noses then let them. No-one gives me a tip for doing my job well, but I still do my best. I worked as a waitress myself for 18 months, so no disrespect to waitresses.
I'm so glad you asked this question, was planning to ask it myself.

Answer 2

It's usual to tip bartenders because they often get just a token wage. If you're having a session it isn't necessary to give a dollar every time. Just let a stack develop at the bar. Also, don't tip if they don't deserve it. I went to an empty bar and had to wait for the bar tender to show up. Meanwhile several other customers came along and the bartender served some old timers first. Then the dopey sod went to serve another person at which time I exploded. The bt asked if was next to which I replied that I was actually FIRST! Needless to say the bt didn't get a tip on that occasion. When I went for another drink the bt was more than a little tardy so I got to use a fantastic phrase I'd heard elsewhere; 'I can't imagine how you expect a tip'.

Answer 3

Technically the rule of thumb is a dollar a drink. I always feel ripped off too, leaving a dollar for a beer - a mixed drink I understand maybe since the bartender actually has to do something besides just pour a beer. It depends on the situation though, if a beer is $4.25 I just leave $5.

Also a lot of times in this country batrenders and waiters/waitresses are paid less than minimum wage (or the minimum wage is lower) because it is expected that their income will be largely from tips.

And also...just to keep in mind, NYC is one of the most expensive parts of the US as well.

Answer 4

Yeah typically you're expected to tip the bartender at least a $1 for every time you order a drink. This is not just NYC but most big cities in the US.

If you're planning to drink a lot you may want to open a tab (give them a credit card to hold) and then pay at the end of night and add a 15% - 20% tip for the whole bill, which is the normal amount. That way you end up paying a little less normally, but you do still give them a generous tip.

Answer 5

To preface, allow me to point out that I am 57 years old. I have had some experience living, eating and drinking in the US. I have lived here all of my life, mostly in large cities.

You've not so much been had as much as you were provided a guideline for tipping in this country. NYC, as much as any major city gets traffic from many nations, some, as you no doubt know, do not tip as a matter of course.

The dollar tip for a beef suggestion may have assumed that you enter a bar for a drink and move on.

The 15% figure is pretty standard, whether for food or drink. It often applies for taxicabs, barber and beauty shops, as well. Correct tipping is an art, in form and quantity. Very few people can get it right. I may tip a doorman for hailing a taxi a dollar, or so, but I will not tip a maitre d' for mearly seating me. If I can walk to the taxi stand, myself, I will. Baggage handlers get about a dollar a bag from me, more if I have an especially large or cumbersome load.

But in a bar, or restaurant, one does not tip for each and every item served. If I anticipate that I will stay for a few drinks, or an evening, I may start a tab with my credit card, perhaps leaving a dollar, cash, with my first drink, to indicate my good intentions. With the card, I need not keep track of how much I spent, and indicate a tip on the charge slip. About 15%. Sometimes more if the bartender is especially attentive, entertaining and informative. I tend to tip better if a waitress brings drinks to a table. When paying cash, I may only tip every few drinks, or so, but I keep a rough estimate so that I still leave about 15%.

Because my son put himself through university as a waiter and bartender, I tend to be more generous than most, especially in a restaurant where the server, both. takes my order and serves it. I also realize that most restaurants share the tips among the entire staff, servers, buspersons, cooks, assistants and hosts. If something goes wrong during a meal, I don't punish the entire staff. If the server cannot remedy a situation, ask for the manager. Any good faith effort to remedy a problem will result in a full tip from me, as much as 20% for excellent service and quality of food.

For all other services, especially in a hotel, the guideline is that you tip those in uniform. Management wear a suit, and are not entitled to a tip. The exception may be for the concierge. I don't tip for basic information, in any case, but I will tip if they come through with a difficult request, such as a last minute set of tickets, or seating at a sold out event. Watch for room service dining. If the menu indicates that a "gratuity" charge will be added to your bill, then the 15% tip is not needed, but I will give the server a dollar or two, just out of habit. A good server will tell you that it isn't required, but will graciously accept if I insist.

It need not be complicated, nor risky if you forget a tip or two. If no one else, tip food and drink servers, and cab drivers. You should experience good service and a safe time in country.

There is NO LAW that says you have to tip. Extremely bad or rude service does not deserve a tip, in any case.

Welcome!

Answer 6

That might be SLIGHTLY high, but not a rip-off. If you tip about 15-20%, with beers in NYC costing at least a few bucks it comes out right. You'd be just as likely to UNDERtip if the beer cost much over five bucks, which it well could.

Waiters and bartenders may not even make minimum wage, because they are expected to work mostly for tips. So you made people happy.

NYC is very expensive! I lived there for years.

I hope you enjoyed your trip, and come back soon! :)

Answer 7

HI, Spent, more time in NYC than I can remember a buck a beer is the norm, most decent bars and bar staff buy a beer back every third, so assuming that you are drinking on the right places it is not a bad deal! if you go back try somewhere out of the normal tourist trap of broadway, Westside Brewing Company on the corner of 76th and Broadway is one of the best bars on the upper west side and has some great staff and friendly customers, Just FYI Im from Essex Borna and bred not a sceptic :)

Answer 8

Depending on the cost of the beer, if it was a dollar a beer no, 5 dollars a beer, 50 cents, 10 dollars a beer then a dollar. Ten percent of the bill if fine for a bartender, 15-20 percent of the bill for a waitress,
Yeah if you did that you were had.

Answer 9

You got scammed big time. You tip 15% for your TOTAL bill, not each one you buy. It's best to keep track of how many you buy so that you can give a decent tip. Although I won't tip more than 5-10%, depending on the service. The 15% tip isn't given by me UNLESS the waiter, waitress or bartender earns it. That means staying on top of my needs, seeing that I have a half empty glass or bottle of beer & offering another.

Answer 10

Tip what you want. Generally for meals it's gotten up to 15-20% of the bill now for your servers though. A dollar for a beer? A bit much.