Tipping in the states?

Question

Is it true that every1 tips every1 in the states?
I had a friend visit and said even at KFC tipping was expected! (she didnt know this, and they dumped her meal in front of her when she didnt tip!) Is tipping restricted to restaurants only? What about fast food outlets... In shops do you tip the sales person when you buy a shirt/etc? Where does it start and stop...
Also if you give 15% will people who provided good service get annoyed at you.. And if you give less, do they generally 'dump' the food at you?
Also (last 1 i promise) - is it expected throughout america, or just selected states?
Thanks so much (in preparation for my trip over!)

Answer 1

No, it isn't true at all that "everyone tips everyone". Tipping isn't restricted to restaurants only, though. Nor is it restricted to places where people sit down to dine. A good tip is a considerate, polite action, and ensures proper service.

Tips are mainly expected in restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and by taxi & limousine drivers (regardless of whether they wait for you or not). But also if someone is carrying or handling your stuff for you, such as a valet, a coat check person, a room service delivery person, a luggage porter, or a grocery sacker who is carrying your groceries out for you. Some people also tip those who offer personal services like massage professionals, manicurists, hair salon workers, door people, guest services people, hotel check-in clerks, and housekeeping staff, but that is optional.

Tipping salespeople is almost never done here, but some people do it to try and "bribe" the salesperson into reducing a price on something costly! I don't do that, myself.

Most fast food workers (including KFC workers) don't expect tips, but if there is a tip jar on the counter, they might prefer to be tipped. Tip jars are becoming a common sight in ice cream shops, coffee shops, smoothie shops, and some fast food places. In places with tip jars, I usually just give a small tip of $.50 to $1.50, since the level of service provided is less.

Some fast food places such as Sonic and A&W are "drive-ins" and there is a server who brings the food to your car. Such servers expect tips, and 10-12% (or double the tax) is a fair rate at drive-ins. Some people also use this tipping rate when they pick up "to-go" orders in restaurants, but tipping for "to-go" orders is actually not required, and most USA customers do not do it.

In my experience, 15-20% is usually enough when dining out and being served by waitstaff. Rarely, if the bill is overall pretty low because you just ate breakfast, or you are dining alone, or 2-3 people shared one meal, a waitperson might be annoyed by a 15% tip. It's hard to live on only 15% of such a small bill. Or if you are somewhere with a high cost of living, 15% won't be enough for the serviceperson to live on, so in such cases please adjust upward.

Having your food "dumped" due to a low, or absent, tip, is a bizarre and rare occurrence!! If anyone ever dumps your food, for any reason, that is totally unacceptable and that person should be reported to management for a rotten attitude!

Tipping is expected throughout the USA. In general, the higher the cost of living in the city & state, the higher the workers will want to be tipped! In expensive places like New York, Vegas, large cities in California, Portland OR, Vancouver WA, Seattle, Boston, Philadelphia PA, Ann Arbor MI, anywhere in Alaska, and anywhere in Hawaii, bigger tips are expected.

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Answer 2

You tip in service situations. Restaurants, bars, barber/beauty shops, spas, car washes, anywhere a person provides a service. You do not tip where you walk in and buy a product. This includes fast food establishments in general.

Tipping was originally supposed to be based on your opinion of the service. There has now developed an expectation of a set tip. In general in restauarnts a 15-20% tip is considered approriate. (I would caution you to look at the bill as this is sometimes added to the bill but you are not informed, thus tipping twice) Also the tip is supposed to be on the price of the product before taxes, if the restaurant adds the tip they will generally tip after taxes. Tips on other services is 10-15% of the service as you feel is appropriate. As the tip is presented as you leave, nobody should dump any food in front of you. If they do, report them and refuse to pay for the meal.

Answer 3

First of all no matter what customer service should be first. I have never heard of fast food resturaunts requiring tips with the exception of "drive in s" where they bring the food to your car and "serve" your food in general most people who sit down and have someone serve them drinks bring them plates and food are gonna expect a tip. 18% is considered good sevice for in house sit down service. Togo orders between 10%-15% , this goes for most of america but the genaral idea is when in doubt double the tax. Chances are unless someone gives service to an actually table or curbside then no tipping is expected. Sales people do not get tipped , bellman and doorman most of the time a $1-$5 depending on sevice and you may be able to get hotels and resturaunts to add gratuity for you at the expected rate, if you think the amount is too high they will take it off and you can divey out what you thiink is fair, taxi drivers if asked to wait expect a tip, grooming places that do an excellent job usually want a tip and its a good way to ensure best services. Bacically any job that requires a person to go outta there way to "serve" or accomadate a person as a servant would usually expects a tip. Its polite its courtious and it helps you get better service.

Answer 4

okay if you are eating at a restraunt that you have someone take your order as you are reading from a menu while sitting in your seat, then you should tip. My tips are DIRECTLY related to the person's attitude. If I am eating at Chilie's or Applebee's and the service was great, I tip about $6. If it was alright service, I tip about $3. And if the server was just rude, I leave change on the table (like nickles and dimes). As far as other places like Target or even nicer, you do NOT tip the sales person. You can tip coffee shops, or small places that have a "tip jar" next to the counter, but even then you don't have to. I am sorry your friend got food thrown in her face, but it proally wasn't because she didn't tip, I have never heard of someone tipping a fast food server. Nobody will Dump food on you if you dont tip at a regular sit down type restraunt but you might get some dirty looks. It is expected to give tips to waiters/waitresses in all 50 states. Its not expected anywhere else. Its stops when the waiter says, "did you enjoy your meal?"! LOL! Don't be fooled, don't tip just anyone.

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Answer 5

Well I am in the food service industry and usually 15% is usually the nationally known tip for sit down places. If you go to a KFC or McDonalds you do not tip. Also, you do not tip if you go and buy a shirt unless you go to a fancy place where somebody is picking out many clothes for you. If somebody got annoyed by getting tipped 15% either they worked their butt off for a great service or they were just a rude server. I have never seen anyone dump anybodys food either. Good luck on your trip.

Answer 6

You would not tip at a KFC or any other fast food restaurant. You would never tip at a retail store.You won't get good service there no matter what. Waiters,taxi drivers, bellmen, chambermaids and valets are the only people you should come across that you should tip. In any major city in the US you should tip 20% for excellent service and rarely less than 15%.
If you are European you may not receive the best service anyway, only because of ther servers previous experience with poor tipping Europeans.

Answer 7

Somebody is lying to you.
You only tip when someone actually serves you something that they wouldn't otherwise get paid for.
You tip people who carry your bags, waiters, cab drivers, pizza delivery, hair stylists.
Not fast food servers, and not store salespeople unless it's a real ritzy place and you have more money than sense, where you can hand them a hundred for setting you up in an Armani or something.
If you're a drug kingpin, you tip everyone but the cops. They just take theirs from the bust.
If someone 'dumps' food on you, you call the cops for assault or you kick their a.s. You tip according to the service you receive, usually 10-15%. I'm a big tipper (20% or more) for people I like who aren't smarmy, especially someplace I go often. (I hate it when they say "you guys" to everyone now.)

Answer 8

okay here is the deal with tipping you tip at every regular resturant not fast food resturants because no one is waiting on you they just hand you your food and you are on your way. If you get a haircut you tip if you get a massage you tip. the reason why people may get annoyed with 15% because it is the minimum tip that you should leave. I aim for closer to 20%. Yes tipping is customary throughout the us. if you go grocery shopping of things like that no tipping or for clothing stores no tipping. Also if you go to a bar or club leave $1 per drink so if you order 3 drinks beer or what you leave the bartender $3.

Answer 9

Nobody tips at KFC! She was just acting out her job skill -less- ness when she threw her food at her. I don't know anyone who tips at fast food places. I tip at restaurants if the quality of food and service call for it, and I tip big. If I go to a supposedly high scale restaurant and the food isn't good, and the service isn't good I don't tip. I also tip cab drivers if they don't take me every way that's outta the way, and they help- me with my bags. The only other place I tip is good hotels. I tip the maids, room service, and doorman...if they do their job.

Answer 10

i have never ever ever heard of tipping at a fast food place!!

tipping is expected at hair salons and (non fast food) restaurants.

15% - 20% is the standard. Less for realy really bad service or more for great service. i almost always give at least 20%.

in fancier cities, NYC, LA, Vegas, etc, more tipping may be expected.