NYC Tipping Guide
How much money should you tip for service in New York City? Who should you tip in New York City? Tipping culture can be confusing, even for the most savvy travelers, and it’s different in every culture and destination, so we have a guide to help you know who you should be tipping specifically in New York City, and how much is appropriate. Before we get started, we want to acknowledge that tipping fatigue is real. It can feel that any time you purchase anything, even if no humans were involved, you are asked to leave a tip. We also know that as weary as we may get of tipping, at the end of the day, many New Yorkers still truly rely on generous tipping to make ends meet. So here is our guide on how to tip in NYC.
Do You Tip at Restaurants in NYC?
Yes, you need to tip at restaurants in NYC. Tipping in restaurants is one of the most important places to tip in New York City. While minimum wage in New York City is $16.50 per hour, federal law says a server can be paid as low as $2.13 an hour in the United States. The idea is that tips will fill in the rest of the amount to at least hit a server minimum wage of just over $10 an hour. If the server does not hit $10 an hour, the restaurant will pay a “cash wage” to make up for it. Still, $10 an hour is simply not enough to live in New York City. If you sit down at a restaurant, barring disastrous service, you should tip between 10-20% of the bill. In many European countries, your servers work on a salary, and so tips are either not required, or are mostly unnecessary. However, in the U.S. the cost of the food itself is built into the price on the menu, but essentially the pay for service at restaurants in NYC (and much of America) is expected from the guests, and not the restaurant. This is why tipping is VITAL as YOUR part of being a guest at one of NYC’s amazing restaurants.
Do You Tip for a Beer in NYC
The standard tip for a beer or simple drink at a bar in New York City is $1. If it’s a mixed drink, consider $2 for the effort. Of course, if you order a super fancy cocktail, going back to a percentage of 10-20% of the bill is considerate.
Do You Tip Delivery Service in New York City
If you are ordering food using an app such as GrubHub, DoorDash, or UberEats, you should definitely tip. A great general rule is 10-20% of the bill, and you can use your best judgement about the difficulty of the delivery. For example, if you live on a fifth floor walk up and its storming outside you tip should be more generous. Delivery service is similarly paid to sit-down restaurant service.
Do You Tip a Concierge in New York City
In New York City, no one is going to be upset if you tip them. It is seen as a huge compliment. If you ask a very simple question to the concierge, you can skip the tip, but if they secure you tickets to a sold-out Broadway show or coveted reservations at a trending restaurant, you should leave a tip. Remember that employees, regardless of how wonderful and friendly they are, are there to make a living, not as a hobby. Anytime someone performs a service for you that you value, it is important to make sure they are properly compensated for that special effort. If you do not enjoy or agree with tipping, you are also welcome to not use those optional services, and do the hard work yourself. The amount you tip should depend on the level of service and degree of difficulty, with $5 being the minimum for an easier dinner reservation, but over $100 for exclusive experiences.
Do You Tip Hotel Housekeeping in New York City
Hotel housekeeping staff are the hardest working and least recognized members of a hotel team. Each day you should leave between $1-$5 on your bed for housekeeping staff. It is better to tip by day than one large lump sum at the end of the trip because each day you may have a different team member performing your services that day..
Do You Tip a Barista in New York City
If the barista is making a drink for you, absolutely tip whichever is greater, $1 per drink or 10-20% of the drink’s cost. If you’re just ordering a cookie, it can be at your discretion whether to tip.
Do You Tip Tour Guides in New York City
Perhaps the most surprising thing on this list is that it is also customary and important to tip tour guides in New York City. While tour guides are generally paid a decent hourly wage, their work is seasonal and employers definitely rely on tour guests helping guides receive their worth. If you are on a small group or a private tour, it is customary to tip 20% of your ticket price. If you are on a large group tour (30 people or more) it is customary to tip $2-$5 per person. The price of tours is often factored with the expectation that the tip will be provided by the guest, so “stiffing” your guide is a good way to make guides either raise their prices, or stop doing their best work. Remember that a good way to show appreciation in such an expensive city, is to help another actually LIVE in this city. Be sure to build those costs into your expectations for your trip.
Somewhere you DON’T have to tip in New York City is the Welcome to Times Square billboard. For just $150 a day, you and your loved ones can appear on a giant Times Square billboard. It’s seriously one of the coolest things you can do in Manhattan.