Let’s face it: No one always knows what they’re doing when it comes to tipping.
How much do you tip? When do you leave it? Do you even need to leave anything at all? The answers can vary widely based on who you are, who would receive the tip, where you live and about 10,000 other potential variables. That makes the whole tipping thing, quite frankly, a complete mess. Just ask Larry David, who has mined the awkwardness and confusion of tipping for comedy gold many, many times as the mastermind behind “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “Seinfeld.”
[See: Check, Please: Paying the Bill in 6 Awkward Situations.]
Unfortunately, it may not be very funny when you’re in a possible tipping situation and you don’t know what to do. You can take heart, however, that you aren’t alone in your confusion. A recent CreditCards.com survey examined Americans’ tipping habits at restaurants, coffee shops, hotels and hair salons and found that in some ways, our tipping views seem as polarized as our political landscape. Here are some of the findings:
— 80 percent of Americans always tip at restaurants; 3 percent never do.
— 67 percent always tip their hair stylist/barber; 12 percent never do.
— 29 percent always tip their barista; 30 percent never do.
— 27 percent always tip their hotel housekeeper; 31 percent never do.
In short, there is rarely a one-size-fits-all answer to the tipping question. So how do you sort out what’s right for you? Here are a few things to consider.
[See: 12 Ways to Be a More Mindful Spender.]
Always, always, always tip your waiter or waitress: When it comes to tipping in restaurants, there is a universal answer. If you’re in a sit-down restaurant being served by a waiter or waitress, you tip them. Period. Those folks depend on tips for their livelihood, so unless your experience was just an absolute catastrophe, there’s virtually no excuse to fail to tip. Most tipping situations, however, aren’t so clear-cut.
Tip with caution when traveling abroad: Tipping is ingrained in American culture. We may not always know exactly when to do it, but we generally know that if we do decide to tip, the mere act of tipping won’t be viewed as an insult or offensive. That’s not always the case in other countries. Before you travel, be sure to do your homework to get a feel for the customs of the countries you’ll be visiting. It might help you steer clear of acting like an “Ugly American.”
[Read: 4 Outdated Financial Etiquette Rules That You Can Ignore.]
When you tip can really matter: Most of the consternation around tipping is about how much to tip and whether to tip at all. However, the timing of the tip can be very important. For example, most people don’t tip their hotel housekeeper, but many who do tend to do so at the end of their stay. That might be convenient and easy, but it might not work for the housekeeper. That’s because you might have had one housekeeper cleaning your room for the first several days of your stay, but a different one on the day you check out. If you only leave a tip on check-out day, the housekeeper who did most of the work during your stay might get shortchanged. To remedy this, instead of leaving $10 at the end of your stay, leave a few bucks each day.
Tipping helps establish a relationship: This may be the ultimate tiebreaker when it comes to deciding whether to tip. Consider whether you’re likely to interact with this person or business again. If the answer is yes, then when in doubt, tip. It’s amazing how even just a little extra tip can make a difference in establishing a relationship and getting you better service going forward. A few extra bucks might get you a beer more quickly at the neighborhood pub, an extra chocolate on your hotel pillow or a little more lo mein with your Chinese takeout order. It might even make you a new friend.
The bottom line: Tipping can be super confusing, but we also tend to overthink it. When in doubt, go ahead and tip. Chances are that extra dollar or two won’t make a major difference in your day, but if we all throw a little extra in, it can really make a major difference to those in the service industry who have a tough job that doesn’t pay as well as it should.
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To Tip or Not to Tip? Here’s What to Know About Tipping Etiquette originally appeared on usnews.com
