Sunshine Coast etiquette expert Margaret Page is featured in CTV News “Steele On Your Side” segment about tipping. Watch the video and read about her great tips on tipping!
CLICK HERE TO WATCH
THE CTV NEWS VIDEO
How much do you tip on average? Comment below!!
A Guide to Everyday Tipping Etiquette
I was recently asked to contribute to a CTV report on tipping etiquette. One of the questions that came up was around self-service restaurants or coffee shops—such as Starbucks Tim Hortons—and whether to tip or not to tip. In my opinion, if you have to wait in line to place an order, vs. sitting down at a restaurant and being served, there should not be an expectation to pay the same gratuity. It’s an entirely different business model.
If, however, you are a frequent customer and you consistently receive extraordinary service—such as remembering your regular order and getting it started before you get to the front of the line—then it’s appropriate (and appreciated) to tip at least 10% to show your gratitude for the extra effort (and to continue to receive that level of service.)
Here is a basic tipping etiquette guide to help you determine the what, where and how much to tip:
Restaurants
Host or maitre d’: $10 – $20 for special service.
Coatroom attendant: $1 – $2 per item
Wait staff: 15 – 20% of the bill, before tax
Wine steward: 15 % of your wine bill
Bartender: 15 – 20% of tab or $1 to $2 per drink
If you are not happy with the level of service you’re getting while dining at a restaurant, do not forego leaving a tip—thinking the waiter will “get the message—speak to the manager.
Travel
Taxi driver: 20% of the fare or at least $1 if it’s a low fare
Limo driver:
Skycap: $1 per bag
Shuttle bus driver: $1 per bag
Hotel doorman: $1 to $4, depending on the hotel
Hotel bellhop: $1 – $2 per bag
Room service: 15 to 20% of the bill (if not already included in the charge)
Chambermaid: $3 to $5 per person, per day
Concierge: $5 – $10; $15 in big cities
Tour guide: $2 to $5, if pleased with your tour
When traveling, remember that the tipping from one country to the next can vary as much as the culture and the customs. In Switzerland, in the service industry, you don’t need to tip, and if you’re visiting Italy, leaving a tip of no more than 10% is customary. Before traveling to a new country, do your research to avoid offending local service workers. For more, print out this informative visual guide to tipping around the world, and keep it with you when you’re traveling!
Salons and Spas
Stylist / barber: 15 to 20%
Shampooer: $5
Coat check: $2 per coat
Manicurist / pedicurist: 15 – 20%
Esthetician: 15 – 20%
Waxer: 15 – 20%
Masseur / masseuse: 15 – 20%
Deliveries
Food: 10- 15%
Newspaper: $10 – $30 during the holiday season
Groceries: At least $2
Flowers / gifts: Tip at least $2
Miscellaneous
Valet: $2 to $5 when your car is returned to you
Washroom attendant: $1 – $2
Golf instructor: A tip is always appreciated, but is not customary.
Caddie: $30 to $50, or 50% of the caddie fee
Grocery store bagger: If he takes your groceries to your car, offer a $1 – $2 tip. But be aware of no tipping policies.
Shoe shiner: $1 – $2 per pair
Pet groomer: 15% of the bill
One last note: Tip jars are showing up everywhere these days, and here’s my advice on that: If you’re at Starbucks and you have change and would like to leave it, I’m sure it will be greatly appreciated by the staff.
Sorting Out Tipping Confusion
By: ctvbc.ca
Date: Thursday Sep. 1, 2011 3:09 PM PT
When to tip can get a little tricky. Do you tip when you buy a coffee at Starbucks? What if you’re taking your food to go? CTV consumer reporter Lynda Steele hit the streets with an etiquette expert to get some advice on tipping protocol.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE CTV NEWS VIDEO
Etiquette expert Margaret Page says tipping pumps $40 billion into the North American economy each year, but who and how much you are supposed to tip can be confusing.
Page advises that a tip is not expected at your local coffee shop, although counter staff do appreciate it.
Page says you can skip the tip on takeout food as well. And beware if you’re using a portable debit machine at a restaurant, you may be tipping on top of the tax.
“It’s not necessary to pay a tip on the taxes. After all, that portion is going to the government,” said Page.
When it comes to tipping for taxis, Page says 10 to 15 per cent is the norm.
“If they got you there on time and you were in a rush, definitely tip fifteen per cent,” she said.
Hotel bellhops usually get $2 to $5 per bag, but don’t feel obligated.
“If our customers are feeling happy with the service they’ve received — it’s always appreciated by our staff — but it’s certainly not something they expect every single time,” said Kyle Matheson of the Sutton Place Hotel.
Salon and spa staff often get stiffed when it comes to tips.
“A woman just said to me this morning ‘I wish they would just include it in the price because then I would feel comfortable because it’s this discomfort with not knowing what to tip,’” said Page.
Overall, Canadians are viewed as worse tippers than Americans and women are seen as less generous tippers than men.
According to a Bank of Montreal tipping survey, Canadians admitted to tipping pizza and delivery people less than fifteen per cent. Nearly one in four Canadians say they don’t leave a tip at all after receiving spa or nail services.
And what about tipping etiquette when you’re out with a group? Most times the tip often comes up short. But there’s an App for that. Free tip calculator apps are available which instantly figure out how much each person owes.
With a report from CTV British Columbia’s Lynda Steele
Congrats to Margaret for her interview with CTV BC. You can check out her blog for more great etiquette tips!
Are you big on tipping yourself? Don’t like tipping? Tell me.. please comment below….
It’s Always a Good Day on the Sunshine Coast! Duane Burnett
LINKS
http://www.facebook.com/etiquettepage
http://etiquettepage.com/a-guide-to-everyday-tipping-etiquette
http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110901/bc_story_tipping_110901/20110901/
