Like most other service providers, tour guides depend on tips. Generally, a 15-20% guideline applies, though tipping in these situations should also reflect the size of the tour group, as well as the length of the tour.
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Tips for other service personnel, such as tour guides, coat-check staff, baristas and so on, are always appreciated. Buyer beware: while the price tag may say one thing, prices marked typically don't include tax. The sales tax on most goods and services in New York City is 8.875 percent.
For a short guided tour in the U.S.: Tip $5-$10 (or more) per person if your tour is around two hours or less. This would be an appropriate amount for most walking tours, like our JFK Assassination Tour, as well as some attraction tours, like our express Statue of Liberty visit.
There are exceptions if your specific tour experience includes gratuities or you simply didn't have a good time, but in general, tipping your guide at the end of the tour is customary in the U.S. and Europe, though it's much more common in the States.
Should we tip our guide? No, there's no need to leave a gratuity. All of our guides have set fair prices for their tours that mean they aren't relying on tips for their income.
At table-service restaurants, the tipping etiquette and procedure vary slightly from country to country. But in general, European servers are well paid, and tips are considered a small bonus — to reward great service or for simplicity in rounding the total bill to a convenient number.
For drivers spending the majority of the day with you, as is the case with a limo or moving between airports, hotels, and events, 10 to 15 percent of the total bill is custom. You may find drivers go above and beyond and provide extra service to ensure safety or comfort.
A lot of places in New York City only accept cash tips, or cash is their preferred payment. Even some places that accept credit cards still prefer tips in cash, so it helps to always have a few bills on you just in case.
About.com has a Tipping Guide for travelers that further suggests that the tour guide should receive a tip of 10% to 20% of the tour cost. As a last thought, the guide still needs to earn his or her tip. Just with any other profession, the tip should match the level of service.
The results might shock you. She found that without tips or surge pricing, hailing a cab was always less expensive than an UberX or a standard Lyft. Cab prices averaged 35-83% less than a ride-share. Prices for the same rides on the taxi cab app CURB varied.
Tipping at restaurants and cafés depends on the serviceUnlike the United States, waitstaff in Italy are paid a living wage, and tips do not make up the majority of their income. Go ahead and follow their custom or, if you think the service was great and you want to leave more, feel free to do so.
Pro tip: Tip everyone: While most travelers know to tip a bellman or valet, few leave anything for the front-desk agent—despite their enormous power to influence the quality of your stay. “The front desk isn't a tipped position, so when you do tip, it makes them beholden to you,” Tomsky said.