On Mon, 18 Apr 2005 18:11:47 GMT, "Jimi_thing" wrote:
>jrnj315@webtv.net (Jim Reston) wrote in news:22148-4261A2A4-165
>@storefull-3231.bay.webtv.net:
>
>> As far as who and how
>> much you should tip, there are alot of websites that have that
>> information available. Probably best to do an internet search for
>> "tipping" and you'll get lots of results.
>
>I was thinking: 1 dollar every day on the bed for the maid, 15% to taxi
>driver (we'll use the cab probably only for the trips from and to JFK),
>double the tax at restaurants (If paying cash, I leave the money -tipping
>included- on the table... or should I give it directly in the hands of
>the waiter?), 1 dollar per drink at the bar.
>
>But anyway always bills, never coins (which are for beggars, or so my
>Lonely Planet guide says...).
>
>I intend to make a good impression on working people out there, some of
>them might have had bad experiences with tourists, and I don't want to
>be classified as "il solito italiano" (can't translate, maybe "the
>typical/usual italian"? :-p)
>
>> Enjoy your trip and have a great time in New York!
>
>I will!
You are to be commended for not complaining about the
American system of tipping certain service providers.
Truth is, they don't get paid enough by their employers
to make it without tips, and that is a shame but a fact.
We would all prefer that was not the case, but then perhaps
the price of meals would go up so what can we do?
You can leave the tip on the table or give it to the waiter
if you can find him/her at the time you leave. Many restaurants
give you the check in a wallet sort of thing and you can just
put it in there. If you pay by credit card, you have a space
to add the tip and total the bill. In many places, waiters
either pool tips and/or share part of the tip with the people
who clean off the tables and replenish your water and coffee.
You can trust that the money will get to the right place. Any
waiter who pocketed some other waiter's tips wouldn't be around
long.
I tip cab drivers but only the requisite and no more unless they
are very nice. Some are not nice at all, sad to say. I had one
from the airport last week who did not listen to my directions to
find my home, although she did not know the area and went in the
wrong direction. She began lecturing me and I said, "skip the
sttitude." I did tip her and she said nothing, so I said, "aren't
you going to say thank you?" and she grudgingly did. You won't
have the direction problem in Manhattan -- I live in the borough
of Queens.
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