A Guide To Tipping Etiquette

Have you ever gotten your hair cut at a new salon and wondered how much to tip? You tried to remember…is 20 percent standard? Or is it 15? Wonder no more. We asked smart-shopping expert Trae Bodge for her guidelines on who to tip and how much.

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Everyday Life

Car washer: $2–$3 per car, $3–$5 per SUV/truck/van
Dog groomer: 15–20 percent
Server: 18–20 percent
Bartender: $1 per drink for beer/wine;$2 for a complicated cocktail; 15–20 percent for an upscale bar
Coat checker: $1–$2 per item
Movers: $10–$20 per mover
Valet parking attendant: $1–$5
Pet sitters/walkers: 15 percent “if they were hired through a service,” says Bodge. “If they’re independent, simply pay the agreed-upon fee.”

Delivery Services

Food and drink: 10–15 percent
Flowers: $2–$5
Laundry/dry cleaning: $3–$5
Appliances or furniture: $5–$10 per person, depending on the difficulty

Spa Services

Makeup artist, masseuse, hair stylist, manicurist/pedicurist, waxer/threader

These are easy to remember, says Bodge: All are 15–20 percent.

Travel

Hotels
- Concierge:$5, says Bodge, “if they go above and beyond.”
- Housekeeper: $2 per day
- Room service:$2–$5
- Bellhop: $2–$5, depending on how many bags
Taxi/car-service/rideshare drivers: 15–20 percent

Special Events

Typically, if you’ve hired an independent contractor, it’s customary to pay the rate you agreed upon, and you aren’t required to tip, says Bodge. “However, if they work for a company or service, a tip is a nice gesture,” she adds.

Limousine driver: 15–20 percent
Photographer: $50–$100
Videographer: $50–$100
Live band: $15–$20 per musician
DJ: $50–$100
Wait staff: 18–20 percent. If someone goes above and beyond, give them $20 individually, says Bodge.

The Holidays

During the holidays, don’t forget the people who help take care of your home, especially if you’ve gotten to know them.

Mailman: USPS employees are not supposed to accept monetary gifts, including gift “You can give a small general gift or something sweet, like baked goods or chocolates,” says Bodge, “but the value must be no more than $20.”
Doorman: $20 per person, or more if there is only one doorman. “General gifts or sweets are nice, too,” Bodge says.
Landscaper/gardener: “Tip the cost of one service,” says Bodge.
Trash/recycling collectors: $10 each, or general gifts or sweets
House cleaners: The cost of one cleaning
Contractors: $20 per person, if regularly used

By Ashley Rapp

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