I’ve worked in the service industry for over seven years so it goes without saying that I am a firm believer in tipping. And while most of us tip for service in restaurants and bars, there are a lot of other places where tips are a way of life. Some service-type professions include hair dressers, massage therapists, hotel concierge, housekeepers, casino dealers, valet drivers, and the list goes on and on…

With so many different types of services, have you ever wonder who you should tip, when you should tip, or how much you should tip? Most of us take guesses at the amount and hope for the best that we left enough to leave a good impression. Below is a list of advice that might be helpful for you next time you are out and about.

Restaurant & Bar

• For waiters at a restaurant, a standard tip is 15%-20% of the final bill.
• For the bus boy, $0 unless he did something the waiter should have done. In that case, $2 is fine.
• If you’re dining at a buffet, 10% is standard if someone is filling your drinks, napkins, etc.
• For take-out orders, don’t feel pressured to leave anything but if you must, $2-$3 will leave a good impression for the next time you decide to order take-out again.
• Ordering from the drive-thru? $0. And check your bag. You’re order is probably wrong.
• Food delivery drivers, on average, should get $2-$5 depending on weather, your neighborhood, time and distance driven to get your food delivered.
• For a bartender or cocktail server, $1 per drink is standard. Leave more if you got “hooked up”.

Hotel & Airport

• Staying in a hotel? Leave between $3-$5 per night for the housekeeping crew.
• If you use a hotel concierge, you should probably tip at least $5 for getting you tickets or reservations to a show. Give more if they help more, as you never know when you may need them.
• If you’re checking your bags curbside at the airport, $1-$2 per bag is fair.

Taxi & Valet

• When I valet my car, I usually tip $2 to the valet driver when he brings my car back around.
• When taking the shuttle from the rental car place to the airport, most people tip the driver $1 per bag (if they help you with it).
• For taxis, a pretty standard tip is 15% of the final bill.
• For limo drivers, 20% of the bill is fair.

Salon & Beauty

• Hair stylists should be tipped 15%-20%, and maybe a little more around the holidays. Last minute or after-hours appointment? Make it 20-25%.
• Barbers, on average, should get $2 per visit. Leave more if you get a shave, wash, shoulder and scalp massage, etc.
• Getting a manicure, pedicure, or facial? They would truly appreciate a 15% tip for cleaning up your nails and pores.
• A massage therapist working out those knots should get between 15%-20% of the massage cost.
• I tipped my tattoo artist 20% of the cost for his work because, well, if I plan to go back I’d like to leave a lasting impression much like the tattoo he gave me!

Miscellaneous Services

• Getting your coat checked? An attendant in a coatroom should be tipped $1 per coat.
• A bathroom attendant should get $1. You know they’re going to make you feel like crap if you take a hand towel and don’t leave a buck. Personally, I don’t like this guilt trip when using the restroom because I’d rather dry my own hands.
• When getting your shoes shined, a good tip on top of the bill would be $2 per pair of shoes.
• I’m not much of a gambler but most blackjack players will tip a $5 chip upon leaving the table. Leave a little more if you’re at a high stakes table or if you won a ton of money.

Some things to keep in mind…
If you purchase goods or services with a coupon, you should tip on the full amount of the bill – not the discounted price. Otherwise you just look like a cheap bastard and it’s not fair to the server, who has no control over the prices of the restaurant or the value of the coupon.

And finally, I believe tipping is gratuitous. I don’t agree with any service that charges a tip on the bill because then it becomes mandatory. I hope this lists serves as an advice on how much to tip towards the above mentioned service industries and to give a little insight on the professions that depend on tips as a way of living.

I’m back from Europe y’all!

As happy as I am to be home after a long holiday, I now have plenty of things to catch up on, including my credit card bills. It seemed pretty foolish for me to try to play any games involving exchanging money while I was in Europe. So I tried to convert little cash directly, instead resorting to using credit cards as much as possible.

I researched my credit cards’ service fees and this is the best I can decipher them:

The best choice for international spending appears to be Capital One and that was the card I took with me to Europe. However, not all credit cards by the same issuer are created equally. So, look at your terms and conditions before making your decision and taking your credit cards abroad.

For more information credit/debit/ATM cards and foreign exchange fees, check out FlyerGuide.