Does one 'tip' in New York?Oh my goodness, is that ever simple to answer: If you don’t you die!
Now to put it in better perspective, there actually IS a formula in New York. The ‘norm’ (frightfully) is fifteen percent for pretty much everything. However, you will see that credit card signature slips and many electronic slips have a breakdown section where you are expected to add ‘tips’ for waiters, ‘tips’ for table captains and ‘tips’ for maitre d’s. In this instance, just make it easier on yourself and bang it all in to one section. I would suggest, if you are presented with one of the quickly vanishing manual slips to sign, be sure to draw a firm line from the bottom left hand corner to the top right hand corner of the tip box you intend to leave empty. Otherwise, you may find some kind soul has decided to fill it in for you, recognising that you’re soon returning to Old Blighty and would have difficulty in disputing it.
The word ‘Tip’ is actually an acronym. It means ‘to ensure promptness.’ Sadly, today, it is the salary of most wait staff and it’s the cream on top of independent taxi drivers, limo drivers, porters (called bellmen), housekeepers, and the lot.
I’ll try to give you a simple journey from JFK to your hotel room:
At baggage claim…some odious creature may offer to assist you with your bags, to take them to the kerb – often saying they can ‘help’ you find a taxi quicker. The minimum is now $2. per bag, plus they might play a little psychological blackmail to suggest that this is the fee they pay and they rely on tips. Don’t buy into that. $2. a bag is enough..although, personally, I find myself giving $5 if I ever have two bags carried out. Typically I just do it myself.
Now you’re in the taxi rank…unbelievably (remember, this is New York), the ‘starter’ (that’s the guy who demands to know where you’re going (New
Yorker’s don’t ‘ask,’ they demand!). He then screams for a taxi to move forward, usually screams into the window as to where you want to go, and opens the door for you. This guy wants money! Only a buck…but a buck it is!
Now you’re encased in your coffin of a seat in the back of one of new York’s finest. Translation guides aside, your driver will usually (hopefully) know how to get you to your hotel. Do NOT say ‘the Hilton, the Marriott, or the Sheraton,’ like Americans do when they come to London. Here at home, we ask ‘which one.’ In New York, they just take you to one…it’s YOUR problem if you haven’t told them which one!
As you arrive, your driver will expect the fixed fee, plus tolls…(did you come over the 59th street bridge, tri-borough, tunnel, etc.) Plus, you will be expected to add fifteen percent on top of the base rate..NOT the toll! But drivers think you’re too perplexed by it all and will simply round the tip up against the total amount.
So here you are at your tasteful hotel. Before you know it, an overcoated gentleman will have grabbed your bags
and placed them on a trolley. He will then hand you some cards which identify your bags. In some hotels, this person takes your bags to reception. You are expected to hand this ghost of brief encounters a couple of bucks, folded up in such a way that he can’t really tell what’s in there…2 one dollar bills, or 3..(most of them can tell by smell…I assure you!)
It may be that you’re at a hotel where there is no doorman. In that instance, you may have the same bellman to carry your bags straight to your room.
Now you’re at reception, checking in. Lucky you, they won’t typically expect anything. But there will be someone to take you (and your bags) to your room. If you’re unfortunate, you may be subjected to general chit-chat that is actually leading to all the things he can do for you that earn him commission. Booking a sightseeing trip, arranging dinner, hiring a car – all yield nice little honorariums for the staff. It may be helpful to have a Spanish translation book with you. It’s not that the bellman is from Spain, Mexico,
Puerto Rico, or anywhere near there. Most probably they were born and raised in the Bronx or Queens. But generations of families from different cultures have created a language that is unique to itself.
You’ve arrived in your room – had the six second tour of where the light switch is and confirming that you have a toilet, then the ‘silent wait’ begins. That is the bellman’s expectation point for being rewarded for the job he’s already being paid to provide. Nowadays, $5 is the norm. Give him a dollar and you may find he remains there and never leaves until you fork out more!
Now it’s time to go out to dinner. The doorman will either greet you or ignore you, depending on how well he was able to smell out what you put in his hand earlier. Need a cab? He can either have one before you in second, or
you can stand in queue for hours, especially just before theatre time…it all depends on your recognition of ‘how it works’ in New York!
You’ve taken the taxi for a two block ride to your restaurant. (you didn’t tell the doorman where you wanted to go, or to him, it was none of his business that you wanted to take a taxi for a two block ride). Remember, the taxi driver gets 15 percent. (oh and in New York, you pay the taxi drivers whilst you remain inside the cab!) Don’t climb out to pay as you may find the driver is out his door quicker than you are – believing that you’re trying to do a runner!
Depending on the restaurant you’ve selected: You may have made a dinner booking. If the concierge at the hotel did this, depending on the hotel, you owe them anywhere between $2 and $20, depending on the restaurant!
The maître d'hôtel will peruse the reservation list. If you see that ‘perusal’ lasting anything more than five seconds you may have been guilty of failing to ‘shake hands’ with the maître d' upon arrival. ‘Shaking Hands’ is a discreet way of offering incentives towards recognition in Manhattan. A discreet 'tenner' within the palm of your hand will effortlessly find its way into the maître d's palm and pocket quicker than a New York second!
If you’re trying to get into a restaurant that is booked, has no chance of coming available, but you still want to dine there – there’s a way to communicate your interest in a table. Something along the lines of ‘I’m hoping you can find ten good reasons to find a table for us.’ The maître d' may be rather blasé and say it would take ‘fifty good reasons.’ What you’re doing is negotiating what that table is worth to you. I’m sure you’re catching on.
Now, New York tends to use waiters and table captains. A table captain is the individual who smiles at you, laughs at your droll humour, and compliments your dinner suggestions, towards the goal of impressing the date who’s there with you. The waiter is the poor soul, who seldom speaks English…and seldom speaks, who pours your water, and brings out your food. You are expected to ‘tip’ both!
Now to put it in better perspective, there actually IS a formula in New York. The ‘norm’ (frightfully) is fifteen percent for pretty much everything. However, you will see that credit card signature slips and many electronic slips have a breakdown section where you are expected to add ‘tips’ for waiters, ‘tips’ for table captains and ‘tips’ for maitre d’s. In this instance, just make it easier on yourself and bang it all in to one section. I would suggest, if you are presented with one of the quickly vanishing manual slips to sign, be sure to draw a firm line from the bottom left hand corner to the top right hand corner of the tip box you intend to leave empty. Otherwise, you may find some kind soul has decided to fill it in for you, recognising that you’re soon returning to Old Blighty and would have difficulty in disputing it.
The word ‘Tip’ is actually an acronym. It means ‘to ensure promptness.’ Sadly, today, it is the salary of most wait staff and it’s the cream on top of independent taxi drivers, limo drivers, porters (called bellmen), housekeepers, and the lot.
I’ll try to give you a simple journey from JFK to your hotel room:
At baggage claim…some odious creature may offer to assist you with your bags, to take them to the kerb – often saying they can ‘help’ you find a taxi quicker. The minimum is now $2. per bag, plus they might play a little psychological blackmail to suggest that this is the fee they pay and they rely on tips. Don’t buy into that. $2. a bag is enough..although, personally, I find myself giving $5 if I ever have two bags carried out. Typically I just do it myself.
Now you’re in the taxi rank…unbelievably (remember, this is New York), the ‘starter’ (that’s the guy who demands to know where you’re going (New
Yorker’s don’t ‘ask,’ they demand!). He then screams for a taxi to move forward, usually screams into the window as to where you want to go, and opens the door for you. This guy wants money! Only a buck…but a buck it is!Now you’re encased in your coffin of a seat in the back of one of new York’s finest. Translation guides aside, your driver will usually (hopefully) know how to get you to your hotel. Do NOT say ‘the Hilton, the Marriott, or the Sheraton,’ like Americans do when they come to London. Here at home, we ask ‘which one.’ In New York, they just take you to one…it’s YOUR problem if you haven’t told them which one!
As you arrive, your driver will expect the fixed fee, plus tolls…(did you come over the 59th street bridge, tri-borough, tunnel, etc.) Plus, you will be expected to add fifteen percent on top of the base rate..NOT the toll! But drivers think you’re too perplexed by it all and will simply round the tip up against the total amount.
So here you are at your tasteful hotel. Before you know it, an overcoated gentleman will have grabbed your bags
and placed them on a trolley. He will then hand you some cards which identify your bags. In some hotels, this person takes your bags to reception. You are expected to hand this ghost of brief encounters a couple of bucks, folded up in such a way that he can’t really tell what’s in there…2 one dollar bills, or 3..(most of them can tell by smell…I assure you!)It may be that you’re at a hotel where there is no doorman. In that instance, you may have the same bellman to carry your bags straight to your room.
Now you’re at reception, checking in. Lucky you, they won’t typically expect anything. But there will be someone to take you (and your bags) to your room. If you’re unfortunate, you may be subjected to general chit-chat that is actually leading to all the things he can do for you that earn him commission. Booking a sightseeing trip, arranging dinner, hiring a car – all yield nice little honorariums for the staff. It may be helpful to have a Spanish translation book with you. It’s not that the bellman is from Spain, Mexico,
Puerto Rico, or anywhere near there. Most probably they were born and raised in the Bronx or Queens. But generations of families from different cultures have created a language that is unique to itself.You’ve arrived in your room – had the six second tour of where the light switch is and confirming that you have a toilet, then the ‘silent wait’ begins. That is the bellman’s expectation point for being rewarded for the job he’s already being paid to provide. Nowadays, $5 is the norm. Give him a dollar and you may find he remains there and never leaves until you fork out more!
Now it’s time to go out to dinner. The doorman will either greet you or ignore you, depending on how well he was able to smell out what you put in his hand earlier. Need a cab? He can either have one before you in second, or
you can stand in queue for hours, especially just before theatre time…it all depends on your recognition of ‘how it works’ in New York!You’ve taken the taxi for a two block ride to your restaurant. (you didn’t tell the doorman where you wanted to go, or to him, it was none of his business that you wanted to take a taxi for a two block ride). Remember, the taxi driver gets 15 percent. (oh and in New York, you pay the taxi drivers whilst you remain inside the cab!) Don’t climb out to pay as you may find the driver is out his door quicker than you are – believing that you’re trying to do a runner!
Depending on the restaurant you’ve selected: You may have made a dinner booking. If the concierge at the hotel did this, depending on the hotel, you owe them anywhere between $2 and $20, depending on the restaurant!
The maître d'hôtel will peruse the reservation list. If you see that ‘perusal’ lasting anything more than five seconds you may have been guilty of failing to ‘shake hands’ with the maître d' upon arrival. ‘Shaking Hands’ is a discreet way of offering incentives towards recognition in Manhattan. A discreet 'tenner' within the palm of your hand will effortlessly find its way into the maître d's palm and pocket quicker than a New York second!
If you’re trying to get into a restaurant that is booked, has no chance of coming available, but you still want to dine there – there’s a way to communicate your interest in a table. Something along the lines of ‘I’m hoping you can find ten good reasons to find a table for us.’ The maître d' may be rather blasé and say it would take ‘fifty good reasons.’ What you’re doing is negotiating what that table is worth to you. I’m sure you’re catching on.
Now, New York tends to use waiters and table captains. A table captain is the individual who smiles at you, laughs at your droll humour, and compliments your dinner suggestions, towards the goal of impressing the date who’s there with you. The waiter is the poor soul, who seldom speaks English…and seldom speaks, who pours your water, and brings out your food. You are expected to ‘tip’ both! AND if you’ve ordered wine, you may experience a wine steward or Sommelier. That person will also expect a ‘tip,’ especially if they had to endure your riveting knowledge of wines and then you were so crass as to order something inexpensive! Are you starting to feel like a New Yorker?
When you arrived at the restaurant, you may have left your coat and hat
with the hat-check girl. (that sounds sexist I suppose, but that could be an entirely new epistle on life in New York City!) There’s an expectation of a minimum of $1 for each item...and it has recently been floating around $2.00!
If you’re so paranoid about going out after all I’ve shared, then there’s the idea of Room Service. Interestingly, most of the US chain hotels now automatically add what they so euphemistically describe as ‘gratuities.’ The sad fact is the 17-20% shown on the bill does not go to the poor soul who brought up the food to you. Much to my outrage when I learned this from Marriott many years ago, that money is divided among a number of staff, AND a portion of it is actually kept by the hotel!
You have two choices – just sign the flippin bill and be done with it. Or give a couple of bucks to the room service waiter on top of it, especially if you were served nicely. Or, be a renegade and ask (demand) to know how the conveniently added gratuities are divided by the hotel. And be sure to ask the waiter what percentage she/he/it receives. It’s an exasperating journey.
Now, a note about waiters. New York, just as with many large cities, don’t have waiters/waitresses. They have ‘servers’ or ‘associates’ or any other daft description you can think of. Nearly all of them will tell you they’re not waiters. They’re actors between roles, etc. Unknown to most out-of-towners waiters and waitresses do receive a base salary. However, it averages less than $2.00 an hour. The rest of it is made up with tips.
The tips are so large in some restaurants, there is an unscrupulous business where restaurant owners, or certain ‘organised’ groups force the staff to pay for the right to work there. And as repugnant as I may think the entire exercise is, I must accept that this is New York and that’s just the way it is.
If you’d like a simple formula for figuring out tips, I tend to simply look at the tax on the restaurant bill and leave that. It isn’t an exacting science, but for me it works.
If you use limousines or other independent services, you may find that some of the less-bred and more aggressive individuals will actually tell you ‘I’ve saved you time and just written in the tip amount on your bill for you.’ I wish I could do the New York accent on here! Should they do this, I would personally make them write out the bill again and leave it blank so you can do it yourself. And make the point to tell them, that to save time in telling them how repugnant you feel they are, you've simply reflected it in the appropriately adjusted tip! (but make sure all your luggage is out of the limo first!)
I should also tell you of a headwaiter trick, that is usually perpetrated against obnoxious males who are trying to impress their dates. But it also does happen to lively groups where they have been drinking to excess. New Yorkers tend to be offended by coins. The wait staff realise this. So if your bill was, say, $79 and you’ve paid by cash (a dwindling concept in this credit card thriving world) by providing the waiter with a $100 bill. The change they bring you will be in the form of six dollars in coin and the rest in notes, ensuring you not only have more coins on the plate than necessary, but you have no one dollar bills. The logic is that you forget about all coins AND having no one dollar bills, you tend to leave the higher notes behind as a tip.
Also, for the guy who’s drooling over his date, or relatively timid foreigners, once that change is left on a plate on the table, if you just happen to have a cup of coffee (pronounced cwoughfee) in your hands when they set the change down, you may find that before your cup reaches its saucer, they maître d' has picked it up, muttering ‘thank you,’ and quickly walked into the kitchen so that you can't reach him. To them, (and it’s well rehearsed) this means they’ve prevented you from possibly reducing the tip, allowing them to gain a higher return. The poor slob on a date doesn’t want to look like a cheapskate & the nice timid couple feel too intimidated to challenge 'Vinnie' the Maître d !
New York City is a fascinating place to visit and indeed live. But I caution anyone going for the first time. They set the rules, you follow them, otherwise you pay! Actually, you pay anyway!
When you arrived at the restaurant, you may have left your coat and hat
with the hat-check girl. (that sounds sexist I suppose, but that could be an entirely new epistle on life in New York City!) There’s an expectation of a minimum of $1 for each item...and it has recently been floating around $2.00!If you’re so paranoid about going out after all I’ve shared, then there’s the idea of Room Service. Interestingly, most of the US chain hotels now automatically add what they so euphemistically describe as ‘gratuities.’ The sad fact is the 17-20% shown on the bill does not go to the poor soul who brought up the food to you. Much to my outrage when I learned this from Marriott many years ago, that money is divided among a number of staff, AND a portion of it is actually kept by the hotel!
You have two choices – just sign the flippin bill and be done with it. Or give a couple of bucks to the room service waiter on top of it, especially if you were served nicely. Or, be a renegade and ask (demand) to know how the conveniently added gratuities are divided by the hotel. And be sure to ask the waiter what percentage she/he/it receives. It’s an exasperating journey.
Now, a note about waiters. New York, just as with many large cities, don’t have waiters/waitresses. They have ‘servers’ or ‘associates’ or any other daft description you can think of. Nearly all of them will tell you they’re not waiters. They’re actors between roles, etc. Unknown to most out-of-towners waiters and waitresses do receive a base salary. However, it averages less than $2.00 an hour. The rest of it is made up with tips.
The tips are so large in some restaurants, there is an unscrupulous business where restaurant owners, or certain ‘organised’ groups force the staff to pay for the right to work there. And as repugnant as I may think the entire exercise is, I must accept that this is New York and that’s just the way it is.
If you’d like a simple formula for figuring out tips, I tend to simply look at the tax on the restaurant bill and leave that. It isn’t an exacting science, but for me it works.
If you use limousines or other independent services, you may find that some of the less-bred and more aggressive individuals will actually tell you ‘I’ve saved you time and just written in the tip amount on your bill for you.’ I wish I could do the New York accent on here! Should they do this, I would personally make them write out the bill again and leave it blank so you can do it yourself. And make the point to tell them, that to save time in telling them how repugnant you feel they are, you've simply reflected it in the appropriately adjusted tip! (but make sure all your luggage is out of the limo first!)
I should also tell you of a headwaiter trick, that is usually perpetrated against obnoxious males who are trying to impress their dates. But it also does happen to lively groups where they have been drinking to excess. New Yorkers tend to be offended by coins. The wait staff realise this. So if your bill was, say, $79 and you’ve paid by cash (a dwindling concept in this credit card thriving world) by providing the waiter with a $100 bill. The change they bring you will be in the form of six dollars in coin and the rest in notes, ensuring you not only have more coins on the plate than necessary, but you have no one dollar bills. The logic is that you forget about all coins AND having no one dollar bills, you tend to leave the higher notes behind as a tip.
Also, for the guy who’s drooling over his date, or relatively timid foreigners, once that change is left on a plate on the table, if you just happen to have a cup of coffee (pronounced cwoughfee) in your hands when they set the change down, you may find that before your cup reaches its saucer, they maître d' has picked it up, muttering ‘thank you,’ and quickly walked into the kitchen so that you can't reach him. To them, (and it’s well rehearsed) this means they’ve prevented you from possibly reducing the tip, allowing them to gain a higher return. The poor slob on a date doesn’t want to look like a cheapskate & the nice timid couple feel too intimidated to challenge 'Vinnie' the Maître d !
New York City is a fascinating place to visit and indeed live. But I caution anyone going for the first time. They set the rules, you follow them, otherwise you pay! Actually, you pay anyway!
Oops, don't forget to tip the maid too!
I hope you have a great trip!
I hope you have a great trip!
Oh, and to offer a slight variance on an old theme from Ali Mac Graw and Ryan O’Neil; New York means never having to say “You’re Sorry!”
Fr Bill+
Fr Bill+
ps: I have no doubt you are a genuinely nice person and would never wish to cause emotional distress to anyone, so I have a simple suggestion for the first time visitor to New York - a sure fire way to keep yourself from being shot or from causing some poor soul a complete and utter nervous breakdown, where they rip off their clothes before you and go running out the door.
Never - Ever EVER ask a pianist to play New York New York! Yes, I'm sure it's Your special song and it is certainly memorable. But these poor protectors of the ivory keys are asked to play the bloomin thing a minimum of twenty times a night! Do yourself a favour and just wait a bit and when it starts playing, turn those doe eyes of yours towards your wife, girlfriend or POSSLEQ, giving your best sheepish grin and let her believe you're the one who engineered this touching piece of warm memory. She'll love you for it, you'll feel better for it, and you won't even have to slip the pianist a tenner for having played the flippin thing! Or, wait until around 11ish and sneak over to the Oak Room at The Plaza and you might, just might, get the Original to sing it herself. Drinks start around 4ish and by 11, she's probably ready for anything!
Never - Ever EVER ask a pianist to play New York New York! Yes, I'm sure it's Your special song and it is certainly memorable. But these poor protectors of the ivory keys are asked to play the bloomin thing a minimum of twenty times a night! Do yourself a favour and just wait a bit and when it starts playing, turn those doe eyes of yours towards your wife, girlfriend or POSSLEQ, giving your best sheepish grin and let her believe you're the one who engineered this touching piece of warm memory. She'll love you for it, you'll feel better for it, and you won't even have to slip the pianist a tenner for having played the flippin thing! Or, wait until around 11ish and sneak over to the Oak Room at The Plaza and you might, just might, get the Original to sing it herself. Drinks start around 4ish and by 11, she's probably ready for anything!
.
