According to a recent poll posted in Bankrate, 30 percent of respondents claim that tipping is “out of control,” while two-thirds have a negative view of tipping. It begs the question, what planet is the remaining one-third living on?
Reflecting on my childhood travels with my parents, tipping was a far simpler concept. Back then, my father would only tip restaurant wait staff and taxi drivers, with a standard 10 percent tip being both expected and appreciated. Additionally, a near-mandatory 50 cents or a dollar tip was given to the airport “skycap” who handed us our checked bags. These were the norms at the time, as conveyors for baggage delivery were yet to be introduced. Although we never embarked on any cruises, we were aware that tipping was customary, and cruisers even received explicit instructions from the cruise line on how much to tip. Oh, how times have changed.
Today, the standard restaurant tip has skyrocketed to 20 percent, and it seems that we are expected to tip a wide range of service workers, including hotel housekeepers, take-out counter staff, coffee baristas, barbers, hairdressers, delivery drivers, tour guides, and even airline flight attendants, if recent speculation is anything to go by.
In the travel industry, unfortunate situations tend to worsen rather than improve. Large suppliers have a vested interest in encouraging customers to tip more. By categorizing certain workers as reliant on tipping income, these suppliers can pay them less than the minimum wage required for non-tipped workers. This is why hotels now pressure guests to tip their housekeepers and why credit card billing slips often display specific “suggested” tips.
For many travelers, determining when and how much to tip remains a perplexing dilemma. According to the Bankrate survey, only about two-thirds of Americans tip at sit-down restaurants, a finding that I find both undeniable and perplexing. Hair stylists/barbers and food delivery workers were also tipped by a majority of consumers, with significant minorities tipping taxi/rideshare drivers. Conversely, less than a quarter of Americans tip hotel housekeepers, coffee baristas, and take-out food servers.
For now, my understanding is that tipping wait staff and hair care professionals is still the norm, with drivers falling into a grey area. However, it is generally acceptable to abstain from tipping other types of workers. Bankrate provides three common-sense guidelines for tipping:
1. If someone assists you, include them in your tip. If it’s a team effort, tip each individual on the team.
2. Even for inexpensive services, it is considered good practice to leave a small tip.
3. Even if you prefer cashless transactions, keep a few small-denomination bills or coins on hand specifically for tipping purposes.
While Bankrate’s survey focuses on tipping practices in the United States, navigating tipping customs in foreign countries can be even more complex. Numerous online tipping guides exist for different countries. The most recent guide from Airport Parking & Hotels provides a good representation:
– Europe: In the past, most European restaurants included service charges in their posted menu prices. However, this is no longer the case. The survey suggests a 10 percent tip in most popular destinations, although service charges are still typically included in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.
– Asia: Tipping is generally uncommon in China and Japan, but more prevalent in other Asian countries.
– Canada/Caribbean/Mexico: Tipping practices are similar to those in the United States.
As you might have deduced by now, I am not a fan of tipping. I believe that a stated price should encompass the total cost—no hidden fees or additional gratuities. That’s why I actively advocate for the elimination of hotel “resort” fees and support the transparent display of full-fare airfare prices. My non-tipping experience during a pre-Covid trip to China only reinforced my conviction.
However, if you have an imminent journey planned, tipping woes are inevitable. If you find yourself unsure about when and how much to tip, a quick Google search of “tipping + [your destination]” should provide the current tipping practices and expectations. Remember to go with the flow.
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