Do You Tip Enough?

It's always a question I have, "how much should I tip?" Not just waiters, but hairdressers, maids, etc. Now a manners expert, Thomas Farley, from WhatMannersMost.com has come up with some suggestions on how to tip. For instance if you're staying in a five star hotel, Farley says for a hotel porter toting your bags, $2 to $3 per bag; $2 for room service with gratuity on the bill; the doorman hailing your cab gets him $2-$5 and housekeeping $2-$5 per day. At a restaurant the wait staff gets 13% to 20% of the bill. And he makes a very good point. Don't base your tip on the food's taste; the server has no control over it.

Other services like taxi drivers, should get 15% of the fare; limo drivers, 10-20% of the bill. Some events are completely blown off for tips, like weddings and funerals. At some, there are bartenders, who should get 10% of liquor bill; and Farley suggests a disc jockey would get $50 to $100; altar boys $10 to $15; and a wedding planner, $50 to $100. Now, for hairstylists, he suggests 10-20% and massage therapists should get 10-15% and pet groomers 15-20%. To sum it up, probably everyone who performs a service on you, whether it be waiting on you, or clipping your nails, or changing your sheets, should be tipped.