Tipping for services rendered while traveling is common in the US, but not so much in Japan and Brazil, among others. But if you’re traveling to distant lands — or even another U.S. state — this summer, it’s helpful to know some road rules when it comes to tipping.
Start with these tips to manage your tipping needs when you travel this summer.
Know the correct tilt ranges. The average tip for a sit-down meal in the US is still between 15% and 20%. For taxis and Uber †UBER) – Get the Uber Technologies, Inc. report rides, gratuities vary depending on mileage and total cost. A study by The National Bureau of Economic Research shows that the average tip for an Uber ride is $3.
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Tip early and often
Pay in advance for quality service. It doesn’t take much to be memorable and advance tips open doors.
“A $20 to the hotel receptionist or flight attendant almost always gets you the best room they have or your drink never dries up during the flight,” said Taylor Kovar, a certified financial planner and CEO at The Money Couple in Lufkin, Texas. (Kovar just finished a cross-country trip to all 50 states with his family.)
For overseas travel, do your due diligence. When traveling abroad, a quick Google search will save you a ton of time, money and embarrassment. “If Google says it’s not customary to tip, don’t tip, it’s insulting,” Kovar said.
Make household tips a priority. The people with the least tips in a hotel, the chambermaids/housekeepers, work the hardest and are probably the worst paid.
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“I make sure to tip the maids because I was one — that was my start in the travel industry,” said Leslie Overton, director of travel operations at Fora in New York, NY. always take cash and then get change from reception and put the maid’s tip in my makeup bag.
“It’s the last thing I pack so before I put it in my suitcase I know I have to leave the tip for housekeeping,” Overton added.
When to tip in Europe?
In Europe, know when and when not to tip. Tipping, for example, is not common in Italy in general, but is appreciated, says Katy Clarke, founder of Untold Italy, an online destination for travelers in Italy.
Clarke offers some specific tips for European (especially Italy) travelers.
- At restaurants, Italians round up to $5 or $10. Where service is included, no additional gratuities are required
- Scenarios where you should tip for good service: guides, chauffeur services, restaurants
- Scenarios where tipping is not mandatory: taxis, hotel cleaning
- US travelers are sometimes told “gratuity not included” because those in the tourism industry know it’s standard in the US
Err on the side of being generous. Tipping while traveling doesn’t have to be a complicated process. “If you’ve received great service and tips are customary in the culture, feel free to leave more than enough,” says Mark Morgan, co-founder of WhereAreThoseMorgans.com, an online travel site. (Morgan and his wife have traveled to more than 40 countries in recent years.)
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Take tips into account in your travel budget. Budgeting can be very important if you are planning to travel to countries like the US, where tipping is mandatory. “You’ll quickly eat up your travel budget if you haven’t set aside enough for tips during your trip,” Morgan added.
Bring small bills (and even coins) for your tips. “With several small bills and coins, you can easily tip without worrying about breaking larger bills,” Morgan said.