tips

A tip is a discretionary payment for personal services, always given as cash and not in kind. Michael Lynn at Cornell University's School of Hotel Management has made a number of studies of tipping, and reached some interesting conclusions. The behavior of previous tourists has conditioned servers to anticipate tips from American tourists if from no other class of customers.

United States

In recent years, there has been a tendency for clerks at coffee shops, bakeries, etc, to put out jars in the hopes of collecting tips. Such tipping is far from obligatory.

Person tipped	Amount
Server (waiter/waitress)	15% to 20% of the bill, excluding taxes. For large parties (6 or more), a tip is usually included in the bill, typically 18%. This does not preclude the host's adding a bit more if the service was outstanding. If you tie up a table for a very long time, tip double, to take the place of the tip from the seating that was missed. The tax law of the United States assumes that servers have received tips equal to 15% of the amount of the check, and they are required to pay taxes on these hypothetical tips. Because of this practice, not tipping a server actually costs the person money.
Bartender	10% to 15% of the bar bill if your party is a large one; otherwise $1 or $2 for each round of drinks.
Cocktail server	As for a bartender.
Maître'd hôtel	For fulfilling a particular request, not less than $5. In some restaurants, the maître'd is the proprietor; never tip the owner of an establishment.
Skycap, porter	$1 per bag, more for unusually heavy or unwieldy baggage.
Taxi driver	10% to 15% of fare, never less than $1.
Doorman	$2 for hailing a cab or other special service.
Limousine driver	15% to 20% of bill.
Parking valet	$2 per car.
Hotel bellhop	$1 per bag.
Room service server	Check to see if the bill includes a service charge. If so, $2. If not, it depends on the level of the service. 10%. A server who sets the table, pours the wine, and so forth should be tipped on the same schedule as the server in a a restaurant.
Hotel chambermaid	$2 per day, left at end of stay, with the following exceptions: If the maids seem to change every day, tip daily. In a stay of many weeks, tip weekly. If you are a slob who trashes the room, tip more.
Stylist, barber	15% of charge.
Coat check	$1 per coat.
Concierge	$5 for substantial help.
Movers

Cruise ships

We don't cover tipping for services on cruise ships, because an excellent interactive calculator that incorporates the tipping recommendations of the major cruise lines is available at http://members.aol.com/CruiseTip/

Who does NOT get tipped in the United States

Tips are never given in a professional setting. For example, a masseuse might be tipped at a spa, but the same person performing the same service in a medical setting would not be tipped. Do not tip doctors, teachers,
The owner or manager of a business is never tipped. Thus you would tip the person who styled your hair, but not if she was the owner of the salon.
Government employees are not tipped. The police call it a bribe.
Service workers such as plumbers, painters and electricians working in your home are not tipped unless they perform some extraordinary feat at great personal expense, e.g., he left the Super Bowl to fix your drain.

Australia and New Zealand

In general, in keeping with their strongly egalitarian societies, tipping is discouraged.

France

In restaurants, the gratuity is included in the check. A few