# Tipping at a Hotel, Taxicab and Restaurant



## Canadian (Jan 17, 2008)

Okay,

I normally travel and stay at what my grandfather would call "dollar hotels", which is basically a Super8 or Travellodge. However, my upcoming trip leaves me with a group of questions. Because it's a 4-star hotel in downtown Montreal, I'm a wee bit out of my water. Despite my tuxedoes and fancy shoes, I'm still a middle-management small town boy.

Okay, forgive me if some of this stuff has been discussed before, or is totally elementary. Pretend you're talking to your kid on his first trip to a big city. 

1. Hotels. Obviously you tip the maid (20 at the end of a 3 night stay?). Doorman is trickier. Do you tip the first time, all the time, only if you have luggage? How much (2 bucks the 1st time? Keep in mind 2 bucks is a small coin and I don't want to feel cheap.)? How about the porter (if there is one?)? Obviously, the desk clerk isn't paid a tip, because he's working for a set wage. Plus some of them can be real tools. 

2. Taxicabs. I will be spending at least 38x2 on taxicabs, assuming I take absolutely nothing else (I'm good on metros but aren't above hopping into a cab if I'm lost). Probably I should spend closer to 45x2 as it's a 38 dollar set rate between PET airport (Montreal) and a 7 dollar tip sounds right?

3. Restaurants. Do Francophones really tip at McDonalds. I'd never eat there, but I do like the odd lunch counter while working. This time it's going to be 99% pleasure, but I'm wondering, who all do you tip? If you have a beer and not wine, do you pay the wine steward another 15%?

Sorry if this has been covered before. I searched and didn't see anything.

Thomas


----------



## Erablian (May 20, 2010)

Montréal is no different from other big cities in Canada in terms of tipping, except that Montrealers tend to be a bit more generous in their tips, and the recipient of a tip might be a bit more bold in letting you know (overtly or covertly) if your tip did not meet his expectations. Whoever told you that Montrealers tip at McDonald's was exaggerating.

Personally I'm fairly frugal with tips. I have never left a tip for housekeeping.
If the doorman just holds the door for me, I don't tip. If he helps with bags, about $2 per bag. If he gives me directions, I would tip $2-$5. The doorman, I find, is a better guy to ask about restaurants, directions, etc., than the concierge.

In taxis I generally tip about 15%. Montreal cab drivers seem to get huffy if you pay by credit card, by the way -- I don't know why. A $7 tip on the airport trip sounds about right.

In restaurants, don't tip people separately. Just leave one tip, 15%-20%, depending on service. The staff divide the tips amongst themselves according to their house rules.

Be sure to grab some ribs at the Bar B Barn on Guy Street while you're there. Way better than Saint-Hubert Barbecue.


----------



## blue suede shoes (Mar 22, 2010)

I'm a frequent traveller to big cities and have found that an easy way to save money is to take a shuttle bus or metro train from the airport into the city. The ride is usually just as comfortable and quick, but at a fraction of the cost, and they usually stop at or near the major hotels. Normally I wouldn't mention this option to one who is staying at a four star hotel, but you did say you stayed at budget hotels so I thought you might want to consider this. It has been a while since I have been to Montreal (way too long), but I am sure there is at least one shuttle service at their airport as I believe Dorval is now used for all flights, both domestic and overseas.

It is also good that you know the taxi fare in advance. I don't want to sully the reputation of taxi drivers as I was once a very honest taxi driver, but there are a few bad apples everywhere and it can happen to anyone. Recently I was almost swindled by a cab driver from my residence to the airport, a distance of only a few miles.


----------



## JJR512 (May 18, 2010)

Let's see what _Emily Post's Etiquette_ [17th Edition, 2004, by Peggy Post] has to say on the subject:

1. The doorman is thanked, not tipped, for opening the door for you, but can be tipped $1 to $4 if he takes your bags and hands them to the bellhop; when he hails a cab for you ($1 more if it's raining); when he requests your car for you from the garage; and when he takes your baggage from the bellhop and loads it into a vehicle. The bellhop gets $1 per bag with a $2 minimum. Add another dollar or two if he points out facilities in the lobby and in your room. (Personal note: _Emily Post's Etiquette_ doesn't say so, but like in other situations, I would add an extra dollar or two per bag if they're particularly heavy.) If someone from the manager's office shows you to your room, that person is not tipped, but do still tip the accompanying bellhop normally. If the bellhop does something special, like bringing a requested item to your room, he gets $2 to $3 per incident. A concierge is tipped $5 to $10 per special service, such as recommending a restaurant or making reservations. Go to $15 or more for harder requests or multiple requests. Tip the concierge at the time of service. If the concierge made an honest attempt but failed, tipping shows your appreciation for the effort. For housekeeping staff, in luxury or upscale business hotels, $3 to $5 per person per night, or $2 per night in less expensive hotels. This can be left in the room with a thank-you note, or you can put the tip in an envelope marked "housekeeper" or "chambermaid", and also marked with your room number and dates of stay; leave this envelope with the front desk when you check out. You can tip in person if you see the chambermaid. Tipping daily makes sure the people who actually worked on your room get it.

2. Taxicabs and airports. Airline workers at the terminal, gate, or information booth are not tipped. Curbside baggage checkers, skycaps, or porters get $1 to $2 per bag, more if it's heavy. Hotel shuttle bus drivers get the same if they help you with your bags. Taxi drivers get about 20% of the fare, with a $1 minimum. Add about 50¢ per bag if they help with them. For car services, when you request service, you can request the tip to be added to your bill. If your cab fare is exactly $38, 20% would be $7.60. (Personal note: I always round up with small tips (below $5 or so), or up or down with larger tips depending on my generosity in conjunction with the quality of service.)

3. Restaurants. In big cities, tips are 15-20% of the bill before tax. This should be increased if you stay long in a crowded restaurant, or if you've eaten light. Remember that you tip on the original total, before both taxes and discounts. If there is a problem during the meal that gets resolved to your satisfaction, tip the normal amount. If the problem was not solved to your satisfaction, tip a minimum of 8%. If you don't leave any tip at all, the server will think you forgot, and any message you were trying to send about his or her service will be lost. Anything less than 8% is fighting rudeness with rudeness, which a gentleman or lady should not do. Don't tip the host or maitre d' in general. You can offer $10 to $15 if it's busy, you don't have a reservation, and he's gone out of his way to find you a table. This comes after he's shown you to the table. Offering a bribe beforehand is usually seen as insulting. Tip a bartender 15-20% if you're only visiting the bar, but if you're just getting drinks while waiting for a table, tip the bartender $1 per drink when you're informed your table is ready. The wine steward can be tipped 10-15% for merely taking your order and serving, or 15-20% for more attentive service. This is done in cash at the end of the meal, but there may also be a separate line for this tip on the bill. Either way, make sure the waiter is only being tipped for the food portion of the bill. If you do not have wine, tipping the wine steward does not apply. Washroom attendants get 50¢ for simply handing you a paper towel, or nothing if they do nothing but stand there. A few bucks is in order if they actually brush off your jacket. Their tip goes directly to the coin dish if it's there, or there hand if you don't see one. The valet parker in a big city gets $2 when your car is brought to you. Busboys are not normally tipped, but can be if they are helpful with a spill ($1-$2).

Let me know if you have any other specific questions regarding tipping; I'll try to find the answer in the book.

Note that tip receivers almost always prefer to receive cash than having the tip charged. When cash is given, it is received immediately. When a tip is charged, the recipient won't receive it until his or her next paycheck. Also, there is the fact that cash tips might be "accidentally" misrepresented to the appropriate taxing authority, whereas charged tips are reported accurately by the employer. For example, for American waiters, the IRS assumes a tip rate of 8%. This is why you should never tip less than that, by the way.


----------



## dwebber18 (Jun 5, 2008)

That was quite helpful. I'm making my first real trip on my own with my wife to NYC where I'll be staying in a 3* hotel and eating out and what not. This helps me get a better feel for the cash I need to bring and what I need to tip at particular places.


----------

