BTW, Mods, I’M NOT ASKING FOR OPINION ON THIS ONE. I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE PREVALENT SOCIAL CUSTOM OF THE AMERICAN IS. NO OPINION, JUST WHAT THE CUSTOM IS.
I mean, if someone asked a GQ about ‘In your country, what is considered to be ruder:…’, you wouldn’t move it to IMHO. Just asking about customs, not opinions. Factual.
When you live in a place where sales tax is 8.75%, tipping is definitely not 12%. :smack: It can be 15%; or if it’s a small bill and/or you don’t care, you can just double the tax.
It’s been a while since I was in a cab, but I’ve never had a set number like 12%. It’s more like “around ten percent, or up to the next five dollars, or if it’s been a short ride, round up to the next dollar and just fork over a couple of singles.”
It’s not being based on the tax rate. If you’d normally tip 15% and the sales tax is 7 or 8% it’s easier to just double the sales tax, giving you a tip amount that’s close to 15%. If the tax was 5% you’d triple it!
I would expect you give me at least 40% for the time of day so were your watch. For directions to the Park a straight fee of $30 is warranted. You had better tip a minimun of 50% at a pizzaria, and no less then 70% to hold the spit. For more than one alcoholic beverage an hour cough up a 100% tip, but never less than $50 a night.
I do know in MI 12% by customs is an “OK” rate. No server will be infuriated with that.
Also, where I live (Lansing) is far from any state borders. People so rarely travel out of state they get confused with “calculating twice the tax rate.” Makes me wonder how waiters in New Hampshire get by?