A TikToker Broke Down Exactly What To Tip For NYC Food, Coffee, Taxis, Drinks & Hotels (VIDEO)

How much do you leave? 💰

A person holding a $100 US bill. Right: A bellman moving bags.

A person holding a $100 US bill. Right: A bellman moving bags.

Senior Writer

Travelling to a new place comes with different customs, and if you have a trip planned for New York City coming up, this TikToker broke down a few things you need to know about tipping in the city.

Jon Barr, who makes videos about NYC and travel on @herebebarr, recently shared everything that people visiting the city should know about how much to tip in certain situations.

"A general rule of thumb at restaurants in New York is tip 20% as long as the service was decent on your pre-tax bill total," he explained.

As for your morning java fix, you can leave your barista a little thank you if you'd like.

"At a coffee shop, I like to leave $1 if someone's making me a latte," Barr said. "For example, you want to drop $1 in the tip jar if you have a good interaction, feel free, but if you get one of those terminals that asks you to leave a tip, don't feel pressured to do it if it's for something fast."

When it comes to getting around the city, Barr recommends that tourists taking a taxi or an Uber tip 20%, assuming that everything during the ride went smoothly, and for bellmen at a hotel, you should tip about $2 per bag.

@herebebarr

How much do you tip in NYC? #nyc #newyork #nycfoodie

"At a bar I like to pay $1 per drink," the TikToker said. "Now if you're paying as you go make sure that you tip after every drink you pay with cash.

"If you're doing something called opening up a tab then you're going to tip at the end and you just have to tell the bartender 'I want to close out' which is something that I actually don't see outside of North America, that terminology, so it's good to know."

All of that being said, tipping is generally pretty subjective, so use this knowledge however you feel necessary!

In 2022, Narcity spoke with an etiquette expert who said the only time where it's "non-negotiable" to not leave a tip is when eating at a restaurant.

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.

  • Senior Writer

    Sarah Rohoman (she/her) was a Senior Writer with Narcity Media. She has worked at BuzzFeed Canada, Yahoo Canada, and CBC Radio in news, lifestyle, ecommerce, and social media. She has an MA in Journalism from Western University and a BA from McGill. She loves libraries, alpacas, and all things witchy.

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