Rules of thumb for Tipping


Cab Drivers
Leave more at your discretion if you feel that the driver exceeded expectations. The easiest thing to do is tell the driver to keep the change (if the amount is at least 10% of the fare), or just wait for your change and then give the tip.

Bartenders
Try to make sure that the bartender sees the tip you leave, by notifying him or giving it to him immediately after receiving your change. The standard tip for a bartender if you order one drink is usually a dollar, otherwise it's 15% of the bill.

An easy way to ensure you leave a tip is to ask for the amount of change you want back, after calculating the tip into the amount you leave. Note -- this may be hard to do after a few shots of tequila.

Waiter & Waitresses
The standard amount is 15% of the bill. You should leave a larger tip if: You are a large group of people (usually 7 or more). Sometimes the tip is automatically incorporated into the bill's total if you are a larger party, but it is usually stated on the menu if gratuities are included.

Leave 5% more if the restaurant is of the "fine dining" kind. Your order required several trips to the kitchen or was a complicated order to fulfill. Even if the bill is $20 for a table of 4, it takes the same amount of effort to bring appetizers than it does main dishes.

You stayed at the restaurant for a considerable amount of time. No turnover means less potential customers, which means less tips. If you feel that your server did an exceptional job and the service really exceeded your expectations.