Amidst the pandemic, tipping etiquette in America has undergone a noticeable shift, leading New York Magazine’s The Cut to publish a new list of 140 etiquette rules that outlines how much and how often you should tip, even at coffee shops and bodegas, causing New Yorkers to react strongly.
According to the new guidelines, restaurant servers should be tipped at least 25% while coffee shop and quick-service workers should receive 20%, leading the magazine to question if people really know how to behave in public.
In an effort to promote politeness while dining out or buying from service professionals, The Cut’s new etiquette guide covers social situations that people find stressful or awkward and offers “rigid, but not entirely inflexible rules” to follow, which has sparked a debate among New York residents about the updated tipping section.
The guidelines suggest that customers should tip a minimum of 25% to restaurant servers for dine-in meals and 10% for takeout, regardless of the quality of service provided, with a tip of below 20% deemed impolite and those with more disposable income encouraged to tip even more.
Additionally, coffee shop, café, and bodega workers should receive 20% tips due to the “tense environment” they work in, which can include complicated orders and stressed-out customers, with the exception of water purchases, for which tipping is not expected but considered “miserly” if affordable.
Other services like Uber and Lyft rides should be tipped a minimum of 20%, with the magazine acknowledging the pandemic has changed tipping etiquette and stating that the old conventions no longer apply.
While some welcomed the guide, others like New York Post’s Kirsten Fleming criticized it for being out of touch with the struggles of everyday New Yorkers, suggesting the magazine whittle the list down to a few useful ideas.
“They’re wildly out of touch with real New Yorkers who are struggling to pay soaring rents and inflated food bills. The list should have been whittled down to a few useful ideas,” Fleming wrote.
I think that New Yorkers ought to tip 200% for everything, but if it’s a “minority”, make it 1000%!
LMAO I tip what the service rendered is worth. In years gone by i’ve tipped as much as 50% for awesome service, I’ve also tipped nothing and suggested they go into a different line of work.