u/bluerog

I was a server for 4 years myself. My mom was a bartender for 20+ years. I eat out a few days a week, visit the occasional bar, gamble some, travel for work a lot, stay in hotels, and such. If you're in America, that's a lot of places tips are expected. I understand and participate in the tipping culture.

Bars

• It's $1 a drink or 15% (whichever is higher)
• If the drink I ordered is complex (blender was pulled out for example), I'll tip a minimum of $3 / 20%
• If the bartender pours my Grand Marnier "single" closer to a double (or more... shout out to the bartenders in Lawrenceburg, IL), it's a $5 tip.

The logic behind this is, they served me a beer. Sometimes that beer is $3.50, sometimes it's $11. The tip shouldn't change that much just because I got charged a lot less at a place.

Restaurants

• 20%
• If I don't get add-ons on my check, I'll throw in a few extra dollars. Add-ons are like having 2 beers then switching to a Diet Coke with the pizza; don't charge me for the soda. If I get extra sour cream, don't charge me for the extra sour cream.
• Extra points if you smuggle extra bread without complaint when I ask for a box.

Gambling

• If I get a blackjack on a $25 bet, the $2.50 change from the $37.50 is now a toke bet the next hand.
• If I make 3 numbers at craps, the dealers get $5 to place for themselves. Four numbers it goes up $5 more to $10. Five, $15. I should usually be up $250ish after making 3 points, so this is reasonable in my mind.
• If I'm down for the night, I'm only tipping the change from weird bets
• If I'm up, I've tipped
• Servers get $1-$2 for a drink brought to me at a table if I'm paying for the drink
• Servers get $2 to $5 for "free" drinks. The logic behind this, is I'd be spending a lot more at a bar for the same thing.

Hotels

• $3 a night for housekeeping
• If I've met housekeeping and they've been pleasant, it's $5 a night
• PRO TIP: In Vegas, hotel clerks can accept tips. When checking in, in a lowered voice ask, "Can I tip at guest check-in $25 or $50? Also, are there upgrades available?" If there are better rooms available, they'll put you in them. Suites get a $50 tip. A slightly nicer room will only garner a $25 tip.
  • The woman at Cosmopolitan got a $100 when the free upgraded room was Fountain View.

Uber/Taxi

• 15% (min $5)

Valets and Bus Drivers

• $2 to $5 if the place charges for valet/bus service
• $5 to $7 if it's free valet/bus

Doormen and Bellhops

• A $2 bill.
  • I get 20 of these before visiting New York or Las Vegas for random tips
• It's $2 a bag for bellhops

Pizza Delivery

• $5