Have you observed the shift in American tipping etiquette since COVID-19? In response to this, The Cut from New York Magazine unveiled 140 new rules of etiquette that outline how much and when one should tip at restaurants, coffee shops, and corner stores. Nowadays it is a must to leave 25% for servers at restaurants whilst 20% for service personnel at cafés or other fast food establishments.
The Cut’s list of etiquette rules offers New Yorkers a comprehensive guide for acting with civility in daily affairs – from ordering food to tipping service professionals. The magazine poses the question, “Do you know how to behave? Are you sure?” As well as covering new standards on tipping, this updated code of conduct covers social situations such as interacting with friends and lovers, going out or staying in, texting etiquette at work, and communicating politely with strangers.
The magazine writers conducted interviews and surveys to determine which scenarios made people feel uncomfortable or put pressure on them. The authors conducted exhaustive research and arrived at “rigid, but not entirely inflexible rules.”
Following the release of updated tipping guidelines, New York residents erupted into an impassioned argument. The new rules advise that patrons should consider leaving a tip of up to 25% when dining in at restaurants, and 10% for takeout orders. These numbers signify how we can show our appreciation for restaurant staff who still go above and beyond despite current challenges! “Whether you liked the service or not,” tips should be given.
It is considered impolite to give a restaurant server any less than twenty percent tip. Those with additional disposable income should even consider tipping higher than twenty or twenty-five percent when out for a meal.
Moreover, the guidelines for New Yorkers suggest that customers at coffee shops, cafes and bodegas tip twenty percent due to the demanding environment in which employees must execute “complicated orders.” This “tense environment” requires more attention from workers than usual, thus making a generous gratuity appropriate.
Generally, tipping is expected for most services; however, bottled water is the only exception. Nevertheless, if you are able to do so financially, foregoing a tip on an order of water may be viewed as “miserly.”
For Uber and Lyft rides, the magazine recommends that you tip “twenty percent minimum. And always more if you can.”
In today’s new reality, the magazine felt it necessary to craft a set of standards for New Yorkers when they are dining out or receiving delivery. In contrast to prior conventions, tipping etiquette has forever altered—you need to tip more than you thought was required. By doing so, we can all practice kindness towards strangers and show our appreciation in these unprecedented times.
After the release of etiquette guidelines, Kirsten Fleming penned an article in the New York Post addressing them: “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.”
