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Do you ever get confused about whether or not you should tip in an American restaurant?

Do you wonder how much to leave?

When to leave it?

Today you’ll get insider information from Michelle, who used to be a waitress at an American restaurant.

In the United States you MUST tip in a restaurant. Servers only make a few dollars per hour.

They rely on your tips.

How much should you tip?

You should tip 18-20%. However, you do have a choice when it comes to leaving a tip. If you have bad service then you can tip less.

If the waitress is slow or has a bad attitude then you don’t have to leave a lot of money as a tip.

It’s up to you.

When should you leave the tip?

If you pay with a credit card they take your card and come back with a receipt and the receipt has a place to write in the tip and the total and then you need to sign the receipt before you leave.

If you are paying in cash it’s ok to leave the cash on the table but put it under a cup or a plate.

What if you are with a large party? (A group of 6 or more people):

In this case gratuity (tip) is usually included.

It’s added into the bill before you get the bill.

Make sure you ask if you don’t know if it has already been included.

In other episodes we will talk about tipping in a bar, a cafe, the hair salon, a taxi, etc.

What is your opinion when it comes to leaving tips in the US?

Have you ever made a mistake with this?

Do you have any additional questions? Please ask us in the comments below.

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