<p>I am an international student moving to America to attend university, but when I was at orientation I was told that everything in America is more expensive. They even told me you were supposed to tip airport shuttles (who simply get paid to drive you to/from the airport and pick up your suitcase twice) and employees in the supermarket (who bag your items). Is this true, or just a bunch of rubbish? It seems rather absurd. Who else gets tipped? I don't want to be rude and not tip those that should be tipped.</p>
<p>Well, I’m in NYC so everyone and their cousin wants a tip here.</p>
<p>In general
- Baggage handlers, both airport and hotels
- Waiter/Waitress
- Delivery boy
- Taxi driver
- Bartender
- Chauffeur
- Certain services received, i.e. shoe polish or manicure/pedicure
- Tour guides</p>
<p>There are a lot more, but those are just the ones I can think of off the top of my head.</p>
<p>You don’t have to tip, but most of the people working the above jobs rely on tips as part of their salary. Of course, a tip shouldn’t be given if you received deplorable service. </p>
<p>Don’t be a bad visitor 
<a href=“http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31827905/?GT1=43001[/url]”>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31827905/?GT1=43001</a></p>
<p>tipping in a grocery store is pretty rediculous. we tip waiters, hairdressers, and pizza delivery boys, and not much else. but that may be due to regional differences.</p>
<p>^^i agree. (at least in mn) we only tip those three groups of people. check to see what other people are doing around you.</p>
<p>Go to your state’s labor board website. See which industries offer the opportunity to pay their employees less than $3.00 an hour. These people are working for tips.</p>
<p>Incidentally, I’m not sure where you’re coming from, but the U.S. is a relatively inexpensive place to shop/eat when compared with most of the developed world. Of course, if you’re going to live in Manhattan or Miami, that’s different.</p>
<p>I happen to think that all supermarket employees deserve a tip</p>
<p>at least down here, im not sure if retail workers/supermarket workers would be allowed to accept a tip. im a cashier, and i dont think id be allowed to accept a tip.</p>
<p>Depending on where you are living, you will probably only have to deal with tipping waiters/waitresses at restaurants (not fast food in most cases), and the customary amount is 15% of your bill. If you order $10 worth of food, you should tip at least $1.50, unless you received awful service, and so on.</p>
<p>Luggage handlers, delivery boys, etc. generally expect a $1-2 tip, not a percentage. Taxi drivers are the same I believe, but I’m not sure because I don’t live in an area that uses taxis.</p>
<p>Most supermarket employees these days are not allowed to except tips… It used to be commonplace years ago to tip baggers, but supermarkets started competing for customers and lured them in by saying there was no need to tip their employees… Now most forbid their employees from accepting tips.</p>