Dear Diane,
Is it customary to tip my restaurant server additional gratuity because it’s the holiday season? I’m always so confused when it comes to holiday tipping etiquette.
I.
Dear I.,
If you have enjoyed good service throughout the year and he or she always welcomes you with a smile and treats you with respect, by all means, gift your favorite server with an envelope with a holiday tip included. If, however, you are eating at a restaurant and have never met your server prior to the meal, leave the customary tip but don’t feel obligated to leave additional just because it’s the holiday season. Standard gratuity is 18% to 20% and more for exceptional service. The bottom line, a tip is mandatory at a restaurant, but an additional holiday tip is at your personal discretion.
Happy holidays!
Diane
You may also like Dining Etiquette: Splitting the Bill. For more of Diane’s etiquette tips read her posts on Inc., subscribe to her articles on Huff Post, “like” The Protocol School of Texas on Facebook, and follow her on Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter. Buy her new book, Modern Etiquette for a Better Life.
