How much to tip towncar drivers ?

[pooh2001]

Ok - this may have been asked before - but...
How much do you tip the towncar driver ?
I assume you tip on the way to your resort and on the way back to MCO.

So I am paying $82 for a town car service with a 30 minute food store stop, before we get to our resort at WDW.

Can I give them $100 cash - and assume $18 for tip ? That would be 18 %
We will have 4 pieices of luggage.
I could give the driver $102 and that would be 20% tip.
But would it look silly to give a $100 bill and two $1 bills ?

For the ride back to MCO - I would only tip the driver since the towncar ride would have been paid for already.
How much should I tip ? $20 ?

What would you tip ?

 

[ducklite]

NOrmally you'd take 20% of the total and give each driver half. I always give an extra $5 for a grocery stop. So for the first driver, you'd pay $86 plus a 10% tip (I round up) which would be $95, and another $5 for teh grocery stop, so a total of $100. On the way back you just need to tip the driver, I'd probably give him $10.

Anne

 

[pooh2001]

ducklite - thanks.
I was thinking the $20 on the way back to MCO would be too much.

So we will do $18 tip pn the way to WDW and $10 on the way back to MCO.

Again - thank you for your advice

 

[Edd]

How do you know what to tip a driver until you have actually been given service by the driver? Tips are not automatic. Tips are given for service. You guys out there spending the money give an automatic 20% and you encourage poor service, attitude and non-compliance. Make a driver work, dress, talk and serve you for that tip.

 

[ducklite]

How do you know what to tip a driver until you have actually been given service by the driver? Tips are not automatic. Tips are given for service. You guys out there spending the money give an automatic 20% and you encourage poor service, attitude and non-compliance. Make a driver work, dress, talk and serve you for that tip.

I've never gotten bad service from a car service or limo driver in Orlando. Of course if I had gotten someone with a bad attitude, I would have adjusted the tip accordingly.

I think that we all understand that tips aren't automatic and what I gave was a guideline based on good service.

Anne

 

[yayagoofy]

The industry standard/customary gratuity is 20%, that's not only for towncars, it's the same for limousines, vans, and suv's, etc. The 20% gratuity is not written in stone, after all it's a "gratuity", if you did not get good service it's your discretion to tip accordingly. There are a large number international tourist visiting the Orlando area, many come from countries that expect all costs (including tip) are included in the prices quoted to them. That's why most companies mention the gratuity, because a good driver works hard for it, clean vehicle, on time, dressed professional, knows the area, etc.

 

[Edd]

Anne,

Seriously, is there an industry wide standard for tipping waiters and waitresses. I always tip well but never knew of a percentage. The only standard I have heard about is the 15% in the Bahamas which they include in the checkout.

 

[ducklite]

Anne,

Seriously, is there an industry wide standard for tipping waiters and waitresses. I always tip well but never knew of a percentage. The only standard I have heard about is the 15% in the Bahamas which they include in the checkout.

The standard for food servers and bartenders is 20% of the pre-discounted bill (including a full tip on alcohol) for good service, higher for exceptional service, lower for poor service.

We had dinner at Citrico's the other night and left a 23% tip, because the service warranted a higher than average tip.

Anne

 

[pooh2001]

Thank you to all who have answered.
I best go back to math class...

"So I am paying $82 for a town car service with a 30 minute food store stop, before we get to our resort at WDW. Can I give them $100 cash - and assume $18 for tip ? That would be 18 %
on the way back tip $10"

Total cost of ride = $82
total tip = $28, which is 34%

So tip on way to WDW will be 21% ($82 + $18 make a nice $100 bill)
and tip on way back to MCO will be 13% ($10 -> easy bill to have)

I know 34% may be a bit much, but it is easier to carry the $$'s in my wallet

 

[Edd]

Which towncar service are you taking?

 

[pooh2001]

We are using SUN-RAY on our next visit to the Mouse.
From these boards, I have never read any complaints about them.
We are looking foward to using them.

 

[Edd]

They have some good drivers and very clean SUV's. The owner, one of the drivers, regularly participates in the boards.

 

[pppiglet]

Thanks for the info...we are using them in May.

 

[bigbabyblues]

We tipped $10 each way. It was just DH and I, and only 2 bags.

 

[focusondisney]

If you are taking a town car or executive service instead of a taxi then you should be tipping.. regardless if it is included or not.

Rule of thumb: If the driver is wearing a suit and tie then think in terms of bill size ($10, $20 , $50 or $100) and not "percentage"

This thread is from 2007. No reason to bump it up. But since you did....that is a pretty random “rule of thumb”.....I don’t tip by what the driver is wearing. We take town cars 2 - 3 times a year. And have never heard of that particular “rule”..... There is still absolutely nothing wrong with tipping a “percentage”. We tip a percentage & often get the same drivers, who remember us & welcome us back. So they must not have a problem with it either.