Tipping question

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

I don't typically roam off of the resorts, restaurants and theme parks boards so howdy to all you transportation regulars. I have a fairly simple question. I'm getting a car to take us to Newark airport for our upcoming trip for DBF and myself. I never had to do this before and I have no clue what the customary tip is for a car service. It's about a 20 minute ride to the airport and it will be quite early in the morning, if that makes a difference. Is there a percentage calculation or just a standard amount? I don't want to over or under tip. Thanks!!

 

[goofy4tink]

I normally tip about 15%, but will do 20% if the service was very good.

 

[cjsmom5]

We have had the same driver since DS was 2 (now 9 yrs old) and typically make 2-3 trips to WDW a year. We always tip the driver 20% ... that said the service we received is absolutely excellent and worth every cent of the "fee" and the tip. I think standard is 15-20%.

 

[DebbieB]

Make sure you check to see if the tip is included. The car service I use in PIT automatically adds 20% for gratuity and charges it at reservation time.

 

[cjsmom5]

Excellent point. It is amazing that on many things where they "add in" the gratuity ... if it weren't added in I would have tipped more than that ... our car service does not add it in ... states the fare and leaves the tip up to the rider.

 

[ainemcgrath]

We have a car service booked from MCO to IDrive for our holiday next week. Cost is about $100 return, my question is do we pay the driver when we get to our hotel for the 2 way journey and when do we tip.

If it's a 20% tip is it
* $10 each way or
* $20 when we paying????

Thanks,
Aine
Dublin

 

[cjsmom5]

Our RT from MCO to our Disney hotel is $120 (it is a 10 passenger van - which we don't need because there are only 3 of us - but we have had the same driver for 7 years now). Since we know we have the same driver both ways we tip all at once. I always bring cash and don't add it onto the credit card for the RT payment. It just seems a little nicer for the driver. That said, before we hooked up with him, we would only tip each way as the driver would change. For example if the fare was $120 RT then I would tip $12 on our trip from MCO to Hotel and then on the trip back I would tip $12 again. That way the driver who was taking us got the tip. We did it the other way once and I tipped 20% on the full fare, ended up with a new driver on the return trip and felt tha tI should also tip 20%. That was expensive tip. I think it depends on who you are using and whether it will be the same driver. I would definitely ask ... but to be safe I would just tip each way.

 

[MBELSANTI]

We have a car service booked from MCO to IDrive for our holiday next week. Cost is about $100 return, my question is do we pay the driver when we get to our hotel for the 2 way journey and when do we tip.

If it's a 20% tip is it
* $10 each way or
* $20 when we paying????

Thanks,
Aine
Dublin

HI there!
When we use town car service, they usually use the same driver for both ways, so I usually give the tip at the end. You might want to ask about that. If there are going to be 2 different drivers, you should split the tip.