How Much Do You Tip a Doorman in NYC for Christmas
When the holiday season arrives in December, it means that the tipping season is also here. Some questions such as “How much should I tip doormen in my building?” and “Do I have to tip?” may pop up in your mind. You’ll find the answers in this article.
How much do you tip your doorman and building staff during the holidays?
It really depends on the staff that works in your building and what they do (if they help you with packages and that kind of stuff). Some people tip $50, others $100 or $500. I would say the average can be about $100/$200 total. Maybe $150/$200 if you live on a full-service building.
Holiday Gratuity Pool
It’s okay to tip some doormen better if they help you more than others. Some buildings have a Holiday Gratuity Pool (a tipping pool box) where people can leave envelopes with a holiday card and cash directed to specific members of the building or tip in general, to be divided among all employees. I’d say an average of $150/$200 total. Even if your building has a Holiday Gratuity Pool Box, you can choose to tip them separately and only to those who always help you out the most or with whom you have more relationship.
Building with Many Staff but No Tipping Pool Box
If your building doesn’t have a tipping pool box and you have 30 different people working there (different doormen, maintenance workers, etc) you can tip about $25/$50 each and maybe tip the ones you see more often or that help you out the most. It depends on what you can afford! Don’t go bankrupt please! 😉 I’d say tipping $25 each is okay, especially if you have many people working there! Tipping 8 people $25, means a total holiday tip of $200. If you decide to tip more people, maybe you can do $15 or 20 each. You tip what you can!
If you usually tip during the year, you don’t have to tip them during the holidays, or you can tip them lighter.
Do you really have to tip at Christmas / NYE? Rent is already very expensive…
You don’t have to but people usually tip. You are right, we already pay a lot to rent in NYC! But when you live on a service building with a front desk and/or a doorman tipping at Christmas time is what people usually do.
They are the ones that greet you every morning, receive and take care of your packages, if something’s broken or doesn’t work they help you fix it, etc.
If they perform “extraordinary” services such as helping you with your kids or helping you with heavy packages, luggage or furniture, watering your plants when you’re out of town… Tipping them once a year is a good way to thank them for their service.
If you’re new…
You can tip lighter. Tipping may help you establish a better relationship with building staff for the coming year.
You might also want to check out: Tipping Guide in New York.
Happy holidays!
@NewYorkerTips
