It’s the holiday season again, which means it’s time to make your list and check it twice. And if you’re a New Yorker, in addition to your friends and family, you’ll want to factor in the people you see almost daily — like your apartment building’s doorman, super, and maintenance staff. These workers help make life in New York City a little easier all year long, and it’s common courtesy to tip them during the holidays.
Not sure who to tip, or how much? StreetEasy’s holiday tipping guide, created specifically for NYC renters and homeowners, has you covered. Here’s how much to tip your doorman, super, and other local workers during the most wonderful time of the year.
Manhattan Rentals Under $3,500 on StreetEasy Article continues below
How Much to Tip Your NYC Building Staff for the Holidays
When it comes to tipping your building staff, a good rule of thumb is to give what you can comfortably afford based on the staff member’s job duties, quality of service, and how frequently you use their services. Here are some recommended ranges to work with:
- Super: $100 – $200
- If you live in a high-end building or want to show gratitude for exceptional service, consider $150 or more.
- Doorman, concierge, and/or front desk staff: $100+
- Porters, handymen, or other maintenance staff: $50 – $75
- Parking garage staff: $25 – $75
Brooklyn Rentals Under $3,000 on StreetEasy Article continues below
How Much to Tip Non-Building Workers for the Holidays
Not sure who else to tip besides your building staff? Here’s a list of workers and service providers that are vital to New Yorkers, along with holiday tipping suggestions.
- Housekeeper: One week’s pay
- Dog walker, groomer, and/or pet sitter: One week’s pay
- Trash attendants: $30
- Food or grocery delivery workers: 20% to 25% per order
- Babysitter: One night’s pay
- Nanny or au pair: One to two weeks’ pay
- Daycare staff: $25 – $75 and a non-cash gift from your child
- Schoolteachers: Avoid cash tips, but find out if the class is arranging a group gift for the teacher and how you can contribute. Otherwise, a non-cash gift from you and your child is appreciated.
- Mail carrier: It’s actually against the law to give USPS mail carriers cash tips, or even gift cards. Consider giving baked goods or a small non-cash token of your appreciation instead. However, you can tip FedEx and UPS delivery workers – $20 will do.
Do Renters Need to Tip?
The short answer? Yes, renters should tip their building staff for the holidays too. However, renters are not expected to tip as much as homeowners, because they did not invest in their homes. If you live with roommates in your unit, each roommate should tip individually, and it should not lower the amount each roommate gives.
In deciding how much to tip, you may want to consider factors such as:
- The size of your building
- How long you’ve lived there
- Seniority of the staff you’re tipping
- Quality of service
- How much you use their services
Queens Rentals Under $3,000 on StreetEasy Article continues below
Generally, the larger the building, the smaller your tip can be, because the staff are receiving tips from a high number of tenants. Renters who’ve lived in their building for a long time tend to tip more, due to their stronger relationships with staff members.
And remember, tipping is ultimately about rewarding great service. If you find yourself frequently reaching out to your doorman for assistance with things, and they’re happy to fulfill your requests, consider giving them a bigger holiday tip. But if you regularly tip the staff throughout the year, don’t feel obligated to give a huge holiday tip.
Should You Tip for Bad Service?
Things can get tricky if you believe your building staff hasn’t provided you with good service. Maybe the super takes weeks to fix things in your apartment, or the doorman is routinely absent on the job. Whatever the case, in many instances, it’s best not to assume wrongdoing. There are things that are out of the building staff’s control, which could be the root of many of the issues you notice. Also, neglecting to give a staff member a holiday tip, especially if you’re giving one to everyone else, could be seen as an affront — and probably won’t help to improve the quality of service you receive from them in the future.
The Ultimate Holiday Tipping Question: Cash or Gift?
While cookies and flowers never go unappreciated, most building staff prefer cold, hard cash. If you want to ensure each worker knows who the tip is from, put it in a card or envelope that includes your name and apartment number.
These days, it’s also increasingly acceptable (and sometimes preferred!) to send your holiday tips electronically via Venmo, Zelle, PayPal, or a similar service. If your building uses an online rent payment system, you may even be able to send it through that. But first, be sure to ask your building management which method the staff would prefer.
NYC Homes Under $1M on StreetEasy Article continues below
Are You Supposed to Tip Your Landlord?
As a renter, you have absolutely no obligation to tip your landlord. That said, if you have a great relationship with your landlord, feel free to give them a small gift that isn’t cash.
Whatever amounts you choose, holiday tipping in NYC is an opportunity to show your gratitude to the building staff and service workers who support you all throughout the year. Give what you can and spread some holiday cheer around the neighborhood!
More NYC Holiday Content
Thinking about buying in NYC? Chat with our complimentary, licensed Concierge to learn about the buying process.
StreetEasy is an assumed name of Zillow, Inc. which has a real estate brokerage license in all 50 states and D.C. See real estate licenses. StreetEasy Concierge team members are real estate licensees, however they are not your agents or providing real estate brokerage services on your behalf. StreetEasy does not intend to interfere with any agency agreement you may have with a real estate professional or solicit your business if you are already under contract to purchase a property.
