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. In NYC, it’s common courtesy to tip these workers during the holidays.
Not sure how much to tip, or who to tip? StreetEasy’s holiday tipping guide, created specifically for New York City renters and homeowners, includes how much to tip your doorman, super, and other local workers during the most wonderful time of the year.
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How Much to Tip Your NYC Building Staff for the Holidays
Many New Yorkers will agree that 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 and helpfulness. Here are some recommended ranges to work with:
Super: $25 – $100
Doorman: $25 – $150
Maintenance staff: $25 – $75
If you want to ensure your holiday tips go to the intended recipients, reach out to your building’s management and ask how they’ll be collecting and distributing the tips.
Manhattan Rentals Under $3,000 on StreetEasyArticle continues below
Lincoln Square
101 West 68th Street
$2,950No Fee
1 |
1
Lower East Side
167 Ludlow Street
$2,979No Fee
1 |
1
Lower East Side
163 Ludlow Street
$2,929No Fee
1 |
1
Yorkville
224 East 89th Street
$2,650No Fee
Studio |
1
Central Harlem
211 West 146th Street
$1,750No Fee
Studio |
1
Yorkville
402 East 83rd Street
$2,650No Fee
Studio |
1
Inwood
5025 Broadway
$2,700No Fee
2 |
1
Yorkville
1616 York Avenue
$2,200No Fee
Studio |
1
East Village
110 East 7th Street
$2,995No Fee
2 |
1
East Village
512 East Fifth Street
$2,600No Fee
Studio |
1
Yorkville
216 East 90th Street
$2,800No Fee
1 |
1
East Village
433 East Ninth Street
$2,557No Fee
Studio |
1
How Much to Tip Non-Building Workers for the Holidays
Not sure who else to tip, aside from your building workers? While this will differ based on what services you utilize, 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 / pet sitter: One week’s pay
Trash attendants: $30
Food or grocery delivery workers: 20% to 25% per order
Babysitter: Two days’ pay
Nanny / au pair: One to two weeks’ pay
Daycare staff: $25 – $75 and a non-cash gift from your child
Schoolteachers: Cash tips should be avoided, 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 get on the holiday tipping bandwagon. 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 choosing 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
Brooklyn Rentals Under $3,000 on StreetEasyArticle continues below
Ocean Hill
6 Radde Place
$2,700No Fee
3 |
2
Flatbush
703 Rogers Avenue
$2,438No Fee
2 |
1
Ditmas Park
816 Ocean Avenue
$1,800No Fee
1 |
1
Bath Beach
1604 86th Street
$2,200No Fee
2 |
1
Bushwick
123 Melrose Street
$2,683No Fee
Studio |
1
Brownsville
507 Thatford Avenue
$2,500No Fee
4 |
1
East Flatbush
995 East 52nd Street
$2,900No Fee
3 |
2
Dyker Heights
627 90th Street
$2,300No Fee
2 |
1
Crown Heights
560 Prospect Place
$2,899No Fee
1 |
1
Bedford-Stuyvesant
19 Jefferson Avenue
$2,900No Fee
2 |
1
Flatbush
1640 Nostrand Avenue
$2,750No Fee
2 |
1.5
Fort Greene
15 Greene Avenue
$2,950No Fee
1 |
1
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.
Queens Rentals Under $3,000 on StreetEasyArticle continues below
Murray Hill (Queens)
35-19 147th Street
$1,950No Fee
1 |
1
Astoria
21-22 30 Drive
$2,631No Fee
1 |
1
Astoria
26-09 9th Street
$2,600No Fee
1 |
1
Jackson Heights
87-10 34th Avenue
$2,200No Fee
1 |
1
Middle Village
69-15 Metropolitan Avenue
$2,400No Fee
2 |
1
Astoria
33-12 31st Avenue
$2,400No Fee
1 |
1
Maspeth
61-14 55th Street
$2,500No Fee
1 |
1
Astoria
23-12 30 Drive
$2,600No Fee
1 |
1
Sunnyside
43-07 39 Place
$2,150No Fee
Studio |
1
Kew Gardens
120-05 Hillside Avenue
$1,950No Fee
1 |
1
Astoria
32-57 33rd Street
$2,300No Fee
1 |
1
Astoria
2-24 26th Avenue
$2,647No Fee
Studio |
1
Should You Tip for Bad Service?
Things can get tricky if you think that 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 building staff can’t 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 insult — and probably won’t help to improve the quality of service you’re receiving from them.
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 PayPal, Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, 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 StreetEasyArticle continues below
Midtown South
220 Madison Avenue
$540,000
1 |
1
Rego Park
65-65 Wetherole Street
$549,000
2 |
2
Lower East Side
415 Grand Street
$755,000
1 |
1
Forest Hills
113-14 72 Road
$579,000
2 |
1
Downtown Brooklyn
53 Boerum Place
$670,000
1 |
1
Lenox Hill
118 East 60th Street
$849,000
1 |
1
Springfield Gardens
137-12 167th Street
$429,000
2 |
2
Turtle Bay
210 East 47th Street
$570,000
1 |
1
Battery Park City
200 Rector Place
$965,000
1 |
1
Newport
2 Shore Lane
$879,000
1 |
1
Roosevelt Island
531 Main Street
$660,000
1 |
1
Jersey City
105 Atlantic Street
$525,000
4 |
6
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, consider giving them a nice bottle of wine or other small gift that isn’t cash.
Enjoy your holidays in NYC! There’s no better place to be this time of year.
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