Holiday Tipping - Do you Pro-rate?

Personally, I wouldn't pro-rate the tip. You want to take care of the super and if you have a doorman, them as well. These are the people who you will call if you have any issues. They know about the holiday time tips and they remember who gave and who didn't. I look at it as a personal gesture for the holidays but also as a way to ensure you'll be responded to quickly in case you need something. Think of it as paying it forward. Just my two cents.

I was about to start this discussion because I moved into my building in July and have to make the same decision as kewlly. Tentatively, I like land2sand's answer because 1) my transaction should not come at the expense of the building employees and 2) it's fair because if in a future year I move out of the building before the end of the year then I won't be paying any bonus in that year and 3) it is in my interest since I am on a waiting list for in-building storage and who knows what retaliation forces may potentially be unleashed towards me if I undertip. On the other hand, it just feels like a shakedown and if I can find an excuse to skip a year of it then I'd probably be glad.

Just to be clear - if the super sucks and the porter's an ass then I wouldn't but if they've done a good job and you've only been in the apartment a month then I think you should. On a side note, this maybe a new concept for ppl who are not raised in the NYC metro area. In NYC, it is customary to tip the super, handyman, and porter even if they don't live in the building and don't get packages for you. Again, this is done is all 5 boroughs, not just Manhattan. If you have a doorman building, it's customary to tip all staff. I'm sure some people will argue it's not customary but these people probably double the tax when they tip versus pay 18-20 percent based on service.

I moved to a doorman building in Forest Hills. What is a decent Chritmas Tip for Doormen and Super?

TIA.

Don't pro rate. Give an appropriate sized tip that indicates to the staff that you aren't a cheap ass but that recognizes you lived there less than half a year. Eg 50% of a normal tip. Think ahead, not anass.

I agree with paying a whole tip.

My super whispered that he is leaving early next year and I am still tipping the regular amount, even though it feels strange.

If you had a good year, have a nice apartment, and things are going well, be generous. If things are difficult for you, cut back, it's quite understandable.

I believe a tip is for services rendered, not for services to be rendered. Just like a waiter or taxi driver.

As such if I just moved into a building a couple of months before year end, I would be inclined to wait until next year to tip.

Pro-rating would result in a minimal tip, better to give nothing.

If I were in the building more than 3 months, I'd give a moderate tip but would probably increase everyone the following year.

I will tip the super and the best doorman the full year rate. As for the rest I will probably not tip the full year rate>

"I believe a tip is for services rendered, not for services to be rendered. Just like a waiter or taxi driver."

I used to think like this as well, and was always a little miffed when hotel service-people didn't help me during my stays. I always tipped well at the end, regardless. A long time ago, a frequent traveler friend of mine told me to immediately tip $5 to the valet guy, and immediately tip $5 to the guy who takes my suitcase upstairs. Once I started doing this, service-people began falling all over themselves to help me during my stay when I traveled. It was nice, it made my stay more pleasant, it made their jobs more pleasant, and it probably cost me less in the long run.

Correct, this doesn't work for waitstaff nor cabbies.

Long story short, don't pro-rate. You want these folks to be happy you're in the building. It will make your life more pleasant, it will make their jobs more pleasant, and it will probably cost you less in the long run.

RealEstateNY
about 8 hours ago
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Member since: Aug 2009
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I believe a tip is for services rendered, not for services to be rendered. Just like a waiter or taxi driver.

Naive

-----I believe a tip is for services rendered, not for services to be rendered. Just like a waiter or taxi driver.

As such if I just moved into a building a couple of months before year end, I would be inclined to wait until next year to tip.

Pro-rating would result in a minimal tip, better to give nothing.

If I were in the building more than 3 months, I'd give a moderate tip but would probably increase everyone the following year.--------

You are so, so wrong.

I look at building tips like a bribes and don't prorate at all. I moved into a building December 15th last year and tipped fully.

I feel sorry for anyone who thinks they get better service by papering the building with tips at year end even though they have been in a building for less then a couple of months. By mid January those tips are forgotten and pretty much everyone is treated the same. But of course the "big tippers" think they're getting the best service in the building, so there's no convincing them otherwise.

In the decades we've lived in doorman buildings I found that well placed tips through out the year garner much more favor than the tips that get lost among the hundreds being received by the staff at year end. Example, many people will let the Super or Handyman enter their apartments when they aren't home and never tip them for repairs they preform because they may not see them for weeks and conveniently forget about the service that was performed. I always tip for any service performed, even if it is a building issues being addressed and not specifically something I requested.

The key to good service is to treat the staff with respect all year long and to greet everyone on the staff when you see them. I'm amazed at how poorly some residents treat the staff and barely grunt at the doormen on the way in or out of the building. They're probably the same people who run around handing out tips to everyone after living in the building for a couple of weeks.

Since most people tip between $500 and $1000 to the staff in doorman buildings, I see no reason to be tipping porters, night doormen, or handymen the moment you move into a building. A token tip to the Super or a doorman or two would be the most I would do if I were in the building for less than 2 months.

The following year I would give full tips to the entire staff, the actual amounts are based on the service they provided and how pleasant they are throughout the year.

Happy Tipping!!

I wonder what 300_Mercer does because he was stretched so financially with his purchase.

He was so financially stretched.
(Sorry, English as a first language)