Holiday Tipping In NYC: What To Give Your Dog Walker And Doorman

NEW YORK — Year-end tips are one way for New Yorkers to thank the many people who serve them year-round, from personal trainers to pet groomers. But the appropriate gift can vary widely depending on a number of factors, experts say.

So who exactly should get a tip during the holidays, and how much should each person receive?

It may help New Yorkers to make a list of the helpers they want to tip based on things such as their relationship to the person, the quality and frequency of their service, and how long the service has been provided, according to etiquette expert Peter Post, a great-grandchild of manners queen Emily Post.

"Be honest with yourself: How much can you afford to budget for tips for the people on your list? Then divide that amount up among the people on your list," Post said in a video on holiday tipping from the Emily Post Institute.

Tips can be given in all sizes — gifts for a doorman or concierge can range from just $10 to $1,000, according to the real estate website Brick Underground. While cash is customary, small gifts are more appropriate for mail carriers and others who can't accept cash, the Emily Post Institute says.

Whatever you decide to give, don't put it off — tipping early in the season lets your helpers use the money for their own holiday purchases, writes Liz Weston, a columnist with the personal finance website NerdWallet.com. Presentation also makes a difference, she says.

"Fresh, crisp bills tucked into a card with a handwritten note? Classy. Wadded bills thrust at the service provider on your way out the door? Not so much," Weston wrote.

Here's a guide to whom New Yorkers should tip for the holidays and how much to dole out for each recipient.

Barbers, Dog Walkers And Other Helpers

New Yorkers should consider tipping people who regularly help them — such as dog walkers, nannies or live-in housekeepers — a week's or even a month's pay, depending on the job, according to the Post Institute.

A tip equivalent to a single appointment works for people one might see once in a while, such as hair stylists, barbers, massage therapists or personal trainers, the institute says. But a smaller sum could work if you tip consistently at other times.

"If you’ve given a tip regularly throughout the year, you can forego a tip at the end of the year or give a more modest amount or even consider giving a small gift instead," Peter Post said in the video.

Staff In Your Building

Many apartment dwellers have building staff who keep things running smoothly and fix what's broken. Brick Underground offers suggestions for tipping workers such as superintendents, doormen, concierges, maintenance staff and garage attendants. The site gives these tip ranges as a "general framework":

• Super, resident manager: $75-$175 on average
• Doorman and/or concierge: $25-$150 on average
• Porter, handyman and maintenance staff: $20-$30 on average
• Garage attendant: $25-$75 on average

Amounts vary depending on the situation. Most renters in buildings with doormen tipped building staff up to $500 last year, while most without doormen tipped less than $250, a Brick Underground poll found.

Material gifts could work for doormen, supers and garage attendants, the Post Institute says. But Brick Underground notes they can't replace cash "until colleges start accepting cookies for tuition payments or Con Ed for utility bills."

New Yorkers should also check to see whether their building has a tipping pool, as many large buildings will share residents' tips evenly among management, said Myka Meier, the founder of Beaumont Etiquette. She indicated tipping practices may also vary by the fanciness of one's living situation.

"Are you in a high end rental building with endless amenities? It’s likely your tips will be a bit higher and there will be more people in the building to tip," Meier said.

When Not To Tip

Some workers are not allowed to accept cash tips, such as U.S. Postal Service mail carriers, whom the Post Institute recommends giving a small gift instead.

"Cash tips also aren’t appropriate for certain people, such as professionals (doctors, lawyers, accountants) and anyone who works for an entity that prohibits them," Weston wrote.

Giving cash could inadvertently get a helper in trouble. New York City has lengthy rules governing gifts to municipal employees, and Department of Sanitation garbagemen have reportedly been pushed out of their jobs for taking tips as small as $5.

A material gift or a card can also show appreciation if your budget doesn't allow for monetary tips, Meier said.

"Also thoughtfulness is always an amazing gift - if you know your porter is crazy about the Yankees and you have extra tickets through work - that may be an amazing gift too," she said in written responses to questions.

(Lead image: The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree is seen on Nov. 28, 2018. Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images)