Tipping

Tips and service charges are usually not automatically added to a bill in the United States (except when your party is over six people). If service is satisfactory, customers generally give waitstaff, taxi drivers, barbers, hairdressers, and so forth, a tip of from 15% to 20% of the total bill. (Be aware that tipping waitstaff less than 15% is considered a sign that service was bad.) Bellhops, doormen, and porters at airports and railway stations are generally tipped $1 for each item of luggage. In Seattle there is no recognized system for tipping concierges. A gratuity of $2–$5 is suggested if you have the concierge arrange for a service such as restaurant reservations, theater tickets, or car service, and $10–$20 if the service is more extensive or unusual, such as having a large bouquet of roses delivered on a Sunday.

In 2015, the Seattle City Council unanimously voted to increase Seattle's minimum wage to $15—the highest in the country—gradually over the next few years. Some area restaurants are already experimenting with alternative tipping models, including getting rid of it altogether in favor of slightly higher food prices. Menus generally make a note of any untraditional policies.