Tipping doormen -- any advice?

[elisaana]

A sign wishing everyone happy holidays and listing the names and shifts of the 6 people who work for the building appeared in the elevator. Any suggestions of what's expected?

Comments

[xse99]

Go buy a box of cheap holiday cards and write a little note to each staff member. Enclose cash (NOT a check)--the precise amount is up to you based on what you can afford. You can hand the envelopes out yourself to each recipient, or rely on the main guy at the desk if you have a doorman bldg (I don't remember if you do).

This is entirely based on what people at my co-op told me to do my first year here. You might ask your neighbors, if you happen to know any of yours.

[apintrix]

$20/tenant is appropriate, I think?

[xse99]

Yes. Some people give more, but you shouldn't feel pressured to do so.

[elisaana]

Ooh, THANK YOU for the guideline! That's pretty much what I ended up using. (Double for the super, half for the porter whose existence I question.)

[the_sinistral]

My building doesn't even have a door, let alone a doormate, but, for what it's worth, this guy looks like he either knows what he's talking about, or is trying very hard to know what he's talking about. =P

http://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/039706.html

[elisaana]

Thanks! Interesting treatment of the issue, though I gave up at "the bonus as a temporal prism" since the point is now moot. :)

[celestialfire]

My go-to method for gifting service people is baked goods. Personal, and doesn't have the sort of "I value you this many dollars" connotation. A small card and a big plate of cookies. Hooray!

[elisaana]

Thanks! If only my cookie sheet fit in this apartment's oven! (Sadly, even the replacement cookie sheet I bought is half an inch too big. FAIL!