Wondering when, where and how much to tip when you travel? Since the pandemic, tipping requests show up in places they never have before, such as farmers' markets and fast-food counters. In this episode, two experts help you navigate the changing landscape of tipping so you can tip with respect to the people who serve you and to your wallet, wherever you go. 

Tips to Improve Prompt Service

In this episode you’ll learn: 

• Typical tips for any situation from hospitality staff to baristas. 
• How states like California are combatting tipping with legal intervention. 
• The “why” behind tipping and how that has changed. 

Bellmen, Valet and Baristas: Who Do I Tip?

Don’t miss these moments: 

[05:48] A Victorian tipping origin story. 

[15:24] How has tipping culture changed in the U.S.? 

[21:38] A tipping hack for hospitality staff. 

The New Rules of Tipping.

Elaine Swann, an etiquette guru and founder of the Swan School of Protocol joins Dr. Jaime Peters, a personal finance expert, finance dean and professor at Maryville University, to help you navigate the new world of tipping. 

From unpacking tipping misconceptions to national tipping trends, they untangle the etiquette dilemmas of a rise in tipping culture to help you make tipping decisions with confidence and a good conscience. 

Resources: 

Read the full transcript of this episode.

Explore Afar guides for tipping for Mexico, France, and an all-inclusive resort. 

Check out the Economic Policy Institute’s minimum wage tracker. 

Listen to this episode of Unpacked: How to Budget for Travel, No Matter Your Income.

Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, Travel Tales, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us.