By Andrea Sachs
It just arrived under your door, in your lobby or your mailbox: the holiday list of employees of your building, perhaps with smiling photos of each one. And so begins the yearly ritual of holiday tipping on the Upper West Side.
“Ugh,” said a couple in their late forties in unison, owners of a co-op apartment on Central Park West in the 80s. “The hardest thing is not knowing how much everyone else is giving,” the husband said, and both agreed they “couldn’t ask.”
A young renter in the West 70s had no such trouble. “Last year was my first year here and I asked my neighbors,” he said. He made the decision to give only to workers with whom he’d had good interactions during the year. Other people in his building and elsewhere insist that you must give to everyone, good worker or not. “I resent it,” said a women who lives a few floors above him, “but I do it every year.”
Why is the subject of holiday giving so fraught with contradiction, indecision, and anxiety?
I have lived in my co-op on the Upper West Side for nearly 40 years, yet the holiday tipping of employees is still a tricky calculus for me. How much is enough? (Do I factor in inflation or what I gave last year?) How much is too much? (Is there such a thing?) Who has been especially helpful this year, and whom do I secretly wish would take a hike? Will there be any money left in my bank account at the end of the year?
I asked friends and neighbors on the UWS to share their thoughts about this holiday tradition.
“It’s expensive!” cried an owner who’s lived for two years in a building with nine employees. “And it’s a little silly that tipping feels compulsory for all building staff. I do like giving something to the people who are kind and always ready to help, which in my mind is what a tip should be – an acknowledgment of above-average service. Tipping someone who seems bothered whenever anyone asks for something feels contradictory, but I do it nonetheless.”
A long-term renter told me: “I have two guys who sit inside the door of my building and do nothing. I’m not kidding. And I give them each $500. At least they’re there and I’ve known them for 40 years, since they were teenagers. I know their kids.”
No one I asked suggested boycotting the tradition.
“To me it feels like the cost of living and doing business here,” said the owner of a co-op in the West 90s. “It is what enables us to live the way we live in New York, because it’s a city that requires a lot of help to really make it comfortable. These people make our lives so much easier and, at Christmas, why not make their lives easier?”
Each UWS apartment building is its own little fiefdom, with different customs and bylaws. Some have holiday gift pools for residents, but in other buildings, you’re on your own. Some buildings essentially excuse the obligation of tipping until the end of the year, while in others there’s an expectation of free-flowing gratuities throughout the year.
“I try to take the obligation out of it and view the holiday tip as a gift to someone who’s an important part of my life, who I see as regularly as family, who I turn to with household needs or emergencies, and who can surely use it,” said a 24-year co-op owner. She suggested asking yourself some questions to determine what to give.
“How does that employee greet you and make you feel? How do they offer help? How long have they been there is another factor to consider. And how much service you require. I offer my tip in a nice holiday card with a brief personal note. ‘Andre, you make my life better,’ is one I’ve begun to compose.”
But what if they aren’t such great employees or irritate you? “I tip them anyway,” said the co-op owner. “I have a baseline I don’t go below, but I do go above it for guys who really go the extra mile.”
In the end, most of the people I consulted saw holiday tipping as a way to express gratitude to workers who often don’t get much recognition for their service and count on the income.”
“We have become the oldest tenants in our line and the doormen have watched us age,” said another owner who’s been in the same iconic Central Park West building for more than two decades. “They treat us like gold. What’s that worth? The service is amazing. I sometimes feel like Eloise.”
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I wish there were more specific dollar amounts given. The only dollar amount stated was $500 to two employees who are said to sit by the door and do nothing.
Curious to know how much people give the folks in their building (and what kind of building)?
I bet most readers expected that the piece would address specific amounts. I know I did. But alas, it was more an essay on the “idea” of holiday tips; a “confession,” as the title says.
Big building — 500 apartments and 20 staff,: super, doormen, part-time doormen, porters. $100 to super and doormen, $50 to porters and part-time doormen, $100 to one special handyman. Same amounts over last 3 years,. Great building.
Between $25 and $500 a person.
My building runs a tip pool with suggestions of $100 per apartment. But it’s been the same amount for 20+ years, it might be time for it to go up.
How many apts and how many workers in the building? And yes, after 20 years a bit more might be in order.
Holiday tips should add up to one month’s maintenance, that helps deal with different size employee pools.
Why? Why not two months or three months or four? In condos, property taxes are not part of maintenance, while in co-op property tax is included and makes up roughly 60-70% of maintenance.
That’s the Upper EAST Side tip
Lol, way too generous. These guys have union jobs.
Way to high. 1-2 weeks equivalent, tops.
Was this written by the porters union? Seriously not one single person thought to get rid of compulsory tipping at the end of year? and the only data point is $500 from a renter to people who by their own admission don’t do anything. If this building can afford two shifts of idle staff, they must have 10-20 workers. Then you’re talking about 5k-10k assuming they are tipping the hard workers and the human cones the same amount. Madness.
This reminds me of a group chat of mums I’m in. Whenever someone new to town asks about the prices for childcare, you get a bunch of suggestions from nannies who are apparently getting at least twice the going rate and anything below that is shameful to even suggest.
Yeah, I resent having to get the cold shoulder from the grouchy and lazy porter, who thinks that being competent for the first two weeks of December is enough to get the same money as his colleagues.
We live in a huge pre-war UWS building with six employees on staff. The owners of the building are a POS and don’t care about the building, but the staff (for the most part) is excellent! In fact, many of us say “if it wasn’t for our super, we’d leave!”…
They’re not officially “doormen” but someone sits at the front desk dealing with packages and miscellaneous things from about 8am – 10pm…
I give $50 to the “doormen” that don’t go out of their way at all, but are pleasant and do the bare necessary. I give $100 to the “doormen” that will hop up and grab the elevator door if my hands are full. $200 to the porter who always goes above and beyond and $300 to the super, who is amazing!
I have a long list of people I need to tip (garage, my mother’s aides, the newspaper delivery person…. so at the end of the season, I’m dropping close to $2,000!
It’s worth it because they all deserve a little something for the holiday but i do distinguish and give more to the ones who deserve more…
375-apt building, 18 employees. Super $150; Asst Super $125; Handymen $100 each; Doormen/Concierges $75 each; Porters $50 each. Throughout year, I give tips for “extra” service/help to the specific person. These are all full-time employees in 32BJ union, so wages and benefits are good, per union contract. I have no idea what anyone else gives — no one ever wants to talk about it! But these amounts seem to be ok in that the employees are always very appreciative in their thanks, treat me really well in daily contacts, and respond to my service requests promptly and pleasantly. Lived here 20+ years. Love the staff!
The amount you give depends on many factors. I have lived in my AAA prewar coop for 33 years. Most of the staff has been employed here for many years. We have 16 in staff. $200 to the super and doorman. $150 to handyman, $100-$150 to porters. I know some people in my building give more and also some people who give less.
I always get a huge thank you from the staff so I know it’s probably a little over the average.
I hope this is helpful
That’s about in line with what I do in my well-managed prewar rental, where I have lived for decades. As an older now-single woman, I especially appreciate the helpfulness of the staff, some of whom have been here almost as long. I also tip generously during the year for services and repairs that aren’t related to the condition of the building itself. (Changing those ceiling light bulbs!) Some of the newer tenants — the Gen X families with two jobs, a toddler and a nanny — may give more lavish holiday tips, but I think I’m generous within my means. I think of the year-end checks less as “tips” than as bonuses for jobs well done.
My building has 500 units and over 20 people on staff. I only know a few of them (porters and some of the maintenance people that sometimes visit our apartment). They also put a box next to the list of employees at the front desk. Does the box imply they’re pooling all tips? Or should I tip directly just those who I know and see regularly?
If going the pool route, do I list the number of my apartment?
So hard!
Is the box locked? That just means that it’s kept safe until someone like the Super can give them to the people written on the envelope. It does not mean it’s pooled tips for the building.
Not locked, it’s a regular cardboard box, wrapped with christmas gift wrapping paper, with a slit on it for people to put their envelopes in. I’m so confused
Is your building, um, on Amsterdam in the 60s? I think for that box, you get cards and envelopes for every staff person, or as many as you want to tip, put names on all envelopes, cash tips inside the cards and as much note as you want, signing your name and apt number, seal the envelopes, and hand them out to anyone you see, putting the rest in the drop box. At least that’s how we do in my building. I love our handymen – so efficient, professional, expert – and everyone from the cleaners to the door to the package room has a lot to do. With 20+ workers, and I don’t want to give less to the ones doing the garbage in this giant place, I have gone from $40 to $50 each over the last 15 years, with an extra $20 in a few cards of particular hard workers I see often. So at least $1,100 each year. Reading these comments I feel stingy but they do get from a lot of people, and we never ask for much, and many I don’t even know by name.
As I tend not to tip for routine things during the year, e.g., carrying heavy packages down the few steps in my lobby, tending to and assisting guests of mine, the occasional hailing of a cab and getting out of a cab with multiple packages, I like to be extra-generous at X-mas. I give bigger tips to those I like and who have provided very good service, but I tip the entire staff, even those whom I do not like or have not done anything of note for me. The super will always get a very large tip, even if my interactions with the super have not always been pleasant, they have not provided any particular services to me, or both. This is related to self-preservation, as the super has a lot of ability to make things easier or more difficult for a shareholder. The 32-B-J building employees have good benefits, but not great salaries, and most of the employees have a side hustle of some sort to make ends meet. I won’t get impoverished and they won’t get rich from generous tips. PS: My late sister once advised me not to forget to be generous with those on the graveyard shift, even though my interactions with them are limited. This shift is disruptive of anyone’s life, and needs to be adequately acknowledged.
I was told that 32-B-J salary was $30+ per hour, with pension and healthcare benefits for a doorman or a porter. Sounds like a great compensation package for unskilled labor.
I’m not sure that I’d call it unskilled labor. A really good doorman needs great organizational skills, a good memory, a strong back, and more than a touch of diplomatic skills.
Agreed that 32-B residential workers are not “unskilled labor”. I am constantly amazed that even new staff makes it their business to quickly learn the shareholders’ names in my building , which has over 200 units, and many more people. The “diplomatic skills” of the staff, such as David S references, would put Miss Manners to shame. 32 B-J has an extensive course catalogue for its members to gain skills needed for their work, and many employees partake in these programs, enabling them to do side jobs for sharehiolders such as lock installation, plumbing and electrical repairs, and the like (as may be poermitted by the building).
The annual vig conversation – I give $50 to everyone. Not a lot, but enough from a person on a fixed income.
Yes, fixed income situations not addressed here. It’s one thing if you have the money to give to a large number of employees, but some renters and even owners do not have the funds available. Interestingly, the most financially stretched often give the same if not more than some of the wealthy who truly resent having to tip at all. What bothers me is that staff who do not work as hard as others end up getting “rewarded” for their laziness and incompetence because folks who live in a building are afraid of them. (Who would give $500 to two people who you say do NOTHING ? I mean seriously, what are you afraid of?)
We two “porters” (for lack of better word) and one super. All are great. I tip each of them for different things during the year, even if it is part of their job. There may come a time when I can’t afford that, but for now, I factor that into what I give at the end of the year. $150 for super and $75 each for porters. It’s the best I can afford. II wish I could afford more as they truly deserve it. I also give something tp our UPS guy who I know personally and who goes out of his way at times to ensure we get our packages. Newspaper delivery service collects a tip pool for all its deliverypeople and I give that $50.
I have friends who grumble but still tip employees they don’t interact with at all. I think this is just not something I would do. Why reward those who do nothing that affects you? Makes no sense. Tip loses meaning in those circumstances. And I wonder how those staff who do an excellent job and go above and beyond feel when their coworkers slough off but still make good money at end of year? Hmmm?
A number of years ago, I gave an envelope to one of the building employees in the elevator with another resident present. She followed me out of the building and chided me for tipping the “help” and making other residents “look bad”. I told her that I doubted she needed any help from me to look bad.
Wonderfully helpful article however, there’s no numerical breakdown for dummies like me who sit here year (knowing year after year this is coming) what the hell I’m supposed to tip. I like lists, I like listicals, pictures, I like charts… full transparency : I’m fine having you know I need to be treated like an 8th grader-explain it that way. Editors who approved this should have also said maybe add a listing/breakdown who should get what. They do it in Allure with beauty tipping. Please update this. We still have time…thank you.
Steen’s link below to the brick underground article will give you charts! Thx, Steen
Fortunately I live in a small co-op with a small staff. Before I stuff holiday envelopes, I take into consideration the staff members performance and how my financial year played out, As I hand deliver each envelope I express my gratitude or disappointment in their service and sometimes I mention that if I had a better year their tip would be larger. I’m not one for secrecy, I believe in living in truth.
Truth is good, but you might also consider the wisdom of the beggar in Fiddler on the Roof, who, after complaining that Lazar only gave him one kopek when he had given him two the week before, and being answered by Lazar that he had had a bad week, said, “So you had a bad week, why should I suffer?”
I have found this post to be very helpful during the holiday season. It gives ranges for tips, which you can tailor to your needs. It says 2013, but that is just when they started the survey; it is a 2024 guide.
https://www.brickunderground.com/blog/2013/11/brickundergrounds_2013_holiday_tipping_guide?amp
I am totally against tipping building personnel but I give anyway. There are some people I have never met.I give $50.00 to super, handymen and doormen and 40.00 to porters. I am not made of money. There are plenty of people working in jobs that pay less and do not have benefits and probably don’t get holiday tips. I would rather donate to a charity.
If every apt gives $50.00 to each worker and there are 500 apts; you do the math………
It is totally understandable that many folks do not want to tip, and do it anyway (talk about pressure. Depending on number of staff, it can become very frosty from those who aren’t tipped when they believe they should be.)
There is much to consider and as this comment shows, $50 a pop from 500 apartments is $25,000 (and more in some cases). to an individual. We’ve reached a point where many staff consider tips their due as an extension of their salaries.
Many factors to consider including type of building, number of units, level of actual help a staffer provides (required and above and beyond) and one’s own finances. I truly resent those individuals in some buildings who think they are entitled to those tips. Especially if they are in situations with decent pay and benefits. The rest of us are not tipped for doing our jobs as we are supposed to, that’s for sure.
And let’s be honest, if you took a poll, how many people would say that they feel pressure to tip and do so even when they don’t want to or give more than they feel they should? That would be an interesting number to see.
I think my super earns more than I do looking at his vehicles. being none American – this still stresses me out every year. I will tip the super more this year because he did me a favor and not only blood pressure for once
Any thoughts about what to tip guys in the garage? There is one fellow we see more than all the others combined, and he’s very helpful. I’m not sure how to tip the others we rarely or never see….
60-unit co-op, three part-time doormen – some more effective than others – and super.
$100 each. Alot for me, not so much for them – unless you add it all up and on to their $80k+ salaries, with full family health coverage, pension, 4 weeks paid (vacation, sick, holidays) time off. It’s an expensive proposition all the way around. But – where else would we go?
$200 to $500, depending on how long they have worked in the building and how much we like them. We have a staff of 8, including the super and porter, so it gets expensive.
In my wonderful building with a wonderful staff the Board organizes the tipping by sending a flyer to each apartment in which is: list of Staff, request for $200 cash or more to be distributed amongst staff. …. and the apartment # where one slips their envelope under the door along with the tear-off section giving the name you want on the Lobby bulletin board
as one of the gift givers. Everyone is invited to give more than the $200 individually. A perfect system and I am the envy of many friends in other buildings in trying to figure it out every year. Happy Holidays to all
Last quote is the best: “I sometimes feel like Eloise.” Love it! Also, it’s a good thing I live in a walk-up; that’s what I’m grateful for this Christmas: having a little more money for family gifts.
What if the Super in your co-op has made your life hell? The Super in my building is corrupt. He won’t let anyone into the building to work unless he gets a take and if you go around him to get approvals from the Management Company, he makes your life difficult. For example he doesn’t pick up our garbage.
Team up with other tenants and push the board to fire the asshole
Tipping the super is really more of a bribe than a tip. He is making your life hell because you didn’t “tip” (bribe) him enough in the past.
I refuse to tip lazy or rude employees. That includes the building super. Therefore, I can afford to be more generous to staff who do their jobs or go the extra mile.
Do people tip cash or are gift cards okay?
Check made out to each of them. To insure no diversion.
Cash! I think. Does anyone give cards? Plastic, percentages to elsewhere?
What if you are a low-income renter (housing lottery) and subsist only on social security These tip guidelines are impossible, especially when there are 16 employees to tip. Is it tacky to just give a card thanking them? Imagine their disappointment opening the card and no cash falls out.
Absolutely just a card with a good wish is fine, if you want to say thanks. If you can manage $5 that is great but if that’s groceries don’t worry about it.
I believe staff know the approximate situation of most tenants and would not expect much from those with no incomes. They know who has the second house, the Range Rover etc etc. if you get any negativity that’s on them
My two cents…and some of the commenters have already touched upon this…tip what you can afford. And if you cannot afford to tip, that’s okay as well. Anything you can give, be it monetary, a stocking stuffer, bake something sweet, whatever you can do to show appreciation to the staff who have been there for you the most.
No body mentions if they have a handyman do work and tip them or others throughout the year. I consider this when tipping at Christmas
I don’t tip during the year unless I ask for a special big favor – e.g helping with large mattress disposal or some such – which is essentially payment for personal non regular building work. But I’m not asking for loading and unloading the family vehicle every weekend, or even bringing packages upstairs.
Wow. Sounds like a lot of extortion goes on.
Thank you to all commenters who give dollar amounts. It really is quite a range. This is still newish to me, my 4th year in NYC. 105 unit building, 13 staff. (The range in staff numbers was a surprise). I am on a high floor, so the last 3 years were $300 for the super and $100 for everyone else. I figure i better raise it this year. I wish there is a $25 bill. Also, I am glad there are so many responses that almost no one will read this far.
Thank you.
Don’t understand why you feel the need for a $25 bill. You can go to the bank and get a $20 and and a $5. Or any other combination that adds up to $25.
The banks seem to no longer have crisp new bills and the building staff doesn’t care anyway.
I also don’t understand what the significance of being on a high floor is..
Porters literally do the heavy-lifting — they collect and haul garbage and keep our buildings clean — and are often under-appreciated. These days, front desk people also have to deal with heavy loads of packages … They all deserve whatever each tenant can afford.
Isn’t that their job? It’s my understanding that there is great demand for these types of union jobs.
I’m reminded, every time I go through our lobby these days, of how much more work the front desk people have to do all year long now that ordering from Amazon (and others) is a regular thing with so many of us.
We have 29 employees and I give 3000 and I feel cheap!
Think about how many times a day you might give a tip to staff for making your life better. Multiply by 365 and divvy up.
this was a lot of words that didn’t offer any help/wisdom.
I don’t live in a doorman building and there is no onsite super. We have a maintenance company that we can call for minor repairs; and they clean the hallway weekly, put out the trash, etc. The owner is always surly. Normally they put a sign in our building’s vestibule asking that tips be sent to them so they can divide them up between the staff. This year they also left a photocopy near each apartment door (10 in total), which I found very tacky. Our building is small – 10 apartments and over 100 years old – no laundry room, gym, package room, etc.
Am I wrong to think we shouldn’t be asked to tip? The “staff” are not employees of our building; they aren’t onsite full time – or even more than a couple hours a week.
Same situation here. The one time, in 4 years, I called for assistance for something that was specific to my apartment I tipped the guys who came help. I go out of my way to be respectful with my trash (collapsing my boxes instead of just cramming them in, properly sorting my recyclables). Anytime there has been a building-wide problem they call an outside service to repair. I’ve had my apartment ripped apart multiple times due to issues in neighbors apartments (which I tolerated uncomplainingly, despite lacking access to gas/hot water for weeks in each situation). I can’t help but feel my exorbitant rent (>$3k) should cover me.
There’s the base bonus. Then Extra amounts for:
Assistance with loading unloading routine local purchases
How many boxes received by mail that they hand to you
Other routine stuff: number of guests they screen for you , screening delivery people,
Usually the more BRs, the more people = more service.
Special requests:
Then there are special requests particular to your apartment. I needed a window serviced and the super told me how much to tip. Removal of large furniture, appliances. Maintenance of plumbing, painting of ceilings.
I live in a big 1960s co-op with 400+ apartments. I’m retired and it’s basically a pied-a-terre for me now. Probably there only five months a year, but I still give the same tips. Also I’ve been a working guy most of my life, I’m also handy and do a lot of what needs attention in my apartment. When I need a handyman or am required to use a handyman, I tip for the job. Recently I gave everyone a $10-$20 increase for inflation. Even tho I’m retired, I am still capable of handling my own business, I hardly ever need the services of a doorman to help with packages etc. I spend $1000 in total.
Property manager gets $120 up from $100. The two doormen who go out of their way to provide services I give $120, the ones who just lay back get $100. the night doorman gets $80 cuz I never see him. Porters I give $50 up from $40, said handymen $60 up from $50. I should note that if everyone tips the doormen $100, that’s over $40k/year, not to mention what they pick up in cash during the year for various side hustles. Most of that is probably not declared.
I live in an under 100 unit co-op with a staff of 6. I tip everyone $100 except for the two PT people who I give $50.
My biggest complaint is that when I moved into the building we had a super and his assistant who could do (and offered to do) many of the minor repairs in your apartment. Needed a light installed? They would do it. Needed a window re-caulked? They were there to help.
Now we have a “Building Manager” instead of a super and he mostly hands out names of offsite contractors. And we have to get extensive paperwork done for any small task to be completed. Could having a Building Manager save us money in the topline costs of running the entire building? Maybe, but I have not see that reflected in the monthly maint. for my apartment and honestly, I would prefer the old style service more if my costs are not going down.
100 unit co-op, staff of eight. All of whom are: OK (1) to above and beyond (7). I give them all $200 except the super who gets $250. I live alone and rarely have anything delivered. The porters keep the building immaculate and the doormen are invariably cheery. Any extra service provided during the year (e.g. replacing a light switch, snaking out a sink) is compensated on the spot.
I am generous with my tips. The staff works hard and keeps me safe, Yes it is a union job but they do not make that much. Some work two jobs. Even if you do not see certain staff members, they are keeping your building clean and keeping you safe. THis year we are upping our tips. $400 to the Super and $200 to the doormen and porters. There are 9 staff members in my building.
I find the tipping expectations to be completely unreasonable, especially for coops. The residents already pay the personnel salary, and many (if not all) coops give annual holiday bonuses – both covered via maintenance coming out directly of residents pockets. Why there is an additional expectation to tip personally? I despise this “tradition”.
PS: That being said, I do tip.
Our super has worked for 32BJ for almost 20 years and only makes 60k per year, as per their contract, which is public information. That’s it. No bonus from the owner. Yes he and his family live here for free but he is on-call 24/7, 48 weeks a year, and tenants call/text/ring bell at all hours with “emergencies” such as seeing an occasional roach or smoke alarm batteries that need to be changed. He responds every time, as far as I have experienced and seen first hand. These employees can hardly make ends meet but they make sure you are safe and comfortable. Be nice and do what you can. $100-$300 for super, $80-$150 for doorman, regardless of their shift- don’t the overnight guys deserve it? And the same for porters. Please people. Stop crying because you have to dip into your wallets. If you can’t do that, a nice apple pie.
When I say a business owner directly I think the tip is difficult to quantify
We have 3 full-time doorman, and a live in super. All four of them are fantastic. They all go out of their way to help whenever you need it. We don’t live there full time so it’s nice to know someone is looking out for our place and our interests when we’re not there. We tip $250 per person, and this year we handed the cards out at Thanksgiving. Because we’re “giving thanks” to them, (and everyone celebrates different holidays this time of year).
They were very appreciative! Like they could use the money now and it went over well. I think we’ll continue to do that from now on. That being said, we also tip throughout the year. If the doorman helps me bring a piece of furniture upstairs, I hand them $20 to $40 as a thank you. It’s not their job and it’s a pain in the butt, and I couldn’t do it without them, so why not?
If I had a building that had 20 employees in it, I don’t know what I would do. That’s over my budget. Good luck everyone and happy holidays!
As a first-time resident of UWS, I find this basically coercion. The pizzo—the kind mafia extorts out of business owners, often labeled “protection money.” Setting tipping budgets of $1000s and $2000s for the people who get fully paid from the monthly payment I already make is pure madness. The people who “express gratitude” anyway to even those who don’t do their own job right or are unkind perpetuate this already ridiculous culture.
it’s not coercion. you are not at any risk if you don’t tip. the union contracts that they serve under are negotiated with the tacit understanding that the staff will also get a holiday bonus from tipping. if you’d like to disregard the informal tradition of the place to which you have decided to move, that is your wont – but if enough people do that, it will simply become a negotiated part of the contract and your monthly payment will increase instead. in the meantime, you can expect to be the lowest priority resident for the staff in your building. take from that what you will.
I been a doorman for 33 yrs in midtown. we live in a world where most of us can’t afford a simple coffee and bagel from the corner street carts everyday of the work week. What I have notice over the yrs is that the ones u do the least for seem to give you the most. Those that u do the most for give u the least. I can honestly tell u that most of the staff is happy when they receive and envelope with $300 or more. I know people that gave me $60 thirty yrs ago and still giving me the same 30 yrs later. Those are the ones that give u $1 when you get them a cab and they act like they giving you a fortune.
I’m sorry, but I find your comment quite puzzling. Unlike restaurant servers who rely on tips as a significant portion of their income, building staff are salaried employees—correct me if I’m wrong. Any tips should be treated as a generous extra, not an expectation. The word ‘tip’ itself implies something voluntary, not obligatory, even though this definition has been distorted in the US for quite some time. Criticizing tenants for not giving ‘enough’ free money for simply doing your job seems misplaced, especially considering their substantial monthly already contributes to the salaries of building staff. If you feel your compensation is inadequate, perhaps the management that hired you should address that with higher wages, rather than relying on tenants to supplement your income through tipping—or worse, deprioritizing those who choose not to participate in this absurd practice.