My Biggest Challenge When It Comes To Tipping While Traveling

Manager salary went up to $50,000, and cooks made $2 more per hour after Danny Meyer's the Modern eliminates tipping. http://mashable.com/2016/03/11/no-tipping-success-danny-meyer

Another confirmation that tipping is a scam: http://www.eater.com/2016/2/26/11119264/restaurants-tip-pooling-banned-ruling-court

Manager of a mid-size 4 star hotel in the US here... I usually tip $1/bag (IF I ask for help), $1 per pickup to the valet, $3-5/day to housekeepers. @Lucky - very kind of you to leave champagne, but many hotels will confiscate that from the employee (#insurance). Try emailing the GM if someone goes truly above and beyond - that is extremely beneficial and goes in that employee's "permanent record" and can help them get better jobs, promotions, incentives, etc. @Sheena - THANK YOU for making sure employees receive merit from management! You're doing both the employee AND the manager a service... We also incentive internally, for example if an employee is mentioned by name on TripAdvisor we'll give them $10-20 depending on the review :) @most of you - Need change? Please ask any employee at the hotel - we're honestly happy to make change for you - it's less for us to count at the end of the night! Remember we're not mind readers and probably won't read between the lines of you buying a Coke with a $50... if you want change, just ask us. Should you feel compelled to tip? NEVER. The employee should perform their job so well that you WANT to tip. If someone makes you feel uncomfortable, please tell the manager so we can address it. We never want you to feel uncomfortable or awkward, especially over a tip. Don't need or want help? That's totally cool - just say "no thanks". We know you probably don't need help with that one small carry-on bag, but we're required to offer assistance and will get in trouble if we don't offer... for what it's worth, it's awkward for us too sometimes. There is one exception - ALWAYS BRIBE YOUR HOUSEKEEPER. They work harder than everyone else in the hotel, earn the least money, and are the ones who can single handedly make or break your experience at a hotel. Leaving a couple of bucks out every day really makes a difference for them.

@vj i always have cash in hiding places on my body, and for example what if you are now traveling in greece, where the banks are closed and the atms are shut down, or out of money, what are all of you people that pay with only credit cards going to do? and also, knock on wood, i have never been pickpocketed, and have been to major sporting events, major parades, many foreign countries, and always have CASH ON ME. i do not use a wallet, like i said i hide money on my body..... just watch it people, carry some cash, please, i wonder if all of the foreign travelers in greece, now, wish that they had cash on them??? just my .02 cents

@john what happens if your wallet gets stolen? You'll never see that $500 again. But you can cancel your cards and replace them and wouldn't have to worry. I would never carry that much cash for that reason.