It’s the holidays, which means the annual tradition of tipping service workers is back in full swing.
But amid rising costs and an increasing disdain for ‘tipping culture’ in the US, some people may be less inclined to leave a hefty tip this year.
A recent survey discovered that a staggering 77 percent of participants believe gratuity has ‘become ridiculous,’ while 65 percent claimed they were ‘fed up’ with paying more for services.
When it comes to tipping service workers in your apartment building, however, real estate experts can all agree on one major etiquette rule.
It is customary for New York City residents to tip their doormen, supers, handymen and porters as a show of appreciation for all the work they do for the tenants in the building.
‘Your super and your doorman and your handyman are people who you interact with on a daily basis,’ Caroline Bass, a licensed associate real estate broker at Corcoran, exclusively told the Daily Mail.
Indeed, living in an apartment building with doorman service is considered a luxury in NYC real estate.
Not only do they oversee all the comings and goings of the building, but they can sign for packages, handle prescription deliveries and keep the residents safe.
Tipping doormen for the holidays is an annual tradition in New York City (stock image)
While a majority of Americans believe ‘tipping culture’ has ‘become ridiculous,’ NYC-based real estate agents told the Daily Mail that tipping doormen is customary (stock image)
‘If you live in a building that has a doorman and handyman, which a lot of buildings in the city do, these are people that are almost an extension of your family,’ said Bass.
‘You see them multiple times a day. They’re taking packages for you. They’re fixing things in your apartment. It’s your team.’
Still, there can be some confusion when deciding exactly how much to tip service workers during the holidays.
According to Bass, there really is ‘no specific requirement’ in how much money to leave your doorman.
The average tips for doormen during the holidays, she revealed, is ‘somewhere between $75 to $250,’ while supers or resident managers who are in charge of the building can earn an average of $150 to $300 per tip.
For handymen and maintenance staff, Bass said the broad range tip is anywhere from $25 to $200, though the average amount that tenants are tipping is likely between $50 to $100.
‘There is no specific requirement that anybody has to tip a certain amount. It depends how much you interact with your staff, how much they help you. It’s just a general guideline,’ Bass said.
Perhaps the luckiest service workers this holiday season will be the doormen who supervise the luxury high-rises in the wealthiest areas of Manhattan.
The average tips for doormen during the holiday is ‘somewhere between $75 to $250,’ according to experts (stock image)
In fact, insiders have revealed to the Daily Mail that within the priciest apartment buildings along ‘billionaire’s row’ – the name for the strip of luxurious skyscrapers stretching from Columbus Circle to Park Avenue – some doormen are expected to rake in thousands of dollars in tips.
‘Anything on billionaire’s row [will be tipping the most],’ Bass shared.
‘I’m going to guess that 57th Street will be getting pretty high tips. I think probably Hudson Yards will be getting pretty high tips. And then, of course, Fifth Avenue, Madison Avenue, Park Avenue, Central Park West.’
Jules Garcia, a real estate agent at Coldwell Banker Warburg, revealed to the Daily Mail that in neighborhoods like Lenox Hill, the West Village and residential luxe buildings along Madison and Park Avenue, some doormen can expect receive as high as $500 per tip – and that’s just the minimum.
‘During the holidays, tipping your doormen is not the exception; it’s the norm for NYC buildings,’ he told the Daily Mail.
‘There are always those who may prefer not to tip. I personally try not to judge too harshly because I don’t know their financial situation or whether they’ve just not felt the same level of premium doorman service,’ Garcia said.
‘For those who are financially stable, have experienced great service, and still refuse to spread some holiday cheer with a nice tip, I’m sure karma will give them a lump of coal at some point.’
Garcia also name-dropped two luxury rentals with full-time doorman service as prime examples where holiday tips are expected to be on the high end.
Real estate broker Caroline Bass told the Daily Mail that doormen in luxury apartments along Fifth Avenue (seen) are expected to get ‘pretty high tips’ this holiday season
Real estate agent Jules Garcia explained to the Daily Mail that some doormen in affluent neighborhoods across NYC may receive a minimum of $500 per tip from tenants (stock image)
Pictured: The 432 Park Avenue residential skyscraper in the Midtown neighborhood of Manhattan
At 211 East 70th Street in Manhattan, the base rent for a 1,680-square-foot two-bedroom apartment is $14,750 a month.
Meanwhile, a three-bedroom, three-bathroom apartment at 360 Furman Street in Brooklyn Heights was recently rented for $15,800 a month.
‘I’ve seen plenty of situations where the tip can be more than $500 for some doormen who consistently help with packages, keep an eye out when a resident is away, or even crowdsource information from other residents to help find a good cleaning person,’ Garcia said.
It’s no secret that some Americans believe tipping culture has gotten out of hand.
But when it comes to thanking your doormen or maintenance workers this holiday season, NYC real estate experts believe that even just a little sign of appreciation can go a long way.
