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American Morning

'The Village Voice' Columnist Balks at New York City Tipping Suggestions

Aired May 30, 2001 - 11:49   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
STEPHEN FRAZIER, CNN ANCHOR: How big a tip should you leave when you dine in a restaurant?

In New York City, a city-devised tip sheet could make the decision easier now, and we are going to get the bottom line on that from Michael Musto, a columnist for "The Village Voice," who's in our New York bureau.

Mr. Musto, thanks for coming in.

MICHAEL MUSTO, "THE VILLAGE VOICE": Thank you for having me.

FRAZIER: The tip sheet is put out by a city agency. This is a public institution. Is that right?

MUSTO: Yes, the Department of Consumer Affairs. And these are just recommendations, but I'm immediately rejecting the whole thing. I mean, this couldn't come at a worse time.

FRAZIER: Why are you rejecting it.

MUSTO: First of all, I'm cheap, OK? Remember those signs that said "Tipping is not a city in China"? I disagree. It is a city in China; it's a lovely city -- everyone should go visit it. But we shouldn't be tipping that much here, because the economy, in case people haven't noticed, is on the verge of a major downslide. All the excessive spending of '90s is going bye-bye.

FRAZIER: When you talk, let's show a little picture of what they're recommending here. In the restaurants, I understand, the guidance is now 15 percent to 25 percent of the meal, but subtracting the cost of the tax. 25 percent!

MUSTO: That's like my rent. That's absurd. Call me crazy, but I always felt like 7.5 percent was OK. Fifteen percent is a high end, and 20 percent is absolutely, incredibly insane -- you're ready for a straitjacket. And 25 percent ?

FRAZIER: Would anything occasion a 20 percent tip on your part, if you received amazing service? Isn't that what you're doing, rewarding service?

MUSTO: It would have to be some kind of sexual favor, like Nathan Lane just said, and also tickets to "The Producers." There is nothing that deserves 25 percent.

And some of the guidelines call for tipping people that don't even usually get tipped at all -- shuttle bus drivers. They're practically saying you should just run through the street throwing money to the wind.

FRAZIER: Sometimes when you're visiting New York it feels like that's what you do, if you come in from out of town.

MUSTO: Well, I'm not a tourist. I live here, and if I tipped everybody 25 percent, I'd be in a hole very quickly and have to tip my way out of it.

FRAZIER: I must point out, too, although we didn't have that on our picture on the full screen, they're also talking about tipping the wine steward -- who they go on to say is the sommelier -- and the captain, if he happens to come by and make something at table for you. So there are all sort of guys showing up.

MUSTO: Just popping out of nowhere to say, Don't drink red wine with fish -- give me 25 percent. No! You're not getting anything out of me. And if I want red wine with fish, I shall have it.

FRAZIER: Right. What about when you go to a hotel? They're saying $1 per bag for the bellhops. What else -- $1 for the chambermaid -- that seems pretty reasonable. I think that's been a longstanding guide.

MUSTO: Well, to be fair, I'm being a bit crumudgeonly. I do think professionals deserve to be tipped, and you do have to tip those people -- $1 actually sounds cheap to me. If it sounds cheap to me, that's really on the low end.

FRAZIER: Especially when you think of how these bags are packed these days. You'd have to throw your back out every time you tried to hoist one.

And then taxies, too: 15 percent to 20 percent, but only if you encounter a courteous English-speaking driver, which in New York, I think, is getting to be a pretty rare breed.

MUSTO: Yes, well that sounds a little racist to me, like should you reward them for knowing the language. That doesn't bother me at all, if they don't. I do think you should also bring your Dustbuster and your Berlitz guide into every cab, and then just tip evenly, 2 percent.

FRAZIER: Wouldn't you give more if you get the traditional five- borough tour that they give to outsiders, like me?

MUSTO: If you're going on a percentage basis, that would come into the thousands of dollars.

FRAZIER: That's right. I'll take you to all five boroughs, and you'll be happy, and you'll like -- just don't fall asleep in the back seat -- you never know where you'll end up. MUSTO: They also want you to tip doormen. Of course you have to tip doormen if you live in a doorman building, which I do, but I happen to have 12 doormen because it's 24 hours around clock. There are about 12 porters. Come Christmastime, I'm hocking my furniture just to pay these people little bonuses.

FRAZIER: Right, I thought that was the only time, at the end of the year -- envelopes are flying.

MUSTO: The rest of the year, they're on their own.

FRAZIER: That's right. It's confetti time in New York.

Well, Mr. Musto, thanks for joining us, and good luck as you dine out in New York.

MUSTO: Thank you. Do I have to tip you?

FRAZIER: No, no, this one's a freebie.

MUSTO: Great.

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