Building Relationships: Tips on Holiday Tipping
DECEMBER 9, 2011
As the year winds down, we all think of giving a more bankable thank-you to the doorman, the super, the concierge and anyone else who helps our 
apartment buildings run smoothly.
Whether or not we expect special treatment in return, no one wants to be the unwitting building Scrooge or, conversely, to hand over what looks more like a bribe. This handy guide from BrickUnderground provides basic guidelines for tipping your building staff, including the following ranges:
Doorman, concierge: $25-$150 on average (broad range: $10 - $1,000)
Porter, handyman: $20 - $30 on average (broad range: $10 - $75)
Garage attendant: $25 - $75 avg (broad range $15-$100)
The guide goes on to tally up how much your total outlay of good cheer should be (including how much to tip the other helpful people in your life), along with FAQ items like tipping pools and timeframes (you have until February, but December is the norm). A quickie poll lets the people have their say about how much they’re giving.
Rentenna credits the same source for their tipping guide, and they’ve done a cute color-coded infographic. An interesting addition is a short list of tipping tips from 100 years ago with equivalents in today’s cash, so you can be thankful you don’t have to tip the milkman.
The building staff one NYC apartment building will undoubtedly be grateful for a piece of paper from residents that isn’t currency this season. In light of a recent decree by the building’s management that the staff be on their feet throughout their entire shift, almost all of the building’s residents signed a petition asking that the employees be given their chairs back (New York Magazine).
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