Tipping Hotel Front Desk Staff: Are Things Getting Out Of Hand?

Norms around tipping hotel staff can be confusing, controversial, and inconsistent (especially in the United States), whether we’re talking about housekeeping, the concierge, or club lounge staff. However, there’s a trend that seems to be slowly spreading as of late, regarding tipping hotel front desk staff. Is this where the line should be drawn?

Hotel front desk staff increasingly soliciting tips

View from the Wing flags a Reddit post about a Marriott property where guests are asked how their front desk experience was, with the option to tip front desk staff for “exceptional service.”

The property in question is the Fairfield Inn New York Midtown Manhattan Penn Station, though this hotel is hardly alone. We’ve now seen several reports of hotels belonging to the major hotel groups starting similar programs. I wouldn’t say it’s widespread yet, but it’s definitely moving in that direction.

Historically, the concept of tipping the front desk has been more like a bribe than a tip, with the goal of getting a better room. Las Vegas has been known for the “$20 trick,” though with inflation, it probably takes a little more than that to get something in return.

While I see some people suggesting that all hotel front desk staff do is hand you the key and swipe your credit card, there’s definitely more to it than that. I mean, I certainly have great check-in experiences and not so good check-in experiences, in terms of friendliness, efficiency, the quality of information provided, etc.

Should the line be drawn with tipping front desk staff?

Let me start by saying that I largely accept US tipping culture for what it is. I of course don’t like the idea of employers essentially wanting guests to pay extra for service in order to improve margins. But I’m also a realist rather than an idealist, and I recognize that we’re never going to change that culture, and there are a lot of hardworking hotel staff who deserve a fair, living wage.

On the surface, I of course find it ridiculous that we’re increasingly getting to the point where hotels are encouraging guests to tip front desk staff. Staying at a hotel in the US often feels like a constant money grab. You pay an inflated rate, then you’re hit with a resort or destination fee, then parking is expensive, and then you’re expected to tip every single person you interact with.

At the same time, I think the challenge with hotel front desk staff is that they’re typically not actually very well paid, all while setting the tone for a hotel stay for guests, as one of the first people that we interact with when we arrive. You have some front desk staff making $15-20 per hour while living in very expensive cities, without consistent tips.

Is it fair that they make less than the bell staff, and servers in the restaurant, etc., all while arguably working at least as hard, if not harder? Of course I think the solution is that hotels should pay these people more for their hard work.

At the same time, we’re talking about the same hotel owners who say that the hotel industry should learn more from ultra low cost airlines in terms of guest experience, and nickel-and-dime for everything. So I don’t see them voluntarily giving anyone a pay raise.

Ultimately this gets at the annoying reality of US tipping culture. Sometimes it’s really arbitrary who you’re supposed to tip, and who you’re not supposed to tip.

Bottom line

Here in the United States, it’s standard for all kinds of hotel staff to expect tips. Up until now, that hasn’t really spread to front desk staff on a widespread basis. We are increasingly seeing properties have cards with QR codes for tipping hotel front desk staff.

On the one hand, I find it ridiculous, and think it’s more like a bribe than a tip. On the other hand, it’s a bit odd how front desk staff are among the only people we interact with at hotels where tips aren’t really expected, yet their pay doesn’t necessarily reflect that.

Where do you stand on tipping hotel front desk staff? Have you seen such a request before?