Most cabs feature a fare ticker which allows you to watch the price of the ride rise as you approach your destination. If you’re in a hurry, you can use this to predict, calculate, and prepare your tip before it’s time to get out of the cab.
If the driver did an exceptional job, consider tipping them 20% or more. Perhaps you had a great conversation, or they gave you useful advice about sightseeing in the city, or they worked hard to get you to your destination on time despite an awful traffic backup. [3] X Research source The credit card machines inside some cabs suggest default tip percentages between which you can choose. In New York, for instance, cabs offer three default tip levels: 20%, 25%, and 30%. Feel free to choose any of these options or to choose your own amount. [4] X Research source
If your fare comes to less than $4, give the cab driver a $5 bill. You should not tip less than $1, and a %15 tip for any amount lower than five dollars will come to less than $1. If your fare comes to $7-9, give the driver a $10. If your fare comes to $11-13, you can give the driver $15. If your fare comes to $33-35, just give the driver $40.
Tip 5-10% (or not at all) if the service was particularly poor. Perhaps the driver took the longest route to get you to your destination; perhaps he was rude to you, or made you feel uncomfortable. Tip 15% for a solid, middle-of-the-road cab ride. The driver brought you to your destination in a reasonable amount of time and made you feel comfortable, but didn’t do anything exceptional. 15% is acceptable in most cases. Tip 20% or higher if this was one of the better cab rides you’ve ever had. Maybe you had a great conversation with the cabbie, and s/he gave you some interesting ideas for exploring the area; maybe s/he took a lesser-known back-road that got you to the airport much faster than if you’d sat through traffic; maybe s/he helped you haul your bags to the doorstep.
Some such apps give you the option to choose your location to better calibrate the tip amount. This way, if you aren’t sure, you can try to base your tip on local factors: the cost of housing, the minimum wage, and the going rate for service tips.
For example, if you have an old (but unexpired) $10 gift card to a restaurant you will never visit, offer it to the driver in lieu of money. Say, “I can give you a cash tip for the ride, but I have this Applebee’s gift card that I’m never going to use. Would you take that instead?” Bear in mind that many cab drivers are hustling to pay their bills. They must pay a daily or weekly lease on their cab, plus rent on their house or apartment, plus gas – all out of their own pockets. Card-swipe fare payments don’t usually pay out in the same day, so it’s common for drivers to take rides on credit unless you pay them in cash. Thus: a non-monetary tip may feel unique and whimsical, but odds are that most drivers will prefer cash.
