Going to 'Murica

[Golden E. Pump]

I'm currently travelling from my home in Plymouth to Heathrow in preparation for my first flight to the USA. I'm going to Minneapolis (to see Paisley Park) and then to stay with my mate in New York.

Two questions really: anyone ever been to central downtown Minneapolis and can recommend any decent bars for the evening? Secondly, what's the deal with tipping? Do I need pockets full of dollar bills for everything?

[Twed]

Tip 15%-20% on everything by standard. It's easy to do the calculation, just move the decimal point over and double the value to get 20%

Dinner costs $55.60
Turn that into $5.50 by moving the point over
Round that shit up to $6 because you're nice
Double it for a tip of $12 (around 21%)

Tip for drinks at bars; easiest way is to ask for a tab if you're going to be hanging around.

[Twed]

Stuff in shops might not cost what the actual price says if your state has sales tax. Same with food, there's tax too. The $5 Big Box Meal at Taco Bell is going to cost you more like $5.8, don't expect to cover it with a crisp fiver. Also don't tip there, it's a shop. You tip wait staff, or at the more independent places if they have a tip jar (which I consider optional and you usually just throw your change in it)

Basically give humans who bring you things 20% and remember that tax is never included in the shitting price.

[Twed]

I never use cash, you write your tip on the receipt after they bill you. There will be a customer copy and and a restaurant copy. Write your tip on, then do the math(s) to add it up for a total, sign it and leave.

Or leave cash.

[Depressed Beyond Tables]

Tipping in America is such an arseache.

[Rolf Lundgren]

Stuff in shops might not cost what the actual price says if your state has sales tax. Same with food, there's tax too. The $5 Big Box Meal at Taco Bell is going to cost you more like $5.8, don't expect to cover it with a crisp fiver.

Just when are Americans going to sort that out? Sign says 3 for a $1. Bloke at till says that'll be $1.09 please sir. Pointing back at the sign won't make him change his mind.

[Attila]

Go to my home state of Delaware; no sales tax there.

It still catches me off guard going to different states and coming up a penny short or whatever because of the sales tax.

I lived in Minneapolis for a year, but I'm useless to you, as that year was 1987-88 (school year).

[Grunty Franklestein]

I spent a surreal weekend with Kiss in Minneapolis.

If you like steak, definitely go to Manny's.

Er, that's all I've got. I don't recall a bad bar.

[imitationleather]

20%?!

I'm going to New York later this year for the first time and aside from the potential of having a bit of a freak-out when I see 432 Park Avenue (a building that looks like it surely should fall over at any second) the whole tipping this is giving me The Fear.

[Ham Bap]

Bring a spare blazer.

[Attila]

If Embers is still around, they did a fantastic all day breakfast.

[Mr Banlon]

20%?!

I'm going to New York later this year for the first time and aside from the potential of having a bit of a freak-out when I see 432 Park Avenue (a building that looks like it surely should fall over at any second) the whole tipping this is giving me The Fear.

432 Park Avenue is going to fall over.

[easytarget]

I spent a surreal weekend with Kiss in Minneapolis.

I'm going to need details.
Lots of details.
I hope it was the Vinnie Vincent Kiss.

[Paul Calf]

I never use cash, you write your tip on the receipt after they bill you. There will be a customer copy and and a restaurant copy. Write your tip on, then do the math(s) to add it up for a total, sign it and leave.

Or leave cash.

Please don't do this in the UK. Almost all employers keep most of the tips given by card. Always tip cash.

[zomgmouse]

What if you're, like, really scared of guns

Not saying I am

But what if you are

What then

Definitely not me though

No

[Dex Sawash]

I went to Winter Carnival in 1970. Riding in a car on the ice is a little uncomfortable.

Give us a Paisley Park debrief, I've promised to take my wife there.

[Grunty Franklestein]

I'm going to need details.
Lots of details.
I hope it was the Vinnie Vincent Kiss.

Heh, no Vinnie I'm afraid. This was the the Alive 35 tour.
Interviewed Paul and Gene (separately or they just talk over each other) in their hotel after meeting them (in full make-up/costume) and watching them play at the Target Centre.

Paul was very passionate and earnest about the band still - Gene was, believe it or not, a sweetheart and very funny.

The childhood me is still doing cartwheels about the whole thing.

And Manny's steakhouse was amazing.

[imitationleather]

432 Park Avenue is going to fall over.

This better not happen when I'm there. It's so tall it could hit Canada.

[Icehaven]

I think if I ever go to America I'm going self-catering, I simply couldn't face the tipping minefield, it'd ruin every meal.

[Twed]

I think if I ever go to America I'm going self-catering

[Attila]

Heh, last night, Mr Attila was rummaging in the cupboard and found one of my brought-back-from-home boxes of Rice-a-roni and decided to cook it up for his tea. I have never seen anyone go about making Rice-a-roni in such a scientific matter (he used a digital scale to work out how much water he needed to put on the boil, since of course the cooking instructions are in crazy moon units like cups. The whole 'high altitude cooking instructions' baffled the fuck out of him.)