CAN YOU TIP SEPARATELY FOR FOOD AND WINE?

Wine Service:  How Much to Tip

Despite the controversy about tipping practices in the United States, most diners tip 18-20% for wine service on the total amount of the bill, including tax.  Earlier etiquette advice to 'tip only on the food, and exclude the wine and the tax' is outdated.  Both bartenders and sommeliers consider a tip to be a customer's assessment of their job.   Most diners leave a 20% post-tax tip regardless of the price of the bottle.  A reliable guideline is to tip as if the cost of the bottle of wine were included in the bill.

Wine Service Tipping Etiquette

• Don't tip on the pre-tax amount. 
• ​Don't calculate your bill  by tipping separately for wine and food. 
• Don't tip less when the  bottle of wine costs more. 

These days, the same principles that apply to tipping should generally apply to wine service:  the cost of wine is part of the bill.