Here's What You Need To Know About Tipping A Chauffeur

Having the right chauffeur behind the wheel of a limousine for your night on the town can make a special experience even better. An experienced and professional driver will not only get to you to your destination in style, but can also ensure you're on time by thoroughly understanding the city's traffic patterns and smoothly navigating around congested traffic areas. Although it's always appropriate to convey your thanks to the driver once you reach your final destination, it's proper etiquette to pair your verbal thanks with a tip that reflects the driver's care and attentiveness. Here's what you need to know about tipping your chauffeur.

The Accepted Range

The standard rule for tipping a chauffeur is 10 to 15 percent of the cost of the ride, according to Business Insider. It's ideal to tip your chauffeur in cash -- when you book the ride, you'll likely swipe your credit card to provide a deposit and the total cost of the ride will be charged to your card after you reach your destination. As such, you won't have to deal with finances with your driver, which means it's best to travel with cash. When you book the vehicle, calculate 10 to 15 percent of the cost and ensure you have at least this much in cash.

Finding The Right Amount

The suggested range for tipping a chauffeur provides leeway to allow you to determine the right amount to tip based on your experience. Considering several factors helps you calculate the percentage you wish to tip. It's appropriate to tip 15 percent or even slightly above this amount if the driver went above and beyond the call of duty to ensure you had a pleasant experience. For example, your driver could warrant a higher tip if he or she provided some valuable information about a spot to visit in the city, pulled the vehicle over and took a photos of your group for you, or made a quick navigation change to ensure you got to your destination in a timely manner.

The Time To Tip

It's best to tip the chauffeur at the end of your ride. Once everyone has climbed out of the vehicle and you've given the passenger compartment a quick once-over to ensure you haven't left anything behind, wait for the driver to close the passenger door behind you and offer a verbal thanks, a handshake and your cash tip. Be courteous about the driver's time when you give the tip -- he or she often has a schedule to keep.