I’ve been in the neighborhood about two months and I still can’t figure out the laundromat on 5th. I do everything myself—wash, dry, fold on the table. The woman at the card machine is super nice, showed me how to reload the app, and once ran after me when I left a Tide pod box. Am I supposed to tip her? In my hometown nobody tips unless you sit down and someone brings food. I don’t want to be the guy stiffing someone, but tipping every time seems weird when I’m already doing the whole load. What’s normal here?

Ha, I came from out of state and had the same panic. I did wash-and-fold for the first two weeks and tipped a little because I thought you had to. Then I switched to self-service and got a weird look when I didn’t tip the person who sold me the card. Now I just avoid eye contact and fold near the window, which is not a strategy. Following this thread because I’d also like to know if there’s a holiday thing or just a 'help me with a stuck machine' thing.

I’ve used a mix of laundromats and building laundry rooms for about a decade. Short answer: you don’t need to tip every time for self-service. The attendant is usually paid to keep the place running, handle the card machine, and clear jams. You’re not skipping a service charge.

That said, the norm shifts in a few situations:

• If the attendant fixes a machine that ate your money, digs a sock out of the seal, or watches your dryers while you run across the street, a small cash tip is a nice gesture.
• If you use wash-and-fold, the tip is usually a few dollars per bag or a flat weekly tip, not a percentage. It’s more like a barista tip jar than a restaurant bill.
• Around holidays, regulars sometimes hand over a small envelope or add a little extra once. That’s optional but remembered.

Don’t overthink it. If someone gives you the dead-eyed look for not tipping on a self-service load, that’s more about them having a long shift than a rule you broke.

Thanks, astoria_arch. That makes sense. I actually had a moment this morning where the dryer stopped with 20 minutes left and the attendant popped the panel and fixed it in about a minute. I tried handing her a couple bucks and she looked surprised, but took it. So I guess I’m not ruining the ecosystem. Follow-up: is the holiday envelope thing expected if you’re just using the card machine all year? I don’t even know her name yet.

astoria_arch, wait, now I’m rethinking everything. I dropped off a full bag two weeks ago and tipped the counter guy like it was food delivery. Did I massively overdo it? I couldn’t tell if he was being polite or holding back a laugh. Also, do you tip when they charge by the pound? I thought the weight already included the service, but the card reader still shows a tip screen, so I panic-tap something.

big_city_beth, if you tipped like delivery, yes, you probably went over. Wash-and-fold pricing usually bundles the service and the soap, so the tip is not meant to be a full service gratuity. A flat small tip per bag or a few dollars on a large drop is closer to the local habit. The card reader tip screen is optional; everyone panic-taps it sometimes.

For DykerNewbie, knowing names helps before holidays. You don’t have to do an envelope if you’re self-service only, but if the same person saves you three times during a busy Sunday, a small thank-you once or twice a year is plenty. If you end up using their wash-and-fold during a crunch week, that’s the right moment to add a little more.

Main rule: if you did the labor and nothing went wrong, don’t tip. If someone rescued your laundry, treat it like buying them a coffee.