Douggie wrote:Okay, here's another question - somewhat related: I heard that in the US, prizes in stores are never the final price. There's always 8% tax (or something like that, depends on which state you live in) that is thrown above it. And for restaurants there's the tip, which is something between 10-20%, right? Do you still have to add tax in restaurants also, or is it included? And are tips to be given in restaurants only, or also other places where you can get food, like the McDonalds or your local hot dog stand?
Also, when using certain payment methods, like credit cards, do they add extra fee?
I know they're a lot of questions, but hey, it's useful to know the answer to those!
Hmmm... maybe I should just turn this thread into "what you should know as a tourist going to the US"!

Thanks people!
mmm, lets see...
more than the stated price on price tags - yes, for most states you visit in the US, there is a tax on most goods which varies by state. In Hawaii it's some fraction above 4% so if an item costs $1 on the price tag, when you take it up to the register, it will ring up at a final price of $1.04 (or something). Also, some states (Hawaii included) may charge additional fees for certain items - like for instance: in Hawaii, we have a $.06 recycling fee on plastic bottles / aluminum cans ($.05 of which you can get back when you recycle them). So in the above example, if you bought a $1.00 can of soda, when you went to the register, it would be $1.10 (0.04 tax + 0.06 in other fees). Probably more than you needed to know, but just came to mind when I was writing this.
Tips - yes, for sit-down places, tipping is generally recommended at an average of 15-20% of your total bill. For fast food places, you normally do not tip. However, on some food stands (such as a coffee cart, or hot dog stand or similar) you might see a tip jar displayed - then if you liked their service, feel free to drop a $1 or something in there.
credit cards and extra fees - normally, most merchants do not add any extra fees for using a CC in transactions. However, your bank might. When I went to Japan, I got charged 2 additional fees by my bank - a transaction fee and a currency conversion fee. The benefit for the convenience was that I didn't have to use cash on hand (and save it for other shops that didn't take CC's in Japan, which there are a few) and the rate of exchange usually better thru the CC even with the added fees, so still made out.
hope that helps?