Tipping culture in NYC, simplified 🤑

Hi hi,

Planning on going to a World Cup match at MetLife Stadium this summer? Your train ticket from Penn Station will cost $150.

I’m still wrapping my head around this and reading details, but it’s shaping up to be a true mess for anyone using NJ Transit. 😨

And now..

In this week’s newsletter:

🎫 Events We Love This Week: April 22-29 - No cars on popular streets & the continuation of NY football teams’ misery

🏙️ You’ll Have to Check It Out - 100s of local food vendors with prices capped at $6 per item

💸 NYC Tipping Culture - 25% tip for a drip coffee? No thanks

Time to do it. 👇

Notes: As always, this email was written by an actual human who lives in NYC, not artificial intelligence. 🥸

And as a subscriber, you can always access all your free NYC resources here.

Events We Love This Week: April 22-29, 2026

In the city this week? Here are some fun events we’re keeping an eye on.

Car-Free Earth Day - Saturday, April 25, from 10 am to 4 pm

Biking down Broadway without cars around doesn’t have to be a dream. This Saturday, for a few short, precious hours, it’s reality.

In honor of Earth Day (today), NYC is bringing back the ever-popular car-free streets across all five boroughs this Saturday.

Get info on all street closures and public art installations here.

Plus, Lyft is offering free 30-minute rides on classic Citi Bikes on Car-Free Earth Day. Riders may take advantage of the offer by entering promo code LYFTEARTHDAY26 on the “Day Pass” tab of the Citi Bike app.

NFL Draft Parties for Jets & Giants Fans - Thursday, April 23

As a Cleveland Browns fan (yes, they exist), I can empathize with the suffering Jets & Giants fans endure each year.

The NFL draft day is often the only positive moment, so soak it up with free fan parties.

🟢 For Jets fans, head to The Seaport starting at 4 pm.

🔵 For Giants fans, head to Hudson Yards starting at 3:30 pm.

Enjoy the hope of draft day while it lasts! 😜

You’ll Have to Check It Out - Queens Night Market

Queens is one of the most culturally diverse areas of America, and the Queens Night Market captures that diversity through hundreds of unique food vendors, artists, and performers.

And the best part? ⤵️

The cost of the dishes from food vendors is capped at $6.

So you can snag dishes for a fair price, like:

• Filipino dessert (pictured below)

• Venezuelan cachapas

• Turkish gozleme

• Polish pierogies

• Guyanese metemgee

• Tibetan momos and SO much more

While the market is typically free, this weekend’s rendition does require a “sneak preview ticket” to enter.

Starting next Saturday, May 2nd, it’s 100% free to enter the market and explore the festivities.

Catch the Queens Night Market every Saturday (excluding a break for the US Open) from 4 pm to midnight near the New York Hall of Science, near Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

NYC Tipping Culture: A No-Judgment Explainer

Tipping culture in New York City, especially for those traveling from outside the United States, can be overwhelming.

Every transaction feels a bit intense with tipping prompts showing up seemingly everywhere. 🫠

In this simple guide, we'll answer common questions like:

• Why is tipping common in NYC?

• Where do you need to tip?

• What tip percentage is expected at restaurants, bars, and similar establishments?
  

Plus, we'll cover a full-day scenario exploring NYC and how and when to tip at each part of your day.

Listen to the tipping explainer episode now!

Chat next week,

Ashley & Devin from Better Together Here 💵