New York City is the largest city in the United States, a dense metropolis of five boroughs at the mouth of the Hudson River. It is home to the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, Broadway, world-class museums, the Brooklyn Bridge, and one of the most diverse food scenes on earth. The city runs day and night on an extensive subway system.
Cultural orientation
Essential context for travellers.
New Yorkers walk fast and speak directly; directness is efficiency, not rudeness, so keep to the right on sidewalks and stairs and step aside before checking a phone
Greet shop and deli staff with a brief 'Hi' or 'Good morning'; small courtesies are expected even in hurried exchanges
Stand on the right and walk on the left on escalators, and let subway riders exit before boarding
Order at a bodega or coffee cart with a clear, short request; 'regular coffee' means milk and sugar, 'light and sweet' means extra of both
Tip generously: 18-22% at sit-down restaurants, $1-2 per drink at bars, and 15-20% for taxis and rideshares
Learn the grid: Manhattan avenues run north-south, streets run east-west, and Fifth Avenue divides East from West addresses
Ask a local or a transit worker for directions rather than stopping abruptly in the middle of a crowded sidewalk
Respect neighborhood diversity; more than 800 languages are spoken in the city, and communities such as Chinatown, Little Italy, Harlem, and Jackson Heights each have their own norms
Carry a reusable water bottle; tap water is safe and among the best in the US
Do's and don'ts
Quick guide to local norms.
Do
- Tip 18-22% at restaurants (check whether a service charge is already added for large parties), $1-2 per drink at bars, and $2-5 per bag for hotel porters
- Use the OMNY tap-to-pay system (a contactless card or phone) on subways and buses; the base fare is $3.00 per ride, with a weekly fare cap
- Let people off the subway car before boarding and move toward the center of the car
- Reserve popular restaurants, jazz clubs, and cocktail bars in advance via Resy or OpenTable, especially Thursday to Saturday
- Keep to the right on sidewalks and stairs; step out of the flow before stopping to take photos or consult a map
- Carry a photo ID for bars, clubs, and venues, which strictly check for age 21+
- Ask before photographing people, especially in religious spaces, markets, and residential neighborhoods
- Cross at crosswalks and obey the pedestrian signal; drivers and cyclists move fast
Don't
- Don't block sidewalks, subway doors, or escalator lanes while stopped, and take off a large backpack on a crowded train
- Don't accept rides from unlicensed drivers; use a yellow or green taxi with a lit roof light or a rideshare app, and avoid drivers who solicit at airports
- Don't leave a restaurant without tipping, since servers rely on tips for the bulk of their income
- Don't drink alcohol openly on streets, in parks, or in subway stations; open-container rules are enforced
- Don't smoke or vape in parks, on beaches, in playgrounds, or in indoor public spaces; smoking is restricted in most public spaces citywide
- Don't feed pigeons or approach unfamiliar animals; do keep dogs leashed in parks outside off-leash hours
- Don't photograph children you do not know or the interiors of private homes
- Don't assume prices on menus and tags include tax; NYC sales tax of 8.875% is added at the register
Etiquette by setting
How to navigate everyday situations.
- Greetings
- A handshake and eye contact for first meetings; first names are used quickly; hugs and cheek kisses are reserved for friends; 'How are you?' is a greeting, not a request for a detailed answer
- Dining
- Restaurant tables are often turned in about 90 minutes; wait for the host to seat you; splitting checks is common and acceptable; tap water is free on request; lunch and dinner service typically run 11:30AM-3PM and 5-10PM
- Dress
- Casual is the norm nearly everywhere; smart casual for upscale restaurants and cocktail bars such as Bemelmans Bar, where jackets are preferred for men; some clubs enforce dress codes with no athletic wear or flip-flops
- Gifts
- Flowers, wine, or a dessert from a local bakery are appropriate host gifts; corporate gifts are usually modest
- Business
- Punctuality is expected; meetings are brisk and agenda-driven; business cards are exchanged casually; breakfast and lunch meetings are common; dress is business casual to formal depending on the industry
- Tipping
- Restaurants and bars 18-22% (about 20% is standard); bartenders $1-2 per drink or 15-20% of the tab; taxis and rideshares 15-20%; hair, spa, and massage 18-20%; hotel housekeeping $3-5 per night; porters $2-5 per bag; food delivery 15-20%; coat check $2-3 per item
Useful phrases
A few words go a long way.
Excuse me / Pardon me
Excuse me / Sorry (passing someone)
ex-KYOOZ mee
Thanks / Thank you
Thank you
THANKS
How much is this?
How much is it?
how MUCH iz this
Where's the subway?
Where is the subway?
wairz the SUB-way
Downtown / Uptown
South / North in Manhattan
DOWN-town / UP-town
A slice
A slice of pizza
uh SLICE
Bodega (corner store)
Small shop that sells food and basics
boh-DAY-guh
Regular coffee
Coffee with milk and sugar
REG-yuh-lur KOFF-ee
Check, please
The bill, please
CHECK pleez
To go
Takeaway
tuh GOH
Religion & spirituality
Understanding faith in New York City.
Main: No majority religion; the city is among the most religiously diverse in the world, with large Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Protestant, Hindu, Buddhist, and Sikh communities and a large non-religious population
Sites: St. Patrick's Cathedral (Fifth Ave at 50th St), Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine (1047 Amsterdam Ave), Temple Emanu-El (1 E 65th St), the Islamic Cultural Center of New York (1711 Third Ave), the Eldridge Street Synagogue (12 Eldridge St), Trinity Church (89 Broadway), Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem (132 Odell Clark Pl), and the Hindu Temple Society of North America in Flushing (45-57 Bowne St)
Holy Days: Christmas, Easter, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Passover, Ramadan and Eid, and Diwali; some shops in Jewish neighborhoods such as Borough Park and Williamsburg close on Saturdays and Jewish holidays, and B&H Photo is closed on Saturdays
Conversations: Religion is treated as private; avoid debating faith or politics with strangers, remove hats in sanctuaries where customary, and follow posted dress and photography rules