tipping

[davegtst]

Tips are great when i get them which is becoming quiet rare now. I nearly always tip in a restaurant unless its crap and i tip the delivery driver of takeaways but never if i go to collect it.

[rens914]

I find the concept of tipping bizarre.

Lets taking waiting on tables, all they are asked to do is politely communicate to you, carry full plates from the kitchent to the table and take empties back again. Now that does not require skill and is therefore not a high value service. This is the basic service.

However, if say they have taken time to learn about the food on the menu, suppliers, details about the cooking processes and communicate these to you, then they will have added to your restaurant experience in a positive way.

so do you tip for this? it depends if they charge and arm and a leg for food and drinks then no, the restaurant owner should be paying these staff a better wage because they are clearly superior to the average.

Just because one eats in a restaurant or out gives no indication of wealth. Some people save hard earned cah for these things so why should they pay "extra".

I also object to the notion that if I earn more money, I should be more generous. I pay for what something is worth not now much it is plus a bonus because my wallet is fatter than the average joes.

I certainly dont walk into a car showroom and go, that cars 20 grand, well here is an extra 10% because you went the extra mile to sell it, and I earn more than you.

Also its more degrading to assume someone is poor because they have a lower paid job, this is true in a lot of cases, but some people , particularly women do extra simple jobs so they have "their own money" even though hubby earns a thick wedge.

About the service charge, if its up front on the menu then you know a proportion of your bill is going to pay for the service. You have the choice to eat there or not. if its not clearly displayed on the menu then it should not be added.

Bottom line is pay people a decent wage and charge appropriately for the product. Then every one can be happy.

Alex

Alex

it's not so that the restaurant owner couldnt pay more but for your service it's better not to

the moment you take away the need for an extra effort (without it their salary would be less) the service and alertness to serve you will get worse and worse

and

there is a big difference in only getting the standard service or a good service

don't tip anymore and the standard service will be yours

for me it's simple

when i feel well treated i tip

rens

[Bibs]

I worked in casinos for 7 years and the UK is the only country in the world that doesn't allow croupiers to accept tips (loss of tax to the govt!). The service we provided was spot on as we were very professional and took pride in our work. We were quite well paid too.

Everywhere else croupiers can take tips and do very well too, my pal was given $5,000 on the cruise ships, a guy had just emptied the bank and it was the smallest denomination chip he had!

[OwenGT3]

Hi,

I tip if the service has been good and I deal with the person/s on a personal basis. Example, the builders who done my building work, we tipped them as they had done a good job.

Generally I don't tip, like it's been said, I don't get one for my job, why should I tip others for theirs, if you want more money get a better paid job. Some waiter services I tip, again only if the service has been good. On holiday one year we had the same girl serve us all the week in the restaurant, so we did tip her, but basically you couldn't class me as a big tipper!

Owen

[snuffy]

Alot of you would not like the States then. If you see a menu price displayed, add on State Tax ( 7 - 10 % ) then add on a tip ( 15 - 20% ), so the price you see is actually up to 30% more. Once you know the score it's okay.

[Autocross7]

Now the "automatic" tip - you know, where gratuity is added automatically in the price of a meal... THAT pissis me off. There are places I have stopped going because of it. It is the resturant basically saying "our service sucks and too bad if you want to eat here".... so I don't. The flip side is that if the server does a great job... he gets the tip the managment says he will get. Most of the places do the "tip spread around" as was noted above - Nope. don't like it.

Cameron

Edited November 30, 2007 by Autocross7

[rens914]

always only tip if you feel like it but there is much more to the story

I have about 260 employees working for me and about 200 of them had a part of their salary built up by getting tip's

only 2 years ago we changed the sytem

We have increased the salary (about the same as first with the tip part) but now the tips go to the company

before we never had a higher percentage than 1% of people beiing off duty by illness.

now we have a standard of 5% excl pregnancy (because they get the money anyway)

customors complain that the service and attention they get is sliding

before

employees never even wanted to go for a dinnerbreak or coffee brake (they could miss tip)

now i have the union on my back for extra brakes etc.

if the company i work for would have been located anywhere else than in my country i could fire the people who don't function anymore

in my country i have to give them 1,5 month's salary per year that they have worked with us to get rid of them

f***king hell. that would be a lot of money for me

30 x 1,5= 45 month's

i'm feeling a little cold coming up

see you in thailand

greets Rens

Edited November 30, 2007 by rens914

[cly_mitchell]

I don't mind tipping. In the US it is a common practice. Resturant and bar waitstaff are paid next to nothing like $2.75/hr. If they get paid it is by the customer. The logic is, he will perform well if his pay depends on it. If the owner paid the waitstaff full wages the customer would loose control and end up paying more for the food. The US tipping rules are about as follows:

Waiter 15-20

Taxi 10

Baggage handler $1 per bag hotel or airline

Hair care/ spa staff 15-20 unless the owner cuts your hair then 0

Bar tender or bar maid 20 is good but the method Kimbers explained is the best $20 before

Other service and proffesionals are rewarded at Christmas, my list includes; postman, trashman, loan officer, anybody who instructs your kids, judges offices, police offices, building officials offices, ect. My wife is a lawyer so the legal people are optional.

Now the most important tipping is done in the strip club. Keep in mind the club gets 30%. Find one or two girls that you fancy. Do not buy them drinks, they don't get the money and there is no alcohol in them, tip one or two girls about $50 and every hour you are there, you will get your money worth. As I have only been to one club this is mostly just my unstanding

I do not gamble for religous reasons, once again So no reason for me to tip the dealer 20%.

Cheers

Clay

[esprit350]

As Graham says it's an expected cultural thing abroad in some countries, so I welcome advice from travel agents about what is expected and always comply.

Ok then, take this true senario, Renu and I were on a cruise ship in the Indian ocean, on the last day of the cruise we got our daily ship news letter with tipping guide lines

we were expected to tip our waiter , very good and very hard working

the ships entertainment officers, just doing their job

the head waiter or maitre'de who did very little except be very patronising and annoying

the deck stewards

and your cabin steward

I cant remember what the percentage was that was advised but the largest percentage was for the head waiter, if every passenger tipped to the guide line he alone would have made $3500 for a week,

we tipped our waiter , he deserved it, the deck steward, he went out of his way for us on one day, the cabin steward he worked for it and one of the crew who was not listed but always seemed to be crewing the launch when we went ashore.

the rest of our spare cash we donated to a local village school in Zanzibar where they needed it more than anyone else

Edited December 1, 2007 by esprit350

[rens914]

Ok then, take this true senario, Renu and I were on a cruise ship in the indain ocean, on the last day of the cruise we got our daily ship news letter with tipping guide lines

we were expected to tip our waiter , very good and very hard working

the ships entertainment officers, just doing their job

the head waiter or maitre'de who did very little except be very patronising and annoying

the deck stewards

and your cabin steward

I cant remember what the percentage was that was advised but the largest percentage was for the head waiter, if every passenger tipped to the guide line he alone would have made $3500 for a week,

we tipped our waiter , he deserved it, the deck steward, he went out of his way for us on one day, the cabin steward he worked for it and one of the crew who was not listed but always seemed to be crewing the launch when we went ashore.

the rest of our spare cash we donated to a local village school in Zanzibar where they needed it more than anyone else

would have done the same except in waiting till the last day

tipping that waiter every day would have done you well during your stay (more than tipping him the moment you leave)

giving the rest to people that need it is not only nice but also something you have to do

we are allways thinking and complaining about our small worries.

there are people thinking about how to stay alive.

sorry guys. lived in India for several years and have a house in north thailand.

christian people talk the talk but buddhist people walk the talk

rens

Edited December 1, 2007 by rens914

[snuffy]

I've just booked a cruise for next year on Cunard's new ship, the Queen Victoria. Cunard add $11/day per person to your bill for tips. So, for our 12 days that will be an extra

[Kimbers]

Kimbers, you don't look old enough to have a daughter who works!

2 Actually matey! Crackers both of em!

[oneshot]

2 Actually matey! Crackers both of em!

Well with a dad like you it's enough to drive anyone mad

[stephenbirdsall]

I don't mind tipping. In the US it is a common practice. Resturant and bar waitstaff are paid next to nothing like $2.75/hr. If they get paid it is by the customer. The logic is, he will perform well if his pay depends on it. If the owner paid the waitstaff full wages the customer would loose control and end up paying more for the food. The US tipping rules are about as follows:

Waiter 15-20

Taxi 10

Baggage handler $1 per bag hotel or airline

Hair care/ spa staff 15-20 unless the owner cuts your hair then 0

Bar tender or bar maid 20 is good but the method Kimbers explained is the best $20 before

Other service and proffesionals are rewarded at Christmas, my list includes; postman, trashman, loan officer, anybody who instructs your kids, judges offices, police offices, building officials offices, ect. My wife is a lawyer so the legal people are optional.

Now the most important tipping is done in the strip club. Keep in mind the club gets 30%. Find one or two girls that you fancy. Do not buy them drinks, they don't get the money and there is no alcohol in them, tip one or two girls about $50 and every hour you are there, you will get your money worth. As I have only been to one club this is mostly just my unstanding

I do not gamble for religous reasons, once again So no reason for me to tip the dealer 20%.

Cheers

Clay

That is such a useful guideline for us Brits!

[cly_mitchell]

That is such a useful guideline for us Brits!

[lemoncurd]

I have to say, tipping also irritates me. As others have mentioned, ultimately that is their job and if the pay is cr*p that is an issue between them and the employer - it should not be up to me subside a poor salary. Having said that I don't have a problem tipping in restaurants etc. where the service has gone beyond my expectations almost as a thanks for helping me have a good time.

I am not totally sure I agree with the idea of tipping prior to getting service and had real issues with that when we went to Mexico. I can see why people do it, but to me it comes across as buying good service, something that ultimately shouldn't be necessary. If you take a pride in your job, providing good service should be something you strive for and any tips you get a bonus - not something that is sold out to the highest bidder.

And don't get me started on tipping most bar staff... generally all they did is get me a drink - the very definition of the job. Having said that if they go out of their way to make a special/complicated drink, are particularly friendly, or good looking! then fair play.

Ben - bah humbug!

[snuffy]

Yes % in $

Cheers

Clay

What ? Not % in

[Advantage]

At the moment there's 2 Brit % for one US %. :laughing:

[stephenbirdsall]

Yes % in $

Cheers

Clay

Erm, let me clarify my question.... is the 15-20 that you give to the waiter 15-20% of the total bill or is is $15-20??

[CNH]

For dining purposes I tip about 15% of the charge before the 6.5% sales tax is added. Many places will add tax on to the bill to inflate it a bit (don't tip on tax). As the line in Pirates of the Carribean it is sort of a guideline and most of us just round it off to $1.50 per $10. So for a $50 restaurant bill I leave 7 or 8 you don't have to be exact.

It also appears gender plays a role.

A group of guys goes out and when the bill comes everyone throws in a twenty or more not seeming to care if he gets any change back only that he has thrown in more than what his actual share of the bill is including the tip. This usually works out well for the server as they are over tipped in many cases.

A group of women go out and when the bill comes they all whip out calculators and write checks for the exact amount of their share with tip. It is down to the penny.

Edited December 4, 2007 by CNH

[Laura]

Are you trying to say us gals are tight!?!

I can't remember the last time I went out with just girls but I've never been in the type of situation where we're all working out the exact amounts. It's just a case of rounding up your share to the closest note & not worrying about the change.

[CNH]

Are you trying to say us gals are tight!?!

I wouldn't exactly call it tight. I would say women are more picky with attention to detail.

Most of the guys I know will not even round up and if their portion of the bill is $30 they will drop 2 twenties into the pot and walk way without bothering for change or at least pretending not to care.

[Simon350S]

Not read all the contents of this thread..... BUT......

Pay rates for waiting staff in this country is pretty reasonable....... if you all tip them they earn a small fortune, its all tax free and most of the time they are waisters who are shit at their jobs anyways......

If the waiting staff want better wages... get better jobs.... get some qualifications and make something of your lifes and stop whining when people dont tip you for doing a job your paid to do and don't do it very well in the 1st place......!!!!!

It pisses me off these days that you are made out to look cheap and mean cause you don't tip..... hell your girlfriend/wife/husband etc.... give you grief (not you Lisa thats not a dig...) if you don't tip enough.....!!! WTF is that all about.....?????

It takes a lot for me to tip gratiously..... unfortunately these days even I feel a little intimidated into leaving a tip......

My motto..... screw em....... spend your money more wisely.....

Hell..... next time your post is delivered on time feel free to send me a tip via paypal to thank me for the service I've helped deliver..... that you've already paid for.......

Oh and if its late...... what the hell..... tipp me anyways, why not, don't i deserve it just cause I smile alot.......??? or is it your just tight and I ain't got big tits and a nice ass......???

People who tip without even thinking about how much they are giving are earning far too much money..... Hell if anyone on here does it i bleedin hope you don't moan about the cost of insurance, tax or running costs of your Esprit......!!!!

Simon

p.s. anyone noticed that free loaders piss me off........!!!!!!???????

Edited December 4, 2007 by Simon350S

[Tentenths]

Bloody hell mate... just a wild guess here... you've not had the best of days?!

Oh, and shouldn't there be a after the L word?

[arbell9]

Oh and if its late...... what the hell..... tipp me anyways, why not, don't i deserve it just cause I smile alot.......??? or is it your just tight and I ain't got big tits and a nice ass......???

C'mon Simon.... your man boobs are lovely and your ass well, lets no go there as the actress said to the bishop B)