Tipping

[orange]

A few weeks back, my friend and I went out to lunch while we were both on holiday. Not a fancy place, but not a diner either. So the check comes, and usually I'm a pretty good tipper (20-25% in a restaraunt, upwards of 30% for delivery) so I leave a nice tip because the waitress was nice and pleasant...

then I go into my pocket like I always do and pull out my spare quarters and dimes - you know, the stuff that's left over from breaking a dollar. I put it down with the tip and my friend goes "uh, that's an insult"

Now, apparently it's an insult to leave your spare change with the tip? I figure - money's money, and I don't really have a use for it...not only that, spare change adds up PLUS I've already given her more than the standard 15%....

so I ask, in your opinion/experience, is it insulting or just not appreciated when someone leaves their spare change with the tip?

[chequita guevara]

As a former waiter, spare change adds up, quickly. Leaving a few pennies is an insult, but not a pocket full of change. Of course, if you're dining at Le Snootier, spare change may be considered insulting.

[Alexander's Horse]

We Australians don't tip so we don't have this little dilemna

[chequita guevara]

We don't pay out service personel enough, so we need to tip.

[Alexander's Horse]

I tip when I'm abroad but I always find it hard to work out what is tippable and how much is appropriate. Its a real nightmare.

On my trip to the airport out of Paris I got the world's oldest taxi driver and tipped him. He was so happy he got out of the cab to wave me farewell!

[Drake Tungsten]

As another former waiter, I think that it is perfectly alright to leave change as a tip (as long as you don't leave something ridiculous like 100 pennies or something). Waiters only care about how much you tip, not the type of money you use to tip. That's how it was where I worked. Don't know about the fancier restaurants though.

[notyoueither]

Emptying your pocket for the server should never be taken as an insult. Be insulted if it is taken so.

Aussies should learn to appreciate the efforts of others on their behalf. No tipping? Criminal.

[Skanky Burns]

We pay, thats enough.

[Paul Hanson]

In other countries we appreciate the efforts of service personnel by paying them a decent wage in the first place.

That was a light-hearted juoke, BTW. Don't get all serious about it.

[Alexander's Horse]

Originally posted by notyoueither
Aussies should learn to appreciate the efforts of others on their behalf. No tipping? Criminal.

Many service staff consider tipping an insult here. Try and offer a tip and see the reaction for yourself.

[notyoueither]

No amount could be enough to wait on the needs of this rabble.

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by Alexander's Horse


Many service staff consider tipping an insult here. Try and offer a tip and see the reaction for yourself.

Really? Different strokes for different folks. Very different.

[Alexander's Horse]

We're egalitarian - people who do menial jobs don't think they are inferior - that's why they don't like being tipped. Its not a hard and fast rule - I usually leave something at restaurants. But it isn't expected.

I've seen many occasions where Australians have been offered money for services and they wave it away because they didn't help you for money and they don't want to feel inferior.

[notyoueither]

Hmmm. I know many young people here who are paying their way through post secondary educations on tips. I assure you, they do not look down on them.

But I can see the point of view of the Aussies I guess. If I stand on my head, or if I were paid an electricians wage to do the job.

[The Mad Monk]

Being paid for services rendered makes you inferior?

[Mihai]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
We don't pay out service personel enough, so we need to tip.

That's what annoy me. I prefer to know that they have decent wages and they are tipped only for excelent services.

I just can't understand the people who got miserable services and still tip, because this is the coustom.

[Alexander's Horse]

Originally posted by The Mad Monk
Being paid for services rendered makes you inferior?

They feel they get paid a respectable income through their hourly rate, whatever it is. So tips aren't built in to their remuneration expectations like they are in the United States. Do they tip in Canada?

With tradespeople the quote they give is what they consider a fair price. You accept that, you don't pay any more for a good job or any less for a bad job. The price is the price.

[notyoueither]

'They' most certainly tip in Canada. The thing here is that the servers are not paid anywhere near trades wages. Try minimum wage. They work damn hard in a busy place and they earn every spare dollar that people throw their way.

As I said earlier. Many young people are paying their way through university on tips.

[Alexander's Horse]

Yeah well hourly rates for waiting and such are pretty high here, certainly not minimum. By law they get penalty rates too - time and a half for evenings, Saturdays, double time for Sundays, that sort of thing.

Its different in different countries.

[notyoueither]

Yes. That's it isn't it. In at least one province here, wages are much higher by law. Interestingly, tipping is lower there also.

Time and a half for evenings? Saturdays? Double for Sundays?

What if all you work is Thursday through Sunday? Life is rough.

[Alexander's Horse]

Well you can make a modestly good living just working weekends.

[orange]

Originally posted by Alexander's Horse
I tip when I'm abroad but I always find it hard to work out what is tippable and how much is appropriate. Its a real nightmare.

Bill X .15 = tip

or Bill X .2 = tip if you're nice

real nightmare there

[Dauphin]

Of those that tip, do you still tip extra when service is included?

[reds4ever]

Originally posted by notyoueither

As I said earlier. Many young people are paying their way through university on tips.

usually with help from the tippers income tax contributions!

theres no hard a fast rule regarding tipping in the UK, i tip sometimes if the sevice has been good but i feel no obligation to.

[Provost Harrison]

I think tipping is a silly idea. There seems to be quite a vicious tipping culture in the US and if you don't tip, consider your nation to be up their with Iraq for the next invasion I just find it awkward, I like to know how much the meal costs and pay that amount, not be expected to fork out some undisclosed sum which more often than not, I cannot afford.

[reds4ever]

the other thing i'd like to take issue with is the wages of service staff, how is it incumbant on me as a customer to ensure that the employees of a restaurant get a decent wage?

i do not feel obligated to help someone through university, they have parents/grants/jobs/my tax/ to do that.

[Rogan Josh]

I france the tip is already included in the price you are charged. A sort of compulsory tip, so you are not supposed to tip extra.

I still do though, just because I can't bear not to, but my friends all laugh at me

[notyoueither]

Don't they add the grat to the bill in France? I've heard that is customary in Paris.

[MOBIUS]

Originally posted by orange


Bill X .15 = tip

or Bill X .2 = tip if you're nice

real nightmare there

Er no...

Your country is f*cked up in this regard.

First you have the bill, then you have to add some percentage (dependent on whatever state you're in!) to get to the total because for some moronic reason they can't figure out how to include tax into the bill in the US...

Then you HAVE to tip them between 15-20%, otherwise they come chasing after you because their basic wage is an insult to an ordinary human being...

Pay your staff a decent wage! I too was a waiter etc about 10 yrs ago in NZ - my basic wage was so good I only had to do a 30 hr week if I wanted to and still have a great time!

Stop paying people slave wages and denigrate their efforts by making them chase your monetary scraps!

[Inverse Icarus]

Tipping? they're lucky if i PAY for the meal.