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Much as I dislike the practise of tipping, I do as a Roman does while in Rome.

 

I would be a visitor in their country and as such I would respect their customs as I would expect the return if they visited my country.

 

Why would it be OK to moan and dis about their norm? if you don't like it, don't go to a "sit down" restaurant. Must admit I have never been to a restaurant that is not "sit down". Except perhaps France. Man those Parisians are so cheap, they stand up to drink their coffee to vaoid paying a few extra Francs.... er... Euro.

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 Quote:
I do as a Roman does while in Rome


Lets look at that in the UK. There is no "rule" or even accepted norm amongst people here. People have their own different opinions and thoughts as to what should be tipped if anything and where. So how the hell should foreigners know what to do?

Is there a rule in the US?
Is it posted at all restaurants?
How are we supposed to know the complications of the tipping rule?
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How are visitors supposed to know what to do?

 

They look up the info or ask on SJ for some etiquette and opinions on said etiquette. Then they discard all the info, experiences and opinions and go do their thing.

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 Originally Posted By: BagOfCrisps
 Quote:
I do as a Roman does while in Rome


Lets look at that in the UK. There is no "rule" or even accepted norm amongst people here. People have their own different opinions and thoughts as to what should be tipped if anything and where. So how the hell should foreigners know what to do?

Is there a rule in the US?
Is it posted at all restaurants?
How are we supposed to know the complications of the tipping rule?


Clearly - yes there is.
If you go to any common or garden variety 'hitchhikers guide to..' book, or website you can find information on tipping customs. You will also find this information in the front of most tourist agency brochures for the country.
It will usually say...for example...
"Tipping is not customary in the UK and will not be expected" or "In the USA tipping is the norm for service in resturants and bars. If a service charge is added to the bill there is no need to tip further. If no service charge is added the tip left would generally be 15-20%"

Said it before - will say it again - I am no big fan of enforced tipping, and rarely leave a tip in non tipping countries. But the when in Rome thing is all part of the experience of travel, and being a good ambassador for my own country.

If you don't want to - then don't....but the question was asked - what is appropriate.
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Actually, in the real world and with real people - no, there isn't.

 

(Presuming you mean about the UK)

 

Ask 10 UK people (in the UK - you know, ones that live in the culture) at random and I would say you would probably get at least 5 different responses with a wide range of opinions and responses.

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Yeah, but that goes to personal experiences, personality, cash flow, where they eat, how often they eat out and whether they are ex-pat from tipping countries.

 

That is not a custom. I am talking customs.

 

Same goes for Aus - you'll get some people say "No way no how, why should I part with my hard earned?" and then others who roughly add up thier bill get to $180 something and lay down $200 and leave. If they are happy to do so - well great! They have shown thier appreciation to the server - it is a nice little bonus, and maybe serves to remind them that good service can be rewarded by more than thier boss... but it is not custom.

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Tipping guide by country

 

It is all semantics really. As a tourist we are forgiven for not doing as a local might many times, but I think it is polite to try and follow local custom. Yes, there is vast individual varience - but if you check out a reference like this and follow it then you are less likely to offend, yeah?

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 Originally Posted By: Mamabear
Tipping guide by country

It is all semantics really. As a tourist we are forgiven for not doing as a local might many times, but I think it is polite to try and follow local custom. Yes, there is vast individual varience - but if you check out a reference like this and follow it then you are less likely to offend, yeah?


me too, just not with tipping!!! lol.gif

I have only been to the US twice, once when I was 18 in Florida (and legally not allowed to drink, so had my dad get me my beer at the bar) and twice when I was backpacking and went to Hawaii. When I was in Hawaii I did tip the barman as was "customary" but as backpacker on a budget that really hit the pocket.
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 Originally Posted By: Tubby Beaver
me too, just not with tipping!!!


Haha, yes!

 Quote:
but if you check out a reference like this and follow it then you are less likely to offend


I've got to be totally honest here... if I might be offending people by giving 18% rather than 20%, I really can't see myself minding about the possibility of offending.

I think I would just give a tip if I thought the service was given excellent, sincere service. That's at a push. There is no way that I would give 20% (or anything) extra to someone who did nothing other than the bare minimum - chance of offending or not.
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I'd say 10-15% is fine. And if you can afford to travel all the way to another country, stay there for a while without working and eat out every meal (there are always grocery stores and rooms with kitchens), can't you afford to pay a bit extra if that's what's expected?

 

As for bad service, leaving 10% is silly in my opinion. Leave nothing.

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 Originally Posted By: grungy-gonads
Ezorisu, you missed an important point perhaps. I said that I would not tip for ANY kind of service. I expect good service. I don't expect to go to a restaurant and receive bad service. Why should I pay extra for good service.


You're right - sorry about that.
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And the math is another thing to consider...

 

Example:

Hypothetically speaking...

 

Australia: Steak, Fries and Salad for one, service factored into cost. Total: $35.00 AUD (3320 Japanese Yen)

 

USA: Steak, Fries and Salad for one, service expected in the form of a tip. Meal: $20.00 USD (2045 Japanese Yen) plus Service/Tip of 20% $ 4.00 USD (410 Japanese Yen) therefore Total: $24.00 USD (2455 Japanese Yen).

 

So even including the tip, the cost of your meal is cheaper in the USA than in Aus. And try buying that steak in Tokyo!!! (We paid $120 a head for a Kobe beef meal in Tokyo - and it was worth every penny (yen/cent/rupiah...)

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Sounds like a real pain to me all this larking about.

 

How do you actually physically give the tip by the way? Leave it on the table as extra when you leave?

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Food must be expensive in the Western State, Mama! Over here on the East you'd get the same for $25!

 

One thing though, in Oz (and some other countries that don't use tipping) the wages of staff includes uniforms, annual/long service leave entitlements, sick leave provisions, etc.

 

In short, the US strategy of mandatory tipping is the extension of a Class system - keeping the plebs as plebs. It's demeaning and is not productive for the economy e.g. try getting a bank load when a large proportion of your income is based on a rubbery tipping percentage ... great for a consumer-based society though.

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 Originally Posted By: SubZero
Food must be expensive in the Western State, Mama!


Yes it is.
We have less range and higher prices on most things.

However that was a hypothetical example - and the price you pay would depend obviously on the establishment/quality of the steak etc etc.

Really I was just trying to give a concrete example as to how I found the price differences between Perth and USA (4 years ago now), when we toured the region. I did not begrudge the tipping as the general prices were considerably lower than I would pay at home without tips. Just illustrating that point really.
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