Gratuities (Tipping) And The Expat

[chris49]

Slightly O.T. As you say and I agree we shouldn't be making up the shortfall in any one's wages, in the US would they pay tax on tips, as it would be classed as income.

Yes Frosty, the US Internal Revenue Service issues an estimate for full time waiters and they must pay on

that. Not sure on casual and part timers or cases where people are paid on a daily rate, probably not. Or let me say clearly not.

[chris49]

Where did you get the Traditionally from in the first place, and about refuting this, i dont have too, all i know is about me and who i know too, When there have been times when there has been the bill myself and the people i have been with will round the bill up , Maybe we are not in the league of other people giving 10% /15% or more, but if someone got a few quid or even a fiver, they was happy, but you did make sure that the person who served you gets that tip too

A "fiver" is next to nothing in the context of this discussion.

I got married in 1975 in the USA. We had the wedding rehearsal dinner at a high class seafood joint where the had a buffet and a waitress assigned to the table serving drinks. Solo waitress, no drinks waiter in this case. The going rate at the time was 10%, bill was around $600, which I alone picked up. Tip was $60.

I am quite sure this is going to be backed up by any American on the forum. Remember I'm also a Yank also since 1975.

Have not been in States recently. Around 2004 had an extended visit. Went to mid range franchises like Olive Garden. The rate at that time was transitioning to 15%. Maybe 10% if the service was ordinary. But these people go for the big hit, they put out excellent service. On a $300 bill, the tip would be $45 rounded out to $50 and this was not unusual. One person paid the bill, because it was family, some contributions were accepted. When it came to the tip the group made sure it came up to $50, no question about it.

That is different from whether Americans are tight, Brits are more generous.

Off topic. When buying drinks Brits, Aussies, Kiwis never miss their shout, their round. Americans will play the avoidance game, sometimes buying, sometimes doing the escape. The could also be applied to Flipino's but again that would be a different topic.

[stevewool]

Chris to many on here a fiver could make the difference but to others its nothing then

I think it must be who you are trying to impress with how much yohr meal cost and how big a tip you leave.

It's way out of my league but I don't go out to impress ijust go out to enjoy my food andwho i am with

[chris49]

Chris to many on here a fiver could make the difference but to others its nothing then

I think it must be who you are trying to impress with how much yohr meal cost and how big a tip you leave.

It's way out of my league but I don't go out to impress ijust go out to enjoy my food andwho i am with

We are talking about tipping and what is appropriate.

I cited 2 occasions, 1975 and 2004.

I left what is considered to be the standard tip in the situation. I did not do it to impress anyone. I actually don't like shelling out $50-60, but that's the way it is. And I don't expect any Brit to back me up. I am thinking the American's might.

NB, I mentioned the size of the party, 12-20 pax.

Edited October 15, 2015 by chris49

[Dave Hounddriver]

. Expected tipping is a SCAM, no matter what country you are in

 

It seems you are talking about restaurant service and if so I agree.

 

But is this thread only about restaurant tipping?  When it comes to massage I am strongly in favor of the tipping system.  The whole massage experience is directly related to the skill ad care of the individual therapist.  I am meticulous about tipping in direct proportion to the quality of therapy I get. I once tipped zero for a one hour massage that she rushed through carelessly.  At the high end, I have paid a 200 peso tip on a 200 peso massage for a legitimate massage that I believed to be 'just perfect'.  Usually its somewhere in the middle at about a 100 peso tip..

[stevewool]

I hope my wife does not read about the massage and the tip .she would want back pay

[chris49]

Massage, the **barber, the guy that fixes the puncture. They all do a very high level of personal service at a very low price. They deserve a tip above a menial 5-10 pesos.

The waiter is more variable. And maybe this is where we are getting trouble with the topic. The expectation is different across each different country, each different system.

Back to the Philippines. Tipping a waitress. Unless the bill is enormous or a large group. 50 peso tops, down to 20. Using our wives as a guide, I think they would mostly be horrified if we tried to tip more than 50.

** consider the pay of a barber if he's not the owner. From 50 pesos what is his cut? And what keeps them from jumping up the price to 100. Whatever tip you give, I am sure they earned it.

[davewe]

As a caveat, being a yank we are hated by locals world wide for over tipping. But the 15% is our culture. Canada is a lot like the US according to Bob. I know that in Japan it is considered an insult. Koreans just don't really care (if you get bad service there you just beat the crap out of the owner :hystery:)

 

Are our personal tipping policies influenced by our home county policies? I am not familiar with the commonwealth tipping practices.

Don't know how old you are Scott, but I don't agree that 15% is "our culture". I remember when 10% was the standard and 12% and now 15%. My wife and I go to Red Robin a lot. Recently they put tablets on each table with which you can pay your bill. The tablet calculates your tip and it defaults at 20% if you don't manually change it. So maybe 20% is becoming the culture.

 

In the Philippines I usually follow my wife's lead. If the service is decent I leave a tip (modest). But if the service is poor she won't let me leave one, though I usually insist on a few pesos.

 

BTW, I have a buddy who says that when he goes to a nice restaurant in the Philippines he leaves a 1000P tip. When he returns to the restaurant needless to say the servers practically attack him to serve him.

Edited October 15, 2015 by davewe

[scott h]

Don't know how old you are Scott, but I don't agree that 15% is "our culture".

 

Just turned 58 Dave, and it has been 15% for as long as I can remember. Having said that I am from Southern California and America is a BIG place with lots of different sub cultures if that makes any sense. Just a guess perhaps your area was a bit different? Just guessing. I got my first job in a restaurant (busboy) at age 16 (Lawrence Welk's restaurant, they actually filmed the show there a time or two, had a crush on that young singer  lol) so that was in 1974 I think, and I remember the waitresses complaining about how all the old folks were not tipping the 15%. 

 

(oh, I do have some funny stories about when "larry" came to the restaurant :hystery: )

[chris49]

Don't know how old you are Scott, but I don't agree that 15% is "our culture".

 

Just turned 58 Dave, and it has been 15% for as long as I can remember. Having said that I am from Southern California and America is a BIG place with lots of different sub cultures if that makes any sense. Just a guess perhaps your area was a bit different? Just guessing. I got my first job in a restaurant (busboy) at age 16 (Lawrence Welk's restaurant, they actually filmed the show there a time or two, had a crush on that young singer  lol) so that was in 1974 I think, and I remember the waitresses complaining about how all the old folks were not tipping the 15%. 

 

(oh, I do have some funny stories about when "larry" came to the restaurant :hystery: )

I checked with my son, a management level employee who travels quite a bit. Mid West to Sun Belt, not East or West Coast.

He says 20%. 15% minimum if the service is moderate. He says like me, if you don't give 15% and you are a frequent customer, services like coffee refills, extra items like creamer, ice in drinks, become difficult to access.