More Discussion On Tipping

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JJReyes
Posted
Posted

As foreigners in the Philippines, you are expected to follow the international practice of tipping even if many locals don't.  When a local doesn't, that's just normal.  When a foreigner forgets, they will glare at him/her for being a tightwad.  It's a double standard.  But should you complain, I will just say, "Westerners introduced the practice."  Aside from restaurant workers and bartenders, who else deserves a hand out?

"Are You Tipping Enough During Your Hotel Stay?" is a recent article by Jennifer Lance for Glamour.  It informs us there are employers expecting us to tip their employees rather than for management to pay them a decent wage.  Upon arrival at a hotel, don't forget the bellhop and if you are driving a car, likewise the valet staff.  The reason given by the manager for a Nashville, TN hotel, is these employees, "usually work below or at minimum wage."  Therefore it is incumbent on us to make up the difference.  If they raise their hand to call for a taxi, tip the doorman.  Likewise the housekeepers.  Apparently, less than 25% of guests leave them any money even when an envelope is provided in the room for that purpose.  Then there is the concierge team when they make a restaurant reservation or hold a package.  While you are at it, don't forget the Guest Service Agents (front desk) who don't rely on tips, but "are appeciative of them."  If you don't mind paying exorbitant room service prices, the person who brings the food and beverage to your room deserves a hefty compensation for making the delivery.  I forgot.  Should you take the shuttle van from the airport, the driver deserves something.  If you rode a taxi to the hotel, the same goes for the taxi driver.

I don't use the hotel spa, exercise room or the hair saloon so I don't worry about tipping this group of employees.

 

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Jollygoodfellow
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Posted
1 hour ago, JJReyes said:

As foreigners in the Philippines, you are expected to follow the international practice of tipping even if many locals don't.

Strange statement as there is no tipping in Australia so I guess that exempts me.

I really dont think we need a new topic on tipping. 

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hk blues
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Posted
3 hours ago, JJReyes said:

As foreigners in the Philippines, you are expected to follow the international practice of tipping even if many locals don't. 

I'll follow the international practice once someone tells me what exactly that is - too often we are expected to accept the US standard as the international standard which gets my goat t.b.h. Secondly, maybe when international service standards are provided here we may be more inclined to tip more.  

Anyway, like we need another tipping debate!

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earthdome
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15 hours ago, JJReyes said:

As foreigners in the Philippines, you are expected to follow the international practice of tipping even if many locals don't.  When a local doesn't, that's just normal.  When a foreigner forgets, they will glare at him/her for being a tightwad.  It's a double standard.  But should you complain, I will just say, "Westerners introduced the practice."  Aside from restaurant workers and bartenders, who else deserves a hand out?

"Are You Tipping Enough During Your Hotel Stay?" is a recent article by Jennifer Lance for Glamour.  It informs us there are employers expecting us to tip their employees rather than for management to pay them a decent wage.  Upon arrival at a hotel, don't forget the bellhop and if you are driving a car, likewise the valet staff.  The reason given by the manager for a Nashville, TN hotel, is these employees, "usually work below or at minimum wage."  Therefore it is incumbent on us to make up the difference.  If they raise their hand to call for a taxi, tip the doorman.  Likewise the housekeepers.  Apparently, less than 25% of guests leave them any money even when an envelope is provided in the room for that purpose.  Then there is the concierge team when they make a restaurant reservation or hold a package.  While you are at it, don't forget the Guest Service Agents (front desk) who don't rely on tips, but "are appeciative of them."  If you don't mind paying exorbitant room service prices, the person who brings the food and beverage to your room deserves a hefty compensation for making the delivery.  I forgot.  Should you take the shuttle van from the airport, the driver deserves something.  If you rode a taxi to the hotel, the same goes for the taxi driver.

I don't use the hotel spa, exercise room or the hair saloon so I don't worry about tipping this group of employees.

 

Employers in the US can expect anything they want but they will be sorely disappointed with me. I tip when the employee in the US is likely to be receiving the reduced minimum wage, such as wait staff. I will also tip the bellman on the rare occasion I use one or my barber in the US. I rarely tip other than in those situations in the US or anywhere else. Call me a kuripot and  I will wear that as a badge of honor. One other situation where I might tip is for exceptional service well beyond all expectations.

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sonjack2847
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21 hours ago, JJReyes said:

Are You Tipping Enough During Your Hotel Stay?" is a recent article by Jennifer Lance for Glamour.

This does not apply for 90% of the population.It is written by a magazine who have no idea of how hard it is to save to go on vacation. This has absolutely nothing to do with the majority of Philippine establishments.IMHO.

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Tukaram (Tim)
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I get a lot of massages and mani/pedi here. I see the locals tip all the time. Almost everyone I see tips.  At the barber I see a lot of men not tipping but the women seem to tip their stylist.  Not as common in restaurants, from what I see.  

At hotels I tend to tip the security/doorman and housekeeping on day 1.  That seems to help, if I need anything special during my stay.  Most hotels in the PIs do not seem to have a concierge but the security kind of takes the place ha ha

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Dave Hounddriver
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Posted (edited)

We haven't talked about Christmas tipping the security guards in the subdivision.  How much do you give them and do you give individually or to the guard captain?  And what about the garbagemen.  I mean they pick up my trash 5 days a week all year so what should I tip them at Christmas? 

Or are we only tipping pretty girls who bring food to the table and are not our wives or girlfriends?  I forget, how are they so special compared to all these others?

Edit:  I forgot, what if I am in hospital and not allowed to eat anything?  Do I tip the girl who brings me the IV?  If so how much?

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Arizona Kid
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1 hour ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

We haven't talked about Christmas tipping the security guards in the subdivision.  How much do you give them and do you give individually or to the guard captain?  And what about the garbagemen.  I mean they pick up my trash 5 days a week all year so what should I tip them at Christmas? 

Or are we only tipping pretty girls who bring food to the table and are not our wives or girlfriends?  I forget, how are they so special compared to all these others?

Edit:  I forgot, what if I am in hospital and not allowed to eat anything?  Do I tip the girl who brings me the IV?  If so how much?

If the garbage guys look pretty to you then tip them. :laugh:

They get P250 per month from me but I give them P300 each for Christmas. Give what you want to.

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Tukaram (Tim)
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We do not have trash pickup, but in the US I would put out stuff that may not be acceptable... and put a 6 pack of beer on top of it. They always picked up the trash ha ha

We buy a bag of groceries for our favorite sikad driver for christmas.

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scott h
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Posted
1 hour ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

We haven't talked about Christmas tipping

A good question Dave. We might call it tipping, but I don't think that we can blame western influence on this custom. The locals look at it as more of Christmas "gifts" to their suki's. 

For us, a couple of days before Christmas the wife gives me envelopes to hand out. We usually, if memory serves, give 1k pesos to the ladies at the beauty parlor where my wife and I go to. 1k to my barber, 1k to the water purification place where we get out water. I gave a bunch of candy to the crew at Mercury drug where I buy my wife's meds. This year I plan on giving 500 to the young couple who run the cobbler shop (they have saved me lots of money over the years buy resoling 50 dollar sandals for 50 pesos a time, in the states we would have thrown away ang bought new), we gave candies and cookies to the girls at our local bank...………..places like that. 

As for garbage men, the municipal water meter reader and other public servants who usually pass out envelopes at this time of year I ignore. In my view my property taxes and normal bills are renumeration enough.

I do get a kick out of those I see about town on a regular basis, just enough to nod to in passing, always seem to stick out their hands and say "merry Christmas" hoping for a gift, these I ignore or just grin and shake their hand saying "and a happy new year!"

:omg:I forgot,,,,,,this is a tipping topic  

sorry :lipssealed_80_anim_gif:   :hystery:

 

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