Tipping Culture

Recommended Posts

  • Forum Support
scott h
Posted
Posted

To paraphrase Ronald Regan "Here we go again!" Yanks vs the commonwealth about tipping :hystery:

We habitually go to the same restaurants, same barber, same salon, same low traffic grocery store in a low traffic mall, same banks, in other words our life is a in a rut :hystery::571c66d400c8c_1(103):.

We are HEAVY tippers. Shave and a haircut 200p tip 100p, mani/pedi 180p tip 100p, restaurants, 10% if there is a service charge, 20% if there is not, guy who pushes the shopping cart (trolly for you cw guys) 100p, Bank tellers and other businesses we frequent get a cookie and candy basket at xmas.

Is this excessive? YOU BET! But when we walk into these establishments we are greeted with smiles, great service and everyone usually comes up and says Hi. 

We dont get what we pay for,,,,,,,,,,we get what we BRIBE for :hystery:

regan.gif

  • Like 4
  • Love it 1
  • Sad 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Joey G
Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, Onemore52 said:

A non sensible reply to a sensible question.

It's called a joke... but I forgot.... no jokes here right? :cheers:

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

BrettGC
Posted
Posted (edited)
8 hours ago, OnMyWay said:

So no tipping for anything in Australia?

Only for really good service and then no more than 10% is the rule, the waitstaff won't chase you out of the restaurant and ask you what they did wrong - When I was new to the US this happened to me.  Depending on how much it is I might tell a cab driver to keep the change if I'm paying in cash (very rare) and he hasn't been an arsehat (even rarer) but considering you've said a couple of times you'll be using rideshare it's not an issue (no cash).  On the rideshare issue once "the surge" goes over 1.7 it's actually cheaper to get a cab.  The surge is when they're in high demand so they jack the prices up as a multiplier of the base price. You used to be able to see it in the Uber app but no longer.  Best advice is to download the local cab app and compare the estimated cost in that cab app and compare it the the estimate in Uber. 

Hotel porters have been watching a lot of US TV so they'll stand there awkwardly and it's up to you to tip them or not - I have no idea of the amount they're expecting.    

It's up to you but just remember the 20% standard in the US is considered exorbitant in Australia.  The other thing is, if you don't tip your bartender on the first round in Australia you will see them again.  Again, when I was new to the US I made this mistake, I found it very hard to get a drink after that.   

Edited by BrettGC
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

hk blues
Posted
Posted
4 hours ago, scott h said:

To paraphrase Ronald Regan "Here we go again!" Yanks vs the commonwealth about tipping :hystery:

We habitually go to the same restaurants, same barber, same salon, same low traffic grocery store in a low traffic mall, same banks, in other words our life is a in a rut :hystery::571c66d400c8c_1(103):.

We are HEAVY tippers. Shave and a haircut 200p tip 100p, mani/pedi 180p tip 100p, restaurants, 10% if there is a service charge, 20% if there is not, guy who pushes the shopping cart (trolly for you cw guys) 100p, Bank tellers and other businesses we frequent get a cookie and candy basket at xmas.

Is this excessive? YOU BET! But when we walk into these establishments we are greeted with smiles, great service and everyone usually comes up and says Hi. 

We dont get what we pay for,,,,,,,,,,we get what we BRIBE for :hystery:

regan.gif

Cultural difference - we "commonwealth guys" don't particularly like (or need) the over-friendliness of service providers and therefore certainly wouldn't want to pay extra to get it.  Also, we cannot ignore the simple fact that it's not only welcomed in many situations in the USA but it's certainly expected (and almost required in some circumstances) so of course Americans will bring that habit around with them wherever they go.  

I would say though, if you have to think about how much and when to tip then you are not really bringing a habit with you - you're choosing to import a beahviour.  That's a different matter altogether.

For me, I overtip the barber because I believe the 70php is too cheap compared to what it costs in the mall so I happily pay 100php with no guilty feeling either way.  In a restaurant, I would leave the small change and maybe another 20php -50php depending on the cost of the meal. For delivery guys (yes, Kingpin, we do have them here in Iloilo :whistling:) I round up the payment to the nearest 50 or 100php.  Garbage collectors at Christmas (not much choice as they leave an envelope but fair enough),  postman now and again depending on when he last came, water delivery guys Christmas, community gardener when he cuts our hedge even it's actually free service.  I also tip the guys in stores when they bring stuff out to the taxi - I think that's a given (I have a mildly amusing story about that but for another time).  I'm probably a fairly typical tipper who is not from America.  

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Onemore52
Posted
Posted
4 hours ago, OnMyWay said:

So no tipping for anything in Australia?

Not on the wages that these people are on, no way Jose.

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kingpin
Posted
Posted (edited)
20 hours ago, JJReyes said:

We would like to know the current tipping culture for porters, taxi drivers, restaurants and hotel personnel.

Same as the US, just 10 to 15% instead of 15 to 20%, unless of course they really earned it. Most restaurants annoyingly already add a 10% 'service charge' which may or may not even go to the staff.  

If there is no % then a 20p is good enough, and 50p is considered generous.

Edited by Kingpin
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

JJReyes
Posted
Posted
18 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

temp.jpg

Love the shirt.  Can't wear it in the United States unless you want to get stoned.  Tipping here has gotten out of hand.  The latest controversy is a takeout place with touch screens for orders.  No service people.  You are given a number and then wait for your food package through a small window.  During payment, you are asked to tip 10%, 15%, 20% or no tip if you are a scrooge.  So now computer programs are demanding tips.  (In fairness, they are testing the concept in a high crime risk area and no personnel contact is a safety issue.)

  • Like 1
  • Sad 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

JJReyes
Posted
Posted
17 hours ago, Old55 said:

They suggested tipping a ticket agent? I don't think so. Isn't that a red flag to avoid them?

No.  This is the second time it has happened.  Without the tip, the ticket prices are lower.  With the tip, it might be better to book directly on the airline website.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

JJReyes
Posted
Posted
14 hours ago, BrettGC said:

If you are going to tip at all, better to give it to your service person directly on the QT - we know of a number of venues where the owner/manager will take the tips, in Dumaguete anyway.

Taking the tips is illegal in the United States.  A restaurant came up with the idea of paying double the minimum wage and demanding employees surrender their tips.  Following a complaint, the Department of Labor ruled against the restaurant.  The restitution and government fines for the establishment was huge.  I don't recall the amount, but each employee received something like $37,000.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

JJReyes
Posted
Posted
13 hours ago, Clermont said:

I take it one of you has a disability, my advice and experience is use the wheelchair service available. In USA you might be obliged to tip but here in the Philippines they won’t except a tip openingly, it has to be done sneaky. Since the last contractor got the A thing’s are different. As for tipping willynilly, only if the service is above board. Wise move, a full time nurse for domestic duties varies but 20 k pesos per month for live in is the normal. Make sure you bring 4/5 medicine with you, bloody expensive but doctors are cheap enough. Good luck.

I have a mobility issue.  It includes the risk of falling on my face when walking long distances.  Malls permit me to seat while my wife completes her 5 miles of exercise.  We now request for two wheelchairs because at some airports like Istanbul they are electric, and the attendants are practicing for the Grand Prix.  They stand on platforms behind you and blast the horn causing passengers to scatter.  I keep shouting back, "Sorry!  Sorry!"  My wife couldn't keep up if she was walking.  The good part about airport wheelchairs is expedited processing through security.  The bad part is poor service like at Heathrow Airport.  The attendants left us for their tea break, and we nearly missed our connecting flight which was at the next terminal bldg.  (Are tea breaks included in their union contract?)

My estimate is 2.5 kilos of medications to last 5 months.  Still waiting for the x-ray machines at customs to beep regarding the quantity.  I carry copies of the prescriptions.  The reason is we are both cancer survivors and the post treatments messed up our ability to process certain nutrients and vitamins.  Yes, medical treatment is more reasonable.  Haven't been to a dentist in the United States in years.  We have gotten dental care in the Philippines, Mexico and Ecuador.

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...