Tiping

[wingmanPI]

As i have not been to the phi, i would lie to know what is the customary tip.hotel helpbar tendertaxigirls servicemealsI don't want to be cheap skate, but i don't have money to throw away eitherany advice for a new traveler would be helpful, thanks.lonely jerry

Hi Jerry and welcome to the forum. :nudie: There is no easy answer to this and each of us do as we wish to do, so I will tell you what I do, but that may not be the correct thing for everyone but it does get me excellent service and I always seem to have a reserved table when I get to some of my favorite restaurants, but the funny thing was that I never reserved them. So the first thing to remember in the Philippines is that an ordinary working person makes about the equivalent of about 4 to 5 dollars for a whole days work which may be a 12 hour day or more. Taxi drivers often only make about that after paying their daily rental fee because most rent the taxis for the day and do not own their own taxi. So keeping that in mind, I tip maids in hotels where they do not charge the 10% service charge p10 or p20 a day and that usually get me extra towels and anything else we seem to need for the room. I sometimes even tip maids in hotels where they do charge a service charge if they go above and beyond in their room service for us such as putting in ice water or giving extra towels without having to ask or supplying extra shampoo and soaps because the small shampoo just do not cut it for my wifes long hair and the small soaps do not cut it if a person showers a few times a day and it is hot in the Philippines most times, so extra showers are refreshing and often necessary.As for taxis, there is no set tip and it depends on if they try to rip me off by taking the long way or the short way. I remember what it cost to get to a particular place and during normal traffic and I usually give the driver that plus maybe p10 for a short trip or p20 over the meter for a longer trip say p150, and that is only if the meter is not fast and he does not try to take the long way around. Other things that will make me give a little more is if he attempts to speak English, is friendly, makes the aircon cooler for me when I ask for it and drives like a sane person would. If any of those items are not met, then they get no tip or very little. I always make sure to have the correct change and will often ask them for change of p100 if the fare is say p60 or so and if they say "no change sir," expecting me to just say keep the change, then they get a surprise and I give them the exact fare in change and no tip. In other words, if they give service they get a tip and if they play any games, they get none.Bar tenders I give about p10 to p20 for every p100 of the bill if they give me good service and are not pushy and I only give that at the end of the tab and if they do not try to over charge me because I keep track of the drinks and some will add a few for good measure and if they do then they get no tip.Girls I cannot really address because I am happily married and do not fool around, but I have been to girly type bars and had a girl give me a back message while sitting at the bar, and I was told the fee was a p50 tip for an hour and she did not try to hustle me for drinks or anything else because I told her I was married and not interested, so I gave her p100 which is a extremely good tip from what I have been told and if more could give back massages then they would not have to do the other things that it seems some have to do to pay their bills. I will just leave it at that. As for meals, the Filipinos I know rarely tip and if they do, then they usually tip p20 for a family or couple, but that may not be the norm and I may have only been with middle class Filipinos, so I have no idea what everyone does or what the rich do, and I know that most of the poorer working class Filipinos do not go bar hopping so therefore do not tip. I tip depending on the service I get, so if the waiter or waitress continually comes back and fills my bottomless ice tea then I will tip 20% of the bill and that is way too much, but the perks are that they remember my wife and I and go above and beyond service and always seem to have a table for us when their happens to be a big waiting list. I would tell most people to tip p20 to 10% for average service and extra for above and beyond service, but that is just me and I know how little they make and how their eyes light up when my wife and I arrive, so to me the little extra is not a problem but I am retired and not rich, yet I am just enjoying my life and my motto is to do unto others as I would wish they would do for me.A tip for a hotel staff that gets me a cab in the rain or has to run to another street to find one would be p20 but if they just hold the door of a taxi for us or have whistled for one to come over. the I usually give them p10.Now many people may say I spoil some people or I am too generous, but I can also go the other direction when they try to cheat me.Hope that helps and if you can afford to be nice and you are on vacation, then do so and make someones day, but not to the point of you hurting yourself and if you are retired then remember that you will have to live within your budget and that you have to take care of number one first and that is you.Also remember that the major cities would be on the higher end for tips because they make higher salaries and the provinces would therefore be lower because they make less there. Enjoy the Philippines.Tipping according to trip advisor

wow nicely answered!!

[wingmanPI]

As i have not been to the phi, i would lie to know what is the customary tip.hotel helpbar tendertaxigirls servicemealsI don't want to be cheap skate, but i don't have money to throw away eitherany advice for a new traveler would be helpful, thanks.lonely jerry

Philippines does not have a tipping culture.However, in tourist areas, especially those frequented by Americans, there may be an expectation of a tip.I am Australian. Australia does not have a tipping culture so I don't usually tip in the Philippines. I will give a tip if some one has given an extra service.Regards: Jim Sibbick

Hi Jim: It seems like it is the Americans who tip all over the place (especally if on holiday) & can ruin it for others as the locals come to expect it & regard other foreigners as "too thrifty" if they adhear to their normal custums regarding tipping.

Yes and here is my observation on tipping.I don't get any better or worse service because I don't tip!Also, I am happy to be thought of as Kuripot (cheap). That way, I am not targeted by Filipinos seeking money.Regard: Jim

I actually think its better to be called a kuripot. they might say nice things toyour face if you throw money around but behind the scenes they think youare a stupid foreigner if you do that. If you are gonna spend a significant amount of time in PI its better to behave like a local as you will gain morerespect and not looked on as a pushover.

[cebu rocks]

Tipping for me small gifts are much better than cash My first trip my big suit case was full of dollar store stuff Lipstick , makeup , bracelets ,toy cars , balls, watches , anything with a flag from your country . Everyone I asked if they wanted a tip cash or a small present said present please . The kids went crazy for the toys I went to a local x-mas party and I brought the only gifts lol so that was a big hit . I tip for good service or friendly conversation cabs around 20 pesos for short trips (cabs are so cheap I can,t believe they make any money)Bars and restos 10% of the total if I,m happy with everythingjust remember 100 pesos is a really good tip most places half a days wages in the country Service girls lol at least 1000 tip

[Mike S]

Tipping is a personal as well as a regional thing ..... you can't blame a group of people for tipping when your group doesn't ....... we in the US tip because typically wait and service staff were not paid decent wages (less than minimum wage) and the tips made up 75% of their salary ..... where as I guess you guys from Oz never had that problem there ..... while I do tip .... or I should say my asawa tips .... it is along the lines of the locals ..... 20p for a meal .... 5p for a taxi and 10p for the guy that loads my groceries in the taxi .... I how ever do tip a bit more like yesterday when the waitress went out of her way several times to find me a comfortable seat .... she got 50pBut as Jim said I would probably get the same service from all these people if I didn't tip ..... I guess it makes me feel a little bit better knowing I have contributed to making someone elses life a little bit easier ..... but that is just me ....

[Dave Hounddriver]

I guess it makes me feel a little bit better knowing I have contributed to making someone elses life a little bit easier .

Really? So if the price was raised to exactly the amount you have given, tip included, so the cost to you was exactly the same, would you still feel good about it?Its my opinion that people who tip feel good about it because they feel they have given a bit more that the 'other guy' so that makes them feel a bit special. Nothing wrong with that, but it is what it is.

[Mike S]

Yes and I would continue to do the same in fact it has ..... flag down rate for taxis went from 30p to 40p and I still give a tip ...... most of the rate when to cab owners and not to the drivers ...... I don't understand why tipping would make you feel special ..... in fact to be honest I really don't think about it at all when I do it ..... but that is me and I'm sure your thoughts are reflecting in the deeds of some ..... along with the idea that some may feel they are better than the person they are tipping ...... I'm sure there are all kinds of reasons I'm just expressing my own and how I feel about it ..... oh and I better add I don't feel that tipping is automatic nor do I tip ALL the time ..... :tiphat:

[sonjack2847]

The last time I tipped in a bar I fell off the stool no tipping for me anymore

[Old55]

Yes and I would continue to do the same in fact it has ..... flag down rate for taxis went from 30p to 40p and I still give a tip ...... most of the rate when to cab owners and not to the drivers ...... I don't understand why tipping would make you feel special ..... in fact to be honest I really don't think about it at all when I do it ..... but that is me and I'm sure your thoughts are reflecting in the deeds of some ..... along with the idea that some may feel they are better than the person they are tipping ...... I'm sure there are all kinds of reasons I'm just expressing my own and how I feel about it ..... oh and I better add I don't feel that tipping is automatic nor do I tip ALL the time ..... :hystery:

We feel the same way! :thumbsup:What I don't like is when a gratuity is automatically added to the bill as some places in Philippines do today. Edited March 30, 2012 by Old55

[Jack Peterson]

:hystery: For me, Tipping, is a Reward for good Service. Not always the case here,

[Ashanti]

I think it mostly depends on situations and your moods. If youre in PI for a holiday or a resident in PI.A few years back when we visited my PI family, we all went to a beach resort in Mactan. My mother wanted a massage so I said to go ahead. An hour later when the massage was finished, I told my brother (who carries my money for me) to pay the masseuse plus P50 tip. My brother complained that its too little. At first I was furious with him but he explained that the masseuse really worked hard to give my mother a very good massage and my mother was very happy with her work. My sister also supported my brother stand. In the end, to avoid arguments that might reach my mothers ears I give way and asked them how much they think was reasonable. They agreed on P200. I nearly gagged as the masseuse fee was already expensive at P300. But I don’t want my mother to hear I was reluctant to pay. Old people are funny that way and way too sensitive so I give in.