Great "How much to tip overseas?" Hunt

bears1404

2 points.

In restaurants it seems unfair that for the same level of service you are tipping someone much more because they work in an overpriced/swanky restaurant than the person he works in a diner (i.e the 15% will amount to more.) Must admit that whilst we do always tip at 10-15% we sometimes 'cap' it if forced to eat in more expensive joints (away from big cities you don't always get a choice.)

Secondly, no-one has mentioned cleaners of hotel rooms. These people have a much harder job than wait-staff, and are also on minimum wage. We were advised that 'expected' tip should be $2 per room per night.

If so, should we leave this at the end of stay, or daily (so it reaches correct staff?)

Penny1981

Ive won a short break in Switzerland at a very posh spa, flights, transfers and accommodation. Would anyone help me out with tipping please?

Do i tip the person who cleans my room and the waiting staff and/or anyone else??

I dont want to look cheap but we dont have lots to spare. Bearing in mind that it will be me paying as my husband 'doesnt' tip!

Old_Git

does anyone tip in the UK ?

antilles

Old_Git wrote: »

does anyone tip in the UK ?

Yes - but I won't tip anywhere where I have to pay upfront (e.g. pubs that charge you before you eat and similar).

And I don't tip if there's a service charge stuck on the bill.

Also, I think that in the UK, tipping has become expected whether or not the service is good. A lot of people feel obliged to leave a tip out of pressure / embarassment.

anudeglory

antilles wrote: »

And I don't tip if there's a service charge stuck on the bill.

That generally only happens when there is a group paying one bill though. I have been known to ask for it to be removed as it is a huge presumption. I don't particularly even like it when the receipt has a space for you to write your own tip in, though I admit is is better than an automatic 10%.

If the service has been what is expected of someone's job then what is the need or incentive to pay them more?

If they have done something special or over the expectations of their job then yes maybe as a reward I'll give a tip e.g. if there is a group and the bill is going to be split between cards+cash then for their time maybe.

If all the person has done is move a plate between the kitchen and my table and then between my table and the kitchen sink, not likely!

antilles wrote: »

Also, I think that in the UK, tipping has become expected whether or not the service is good. A lot of people feel obliged to leave a tip out of pressure / embarrassment.

That's no reason to do something though is it? If everyone was that weak-willed!

If service is bad then there absolutely should not be a tip! Paying for bad service is the same as paying for no service at all e.g. you wouldn't pay your gas bill if you didn't receive any gas.

I used to work in a student bar and rarely received tips, not that I expected them mind, and students rarely tip anyway but on local nights when the bar was open to the public then maybe you would be offered a tip. I generally tried to politely refuse it though. Mainly it was loose change then I would either add it to the staff-tip box or to a charity collection. Sometimes it would be changed into an offer of a drink instead, and at least when I first started working there we had a policy to say thank you and ask only for a half (to be drunk later of course) or politely refuse as best as possible.

Incidentally I am off to LA in May, I guess I am just going to have to grit my teeth and face it, obviously it is different there but that makes it even harder to understand - if the system is corrupt (tax on missing wages not made up my tips as the minimum wage is non-existent) how do people put up with it?

sinbinjack

I do not see why because you are doing certain jobs that the customer has to pay more than the advertised price,we dont after all tip the checkout personel at the supermarket so why do it anywhere.