I was surprized to red this article in CNN.com/travel.
The story begins with you sitting in a cafe in Tokio and preparing to "leaving a healthy 20 percent tip".
I did not know a right word for this practice but it's interesting to understand this other rule to know if you visit other countries. Here are some qoters from the article:
Tipping in Japan and many other Asian countries is simply not a way of life. In fact, it's usually regarded as a vulgar display of wealth and a disregard for the culture. The same can be true in Europe and Latin America ... though not always. And in the United States, of course, tipping is expected (and sometimes demanded).I don't know about the high cost places in Italy, but in the normal life I rarely see that somebody wants a tip.
The expectation is to tip not only big but also often, from the kid handing you a Venti coffee at Starbucks to the multiple hotel hands that rush to open doors, carry bags, and offer an escort to the hotel room. (in US)
If you're taking a taxi in Chile or New Zealand, for example, the driver won't give you the evil eye if you don't tip -- it's not expected
In many European countries, this charge averages 10 percent, but it's usually included in the price of a meal. If it is, then do as the European do, and leave a few extra coins or round up the bill... And if you're heading to Fiji, Malaysia, or South Korea, be aware that no tip is required in restaurants.
In bar you can lieve coins to the barist or put them in a special piggy bank -you can, but it's not obligatory and nobody will say you anything if you did not do it.
In some restaurants you can find 1 euro for service in the bill, but not in all of them.
There are sooooo many bars and different pizzerias and similar now, that they are happy if they have somebody that comes to eat there.
The only place where you will be forced to give tip is the toilet. Specially those in autostrada, McDonalds and similar. If you have not coins, don't go there. In autostrada look for t in filling station, not in Autogril. And be careful, there are persons that want money for parking.
Most parkings in the cities have illegal persons that want money. It's better to pay. For you, for your car and sometimes for your life. If you have not 2-3 euro to give him for place (sometimes less) it's better if you look for other parking.
In Indonesia,if resto or cafe charged service fee usually we won't give tip,otherwise we do.In shopping center they put a sign "No Tipping Please",but generally tipping is common.
ReplyDeleteIn Australia tipping is uncommon,but for taxis or bellboys we did.
I have experienced at the big hotel in Washington D.C,waiter demanded tip 15% for resto, he offered to put it on bill or cash.
Thank you, Berry, but it's really strange thing, for me, if we think about it. Because I just pay for the service (and prices are not little, if we remember 2000-3000% of the manufacturers price in Italy -as the trade journalists write) -and every person we meet wants other 15-20%!(as it's written in the article and you confirm too)
ReplyDeleteTips are not common in Singapore too. Fast food restaurants here charge service fee.
ReplyDeleteWhereas, we also don't give tips to taxi drivers too, cause the fare is already expensive =P Unless the return is a few cents, we just tell them to keep the change.
Tips are not common in Singapore too. Fast food restaurants here charge service fee.
ReplyDeleteWhereas, we also don't give tips to taxi drivers too, cause the fare is already expensive =P Unless the return is a few cents, we just tell them to keep the change.
And I feel ashame to give money to somebody. I think the person that was just paid has to be offended... :)))
ReplyDeleteGenerally, in Malaysia tipping is not widely practice.. but still myself when the person give me a good service I will give him a tips... personally I think we should only give tips if they give us a good service...
ReplyDeleteIt becomes an interesting collection of uses in different parts of the world.
ReplyDeleteThank you, pakmaeh, very much.
Maybe you are right, if a person makes something with all the heart for you, it comes naturally to pay some more for his/her work.
While tips are not expected in some countries, I think they will still bring smiles to the receiver.
ReplyDeleteThis is the problem with tips. If you don't know the usages in the country (and the article I cited here speaks just about problems the americans have with them when visit other countries) you can make a bad figure.
ReplyDeleteIt happend to me different times when I gave money to a person for his/her good work and they were offended.
And opposed situation, when I gave money to have more attention to me (medicians) and they take money as something I HAVE to them -and did nothing.
There are places i visited that tips were included in the bills.. personally i am not aggree with this method.. what do you guys think about this...
ReplyDeleteAs I said, I'm not agree with most cases. I have nothing against when I see a person that really gives all the soul in what he/she is doing, but when they do nothing but want and want and want...More and more and more...
ReplyDeleteI know that it is something that is a NEED in the US. My wife worked as a server for awhile as a young adult and it is commen that they don't even make the min. wage. So for some like myself knowing the lady is making next to nothing I always try to tip well 20% or more on a very small tab. If the service is horrible sorry... But I also know that when the food is bad it is not the servers fault it's the cooks, yet the sever usually gets punished.
ReplyDeleteYou know, Josh, I've never thought about it from this point of view. Thank you for telling about it. It will be the lesson for the next time for me.
ReplyDelete