Giving "tips"

[Sobek]

This is totally un-related to anything magical but my curiosity just got the better of me.

Are people(where you live) really expected to give the people who serve them at restaraunts and stuff, like 10% extra money just for serving you?

[LaFiamma]

This is totally un-related to anything magical but my curiosity just got the better of me.

Are people(where you live) really expected to give the people who serve them at restaraunts and stuff, like 10% extra money just for serving you?

Well...I don't know how it works in Australia, but in the US, in many settings, it is expected and perfectly commonplace. People who worked in "tipped" positions often earn a majority of their income that way- in the US, there is a national minimum wage (individual states can designate a higher minimum wage than the national, but not lower.) but people who work in positions such as waiting tables and bartending can be paid a much lower base wage (I think it's something like a third of the minimum wage...and the minimum wage is NOT something that you can really support yourself on) However, if the employee's base wage and tips do not add up to at least minimum wage, then the employer must make up the difference.

The amount of tip expected varies...for example, 15-20% is about "average" for a waiter or waitress in a restaurant. It's common to tip cab drivers a dollar or two for a trip. I think 10-15% is fairly common for hairdressers. A dollar or two for hotel bellhops.

[juliaki]

Way back when my friends waited tables for a living, they made $2.15/hour (about half of minimum wage). The difference was expected to be made up by tips. So basically if no one tipped them, they'd only be making that $2.15/hr. IMO, it is good policy to tip, knowing how hard those people are working for next to no money.

[wiccachicken]

Depends on the type of restaurant. If its just a cafe/pub then no. But if it is a proper restaurant....with proper waiters etc. then yes! lol!

[hedge*]

In Spain it's not expected...it gets added on the bill in a lot of places but not all.

If I have recieved good food, good service and I am happy then I will leave a tip.

[Wolf Heart]

It's pretty much expected in the U.S. I've worked as a waitress before and if I didn't get tips, I'd never have stayed at the job. I was paid $3.00 an hour and still didn't quite make up for it in tips.

I always tip at resteraunts. How much I give depends on how good the waitress was, if she filled drinks and was kind. I also depend it on how long I was there and how much of a mess I made, lol, which usually isn't much since I like to help them out. I also take into consideration how busy they are. I usually leave about three bucks, if they are swamped and she/he still does an excellent job I leave five.

Blessed Be,
Wolf Heart

[Mycroft]

In Europe (almost all of the countries I visited, haven't been to Spain) no one had a 10% policy or something. Mostly if you had to pay 32 dollars (hypothetical situation, don't use the currency often) you gave either 35 or 40 dollars. I always tip actually but like Wolf Heart, it depends on the waitress. Almost everyone I know leaves a tip.

[amunptah777]

It's true in many places in the Western world.

But here's an interesting cultural phenomenon, I'm in China, for the second time and still having to get used to the fact that, for the most part, the Chinese don't do the whole tipping thing. In fact, the concept is kinda of lost on them. I've literally handed serving personel the tip with the bill and been handed it right back with a confused look.

Score one for Communism.

Thet

[Sobek]

interesting, thanks for all the info.

[Revolpathon]

well i'm from the netherlands and you know how the english proverb goes "going dutch" but i ussually leave a tip if the food was good, and in my favourite bar i always leve a tip, either make it a round amount of money (if you get my drift) or add a couple of euro's (that's the european currency) depending on how good the service was or if i had a nice talk with the bartender.

but i never give a tip that goes above 5 euro's (or 5 dollars for that matter )

[@ngel]

well in south africa the norm is 15-20%

i have worked in resturants and a word of advice
if you are ever in a resturant in south africa
dont go back if you didn't tip the last time
you are most likely to get more than food and friendly service

[jcrowfoot]

Frankly, I wouldn't feel comfortable going back to a restaurant after not tipping anywhere in the world! The truth is, if they did a bad enough job that I would feel inclined to give no tip, I wouldn't go back there in any case.

[Charmed:_I'm_Sure]

I'm so glad, that taxes are included in the bill in my country. I always have some troubles knowing how much to tip in the US. Doesn't every state have another %? Sometimes thats very confusing.