mkjr

please. it's common practice in murika

Diplomatico

For those of us who weren't raised to be bigoted against others based upon their nationalities, can you explain where 'murika' is?

percysmith

"it's only illegal if you get caught"? Well, in HK you do get caught:

https://webb-site.com/codocs/ICAC121114b.pdf
https://webb-site.com/codocs/ICAC120214.pdf

percysmith

This on the other hand is legal.

1. The taxi driver is a sole proprietor
2. Passengers are allowed to offer higher fares to cab drivers (but a taxi driver cannot ask for it (I can't vouch for enforcement of this one))

Call this a more old-fashioned form of Uber surge pricing. I've tried catching cabs in the rain up north with 100 Renminbi notes too (this was >10 years ago, do I need a fistful of notes now?)

I am aware of a case where a retailer was paying commissions to tour companies to bring suckers (sorry, tourists) in. The retailer's executives were convicted because they offered a commission to the tour guides personally, in addition to their employer.

(After reading the case I never felt comfortable shopping in anywhere a tour guide takes me. The last time I've been on a city tour in Seoul I even saw a brown envelope brazenly handed over)

User Name

No it isn't.

nightkhan

You'd be surprised. I have a lot of friends in the hotel industry in SF and NYC, and they say this is pretty common. Obviously sometimes it takes more than $20.

However definitely not a good idea in HK. A family friend, now retired, used to be the head of the asia-pacific region for a major hotel brand, and he said that it's highly frowned upon on there and considered extremely disrespectful.

lavedder

Tipping (bribing) a captain to have a lesser wait at a dim sum restaurant has worked for me in the past. However, it will only be at a restaurant where you are a frequent diner and the captain recognizes you.

tentseller

You don't tip him when you are in line. A red envelope with proper content at CNY will do the trick nicely.

I am making my list and checking it twice for my first visit to my usual dining establishments post CNY.

christep

Agreed - the effect of a relatively small amount (say HK$100 for normal mid-range places) in a red packet at CNY to a few key/senior staff at places you frequent has a remarkably good return on investment over the year.

percysmith

I think christep's way of using CNY red packet is appropriate. You can "buy" a certain amount of goodwill, but there can't be a direct cause-and-effect.

tentseller

It is such a standard practice now that you will not get good service if you did not do the CNY distribution.

supermintyfresh

The $20 trick is surprisingly common and done throughout America -- especially Las Vegas.

75 page FF Thread

Dedicated Web Page for Vegas Upgrades using $20 Trick

Curious to hear if OP ended up having the guts to try this in HK or if this trick worked in Asia for that matter.

Personally the only time I've tried this was in Vegas at the Venetian when we desperately needed a room with 2 Queens (wasn't going to share a bed that night after a 5 hour drive). Basically the "trick" is you slip the $20 bill in between your credit card and your ID -- it's called a "$20 sandwich". The front desk attendant smiled and without missing a beat said "I got you"

As for the ethics of this, sure you taking away revenue from the owners of the hotel -- but they are already making an 8 digit salary. Also no harm if the hotel is in low season and wasn't going to use the room anyways.

Maybe I'll even play devil's advocate and suggest that a $20 tip to a front desk agent who makes minimum wage might even be the more moral choice -- the alternative is putting that cash (plus whatever fraction is needed for a legitimate upgrade) in the pockets of the hotel conglomerate owners.

percysmith

Contrast this with Japan where tipping is treated like an exception as best and possibly an insult at worst. I remember when I tried handing a red packet to the hotel manager who took care of our wedding reception and room booking on departure he looked particularly awkward...

:D!

Umm, if you are a frequent diner and the captain "knows" you, you will get a table whenever you walk in, free tea / dessert and possibly no service charge. My grandmother was an extreme DYKWIA at her usual restaurants

garykung

Ethical or not, it is illegal.

You are welcomed to tip. But the employee can't exercise his/her power because of the tip. For example, you can tip after your room has been upgraded for whatever reason. However, you can't tip to influence the employee to given you an upgrade.

Unless you want to have a taste of the prison. Hong Kong is really serious about this, even for $20.