Christopher

One thing I would say: people in few countries, if any, are as worked up about tipping as people in the US seem to be. People in most places adopt much more of a "take it as it comes" approach than people in the US do. I for example have tipped Singapore taxi drivers (is that not done?), and the country hasn't collapsed.

Another odd thing I have noticed about some Americans: when they ask a local person what the appropriate approach is to tipping in a particular situation, if the answer they get indicates something different from what they would do in the US, then they don't believe the answer. This obviously doesn't apply to all Americans, but I've seen on a number of occasions and it has always struck me as odd - if you're not going to believe the answer why ask the question?

Annalisa12

They'll recommend you tip $100 per round!

warakorn

Tipping in foreign countries: the most stressful experience with tipping I always had in the US.

User Name

Do you try to adopt any local customs or do you do everything like you would have done at home? I'm just wondering that while the tipping thing hasn't caused any problems that you were aware of yet, have you encountered difficulties or caused offense through other actions?

BadgerBoi

Easy:
US: Tip the bar staff.
Everywhere Else In The World: Don't.

Badenoch

I learn about and adapt to many local customs when travelling. Gratuities to service providers however do not fall into that category.

I do work in a couple of developing countries and find the attitude of "don't spoil the locals with tips" to be far more offensive than occasionally offending someone in those few countries where tips are not a cultural norm.

To be frank I consider the obsession with tipping while travelling to be a preoccupation of cheapskates whose goal is avoid tipping under the guise of being "culturally sensitive."

Scots_Al

But it's more than "spoiling" the locals - overtipping can seriously harm an economy. If those who work in (largely unskilled or semi-skilled) jobs which interact with tourists earn more than doctors, nurses, teachers, etc. then no-one will want to do those jobs!

onobond

Would the solution be to also tip the "doctors, nurses, teachers, etc" ?

Why not try out the unusual tip to the polite cop who hands you a speeding ticket with a smile, wishing you a Nice Day ?

darthbimmer

Simple. The US is pretty much the only country where tipping is socially mandatory. If you don't tip here, your friends and acquaintances will call you out on it, criticizing you for being a cheapskate and denying workers their fair wages. Workers themselves will register anger, too, using rude language and hand gestures. Lest you think they'll be disciplined for it, their managers are likely to do the same. If you return to that business it's possible you'll be remembered as "the one" who didn't tip, and you'll receive poor service.

In short, Americans get worked up about tipping because it's so important domestically. Virtually anywhere else in the world tipping is truly discretionary, so it's much less of an issue.

There are overly proud fools in every culture.

sedubby

This forum inspired me to make an app for referencing tipping customs by country.

I finished it this morning (very simple, but nicely designed if I do say so myself). I'm calling it "KnowTip" (get it?) and it should be out in the App Store in the next week or so. Look out!

Efrem

Not quite that simple. If you stand a round for your table at a U.K. pub, it's common to tell the bartender "have half a pint on me." A 'tender who actually drank all those half pints would be totally sloshed before the evening was half over, but the price will be added to your tab as a tip - while avoiding the messy, somewhat degrading, bit of asking for money.

BadgerBoi

Thanks, but I was actually using irony in an attempt to point out to the op that he was overthinking things, and it really wouldn't matter to more than 97% of the world's population. There is no need to add a "tipping in bars" section to the existing list.

You're not going to get a bad reaction if you fail to buy one for the bartender. I stand by the point I was making in my sarcastic post

cbn42

Wow, really? It's one thing to overtip in developing countries where the workers really need the money. However, in a developed country where workers are paid properly, overtipping is going to be seen as offensive and rude. This is exactly the type of behavior that creates the "arrogant American traveler" stereotype. If you "don't care" about offending the local culture when you travel, it's probably best to stay at home.

I think this is pretty much true. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the US is also the only country where there are "tip credits", meaning that tipped employees can be paid less than minimum wage, provided that their tips bring them up to the minimum. Most US states have this system, but I've never heard of it anywhere else.

Scots_Al

Hmm. I'd say not uncommon rather than common. Very rare that I would tip a barman here.

onobond

Agree with you. In Western Europe, some people may leave loose change. My reason for doing so that it's a convenient place to get rid of'em. Only places I've seen it are the uber-posh places where the "tip" is given in a show-off manner.