Location: Yellowknife, NWT, Canada; UA Premier; AS MVP; Hilton Silver
Posts: 1,302
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fredd
Both of my daughters were waitresses in Canada - one waitressed both in Canada and the U.S. during her student years, and they would seriously dispute your notion that appropriate tipping practices in Canada are that distinct from those of the U.S., i.e. 15-20% is more appropriate.
I was relying on Lonely Planet British Columbia that says on page 395 to never tip less than 10 percent in restaurants. I read that to mean that 10 percent is the minimum. If 15 percent was the minimum, then I would have expected it to say "never tip below 15%". I agree that this is just another publication's statement and that it may not be in accord with typical practices.
Location: HKT ~ Phuket Thailand & YVR Vancouver; UA1K Lightest of the 1KLite's (for'09), BD*Gold, HHonorsGold, SPGPlatinum, Fairmont Plat
Posts: 4,304
I'd like to add for Thailand.
20 Baht is the lowest paper bill. Coins are often left or bill rounded up to the nearest 20/50/100 baht.
Normal restaurants, picking up all but the change and maybe leaving an extra 20 baht is common. A big dinner may warrant a tip up to a few hundred baht. Percentages are not adhered to.
Fancy restaurants/hotels will add 10% service charge to the check. At these places, I'll often leave a small amount 20-50 baht, or the coins, as it seems warranted.
For nightlife bar, pub, restaurant. Change will come on a tray. I take all the change except for 10 baht. Any further tip I leave, I make them put in thier pockets. They are allowed to keep tips, but if it's not clear, it must be pooled. By making them put it in thier own pockets, it's clear to everyone and they get to keep it.
Taxis rounded up to the nearest 5 or 10 baht. Very common to round up to the nearest combination of 20 or 50 baht bills. (ie 53 = 60, 73=80, 127= 140)
Airport rides, often round up to the nearest 50/100, sometimes leaving an extra 100 for a good driver.
Hotel porters, I give 20 baht for each bag, with the max between 60-100.
Hotel maids, I leave 20-50 baht/day under the pillow depending on my mood. It's not expected, but uncommon either.
Location: RHI. Greatest little airport in the world. Yup, world.
Programs: NW Plat, HH gold, etc. etc.
Posts: 1,078
Sharon, what a useful thread, thanks for all your work on this! I had the same experience in AMS as your friend, berated by a waiter for not tipping. Not a pleasant experience.
Location: Wherever they place me next in Southeast Asia
Programs: UA 1P, Starwood Gold
Posts: 102
If I might suggest, it would be helpful to add a column for bathroom attendants. It seems like everywhere I go, especially in the Philippines I run into them and I'm really at a loss of what I should give them. Thanks...
If enough people chime in on bathroom attendants, I'll add the category.
Re: seanthepilot's input re: Thailand, I couldn't think of a short way to summarize what he wrote, so I put see post #32 in the Thailand section to direct people to it.
I like to add my tipping experience in Germany, UK (England, Scotland etc.), Thailand:
Restaurants:
In Germany and UK I usually leave 10% tip rounded up to the next full Euro or Pound. In Thailand I leave the coins and give a minimum of 20 Baht, more if the bill is very large or I liked the service very much.
When you have a meal in a pub in the UK where you have to order the food at the bar and sometimes even have to pay for it before it is served you do not tip.
In all three countries: If there is a service charge I do not tip. And if the service is really bad I won't leave a tip either and most likely not return to this restaurant.
Taxis:
In all three countries I usually round up the fare. In Thailand when I take a taxi from Suvanabhumi to Pattaya I usually give a 100 baht tip.
Porter:
In UK and Germany stayed only at small hotels without porter. In Thailand I usually give 100 Baht.
Hotel maid:
In Thailand I usually give a few hundred Bahts (depending on length of stay) directly to the maid. In Germany I now stay mainly at the Hotel Mama, so a bunch of flowers usually does the trick.
In general I now apply the Thai rule for tipping: Up to you.
Sharon has put useful information from Magellan here but, as ever with data prepared overseas, it seems prone to error.
In the UK certainly I have not in a long while encountered any hotel which added a service charge - although a few did so many years ago apparently. It is also untrue to say most restaurants do this - in fact most restaurants do NOT do this, although it is more prevalent in the West End of London.
It is also standard in the UK to calculate your 10% in a way that rounds things off, up or down, and not put down small coins to achieve a precise amount.
I'm just back from Florida. If you thought that in the US service charge additions did not exist, think again. Most of the restaurants in South Beach and Key West added on 15-18%, which was concealed on the check by a range of abbreviations such as SRV CHG or similar, then left the credit card slip open with the gross amount including this charge shown as the starting point, then with blank "Tip" and "Total" lines. This seems quite fraudulent.
I'm just back from Florida. If you thought that in the US service charge additions did not exist, think again. Most of the restaurants in South Beach and Key West added on 15-18%, which was concealed on the check by a range of abbreviations such as SRV CHG or similar, then left the credit card slip open with the gross amount including this charge shown as the starting point, then with blank "Tip" and "Total" lines. This seems quite fraudulent.
That certainly is fraudulent and outrageous. I've very occasionally noticed a service charge automatically added (in Florida IIRC) in places frequented by out-of-country tourists but never hidden in the way you describe. It's also fairly common to see a line on menus something like "service charges added automatically for parties of 8 or more."
It's rather unusual in the US to see a service charge automatically added, except for: VERY fancy restaurants, or large parties (6 or more is very common, I've seen it down to 5). Mind you, it's not unheard of (as per other posts).
I don't think think that having a tip box on the CC slip is outrageous if the service is included on the bill. Just put a line across the tip box, and add up the charges to the same as the bill itself.
Sometimes the service charge will be 10, 15, 18 or even 20%; if it's on the low end and you had good service, you can add another 5, 10% or whatever you choose to leave.
One thing I have found in Asia (specifically in Malaysia)... If there is a "Tip box" on the credit card bill, often times this tip you leave will go to the management, and NOT the staff. Please inquire if the tip box is for waitstaff or if it goes to management. Generally, the waitstaff will be hush about it if it goes to management, as the management doesn't want the customers to know. Pretty sneaky.
As far as tipping in Canada... For restaurants, the usual average I've seen is 15%, and up to 20%+ for more "americanized" customers. (that would be me: Canadian living in the USA).
On drinks I always leave 1$ per drink, both in the US & Canada.
Programs: LH SEN, SN Gold, Eurostar Carte Blanche, BA, QF, AF
Posts: 6,139
Definitely think the 10% for Belgium is way higher than local customs. Same 5%-10% for Germany is on the high side.
You don't think in percentages when you tip. You round up to the next Euro up to maybe 20 Euros, and above that you maybe add a Euro on top. In an expensive restaurant with a bill of more than 100 Euros, maybe round up to 5 Euros. So, implicitly, I think 5% is the upper bound, and the lower bound is rounding up to the next Euro.
If you just pay for one drink in a cafe or bar (quite common at least in Germany that every person pays for their drink separately), rounding up to 50 cents is fine, too.
I don't think I have ever seen a service charge added to the bill here in Brussels. It is always included in the prices in the first place.
I don't think I have ever seen a service charge added to the bill here in Brussels. It is always included in the prices in the first place.
One of the tipping oddities I encountered around Belgium was the "tip the doorman when you leave" in lieu of a cover charge when bars have music or other events on. Is this still the case?
Programs: LH SEN, SN Gold, Eurostar Carte Blanche, BA, QF, AF
Posts: 6,139
Quote:
Originally Posted by stut
One of the tipping oddities I encountered around Belgium was the "tip the doorman when you leave" in lieu of a cover charge when bars have music or other events on. Is this still the case?
Don't really go clubbing that much anymore. But it seems to be common. My impression is that this applies only to places where the doorman actually restricts access, and it should be seen as a bribe to get in more easily next time.
All of this makes my head hurt. I just try to keep it simple.
I usually just tip about 10% in Asia. Same in Europe...except when it is on the bill, then only if service was above average.
I tip more in 3rd world countries where the wages are less.
I've very occasionally noticed a service charge automatically added (in Florida IIRC) in places frequented by out-of-country tourists but never hidden in the way you describe. It's also fairly common to see a line on menus something like "service charges added automatically for parties of 8 or more."
