In France 15% tip is included in what you see on the menu, BY LAW.
If you want to leave more because service has been particulraly good, that's fine and well.
What you see is what you pay, unlike parts (perhaps all?) of the US? where what you see, can quickly become +25%, once state/city/federal/"stadium" (Houston 2005 I think) taxes + 15% tip are added.
As for waiting staff telling YOU, what the tip will be........that's "beyond the pale".
In this respect the US is the biggest rip off I've ever seen in my life. (And I've been travelling for 30 years).
Talk about misleading visitors!!!
Glad to get that of my chest, ha ha ha
Refering to earlier on in this thread, where the point about having blank spaces on a credit/debit card slip for tips was being discussed, let me share one bad experience.
A Warning.
In Venice 2006
End of meal, pay by credit card. When the waiter brings the bill, my wife had gone to the toilet, and my reading glasses were in her handbag, so thinking the total looked about right, with squinted eyes, I signed the slip. (I KNOW, very stupid to sign a credit card slip, that I had difficulty reading)
She came back a few minutes later, I started having second thoughts about it, so asked a (different) waiter to bring back the slip I had signed.
You can guess the rest. The restaurant had added themsleves on, what can only be described as a breathtaking tip.
Moral, don't sign what you can't read clearly, when the slip comes with a space for a tip, score it out, and put the total in, as is.
If you want to tip, leave it in cash.
(As said in a previous posting, it's rarely clear who gets the tip, if it's added to the credit card slip)
Programs: SPG: Plat; Amex: Plat.; Star Alliance: Gold, One World: Gold
Posts: 101
Generally in Europe service is included in the restaurant prices. If the service is good and friendly you can leave extra up to 5%.
For porters in Europe 2-3 dollars per bag (dollar is weak currency nowadays). Porters are found only in higher class hotels.
Service charges are unheard of in most places, and the typical tip is a simple rounding up to the next Euro (with an extra €1-2 on top for higher bills or perhaps a fiver for a bill that's well over €100). By law, the waiter already gets a 13% share of the bill, so it's been factored into the price of your food.
When having a coffee, I will only round up to the nearest €0.50. If the price already is a whole/half Euro, I will give no tip.
Some people do tip more, but it is by no means expected, and, unless you have received truly outstanding service, I would advise against it.
Same goes for taxis. Just round up.
__________________
Signature temporarily removed- apparently somebody hasn't seen me trying to speak Chinese.
We arrive from JFK by taxi at a 5 star hotel in NYC, taxi driver charges the set fee plus tolls. The doorman greets us, opens the cab door for us, and escorts us to the Front Desk. The porter gets our two bags from the trunk, carries them in and stands waiting. After check-in, we are escorted to the room by an assistant manager who shows us where the safe is, how the TV works etc. The original porter is joined by a second porter and they carry the bags and our hand luggage to the room.
How much is it reasonable to tip the (1) cab driver, the (2) doorman, (3) each of the porters and (4) the assistant manager?
I could also ask if the amount will be greater than the room charge, but I won't
I'd really like to see a tip guide for guides. The last trip I took the tour company said that $20 per day/per person for the guide and $10/day/person for the driver was the international standard. That's seems really high for the countries I visit. (Mostly the developing world.)
Programs: SPG: Plat; Amex: Plat.; Star Alliance: Gold, One World: Gold
Posts: 101
Quote:
Originally Posted by manneca
I'd really like to see a tip guide for guides. The last trip I took the tour company said that $20 per day/per person for the guide and $10/day/person for the driver was the international standard. That's seems really high for the countries I visit. (Mostly the developing world.)
Any suggestions?
There is NO international standard!! In many European countries they do not expect any tips.
Otherwise it depends if it is a private tour for just for you and your spouse/family or for larger group where each party is giving separate tips.
Programs: SPG: Plat; Amex: Plat.; Star Alliance: Gold, One World: Gold
Posts: 101
Quote:
Originally Posted by turtlemichael
Is this thread appropriate for some advice?
We arrive from JFK by taxi at a 5 star hotel in NYC, taxi driver charges the set fee plus tolls. The doorman greets us, opens the cab door for us, and escorts us to the Front Desk. The porter gets our two bags from the trunk, carries them in and stands waiting. After check-in, we are escorted to the room by an assistant manager who shows us where the safe is, how the TV works etc. The original porter is joined by a second porter and they carry the bags and our hand luggage to the room.
How much is it reasonable to tip the (1) cab driver, the (2) doorman, (3) each of the porters and (4) the assistant manager?
I could also ask if the amount will be greater than the room charge, but I won't
I would not tip the doorman for that. I would tip the porter who carries the bags to the room. If you had so much luggage that you needed two porters then you should tip both.
[quote=TheRigPig;8715359]In France 15% tip is included in what you see on the menu, BY LAW.
If you want to leave more because service has been particulraly good, that's fine and well.
I have read this but I do still feel mean if I do not leave a tip after dining in France
Programs: SPG: Plat; Amex: Plat.; Star Alliance: Gold, One World: Gold
Posts: 101
[quote=adder;8867880]
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheRigPig
In France 15% tip is included in what you see on the menu, BY LAW.
If you want to leave more because service has been particulraly good, that's fine and well.
I have read this but I do still feel mean if I do not leave a tip after dining in France
Allways a good hint: Do as the locals do.
In Europe when tips are included (e.g. France) it is exactly as TheRigPig says.
In France 15% tip is included in what you see on the menu, BY LAW.
If you want to leave more because service has been particulraly good, that's fine and well.
I have read this but I do still feel mean if I do not leave a tip after dining in France
That's perfectly understandable if you are an American as I assume. I on the other hand feel bad when I realize I am expected to tip in the U.S.
Programs: BA Gold status; BMI blue+; hhonors diamond; SPG gold; Amex Centurion; Mucci du Droit Informatique
Posts: 556
UK Open Credit Card Slips
Just a note to all to be careful in London. Often restaurants will charge a service charge and leave the credit card slip open. In my book this is quite despicable ripping off of tourists (locals tend to see it coming). Some restaurants (e.g. the Chez Gerard chain, which despite their more than adequate food I absolutely refuse to patronise) actually instruct their staff to leave credit card slips open. personally I get quite angry about this and name and shame offenders whenever I can
In Taiwan, the only place that tipping is required is valet parking. Other than that, service charge is added virtually everywhere you go.
Don't trust the travel guide books. Almost every book I read recommends excessive tipping, and this is even within the US. As prior posters have stated, go with the flow and do as the locals do.
A dollar saved is several dollars earned (depending on what % of your gross income goes into savings each month). Unless if you're financially independent or wealthy, there's no need to part with your hard-earned money.
I disagree with Romania.
W/W is 10%
Cab is round up (to the nearest RON). E.g. 5.32 -> 6.00, 8.99 -> 9.00
Others (porter, etc.) usually 5 RON is perfect.
__________________
I'm in the vicinity of an area adjacent to a location.
)
