Originally Posted by
jpatokal
No, tipping is not "a USA thing", paying a little extra for services rendered well and/or going beyond the call of duty is near universal. (Yes, even in places like Japan, they just set the bar for "call of duty" pretty darn high.) What is American is the idea of an obligatory tip that has to be given, regardless of the quality of service.
Yes I agree, the in your face tip is down right rude but the obsession by Americans to use it especially in Asia to try and get something better is so often done in such a manner that it portrays the " I am richer than you " syndrome which is very offensive to a lot of people