Originally Posted by
rlbmorton
Thanks for the replies! It sounds like my tipping in the PC is in line with what others (who tip) do. I will continue to tip the bartenders and not worry about the other staff. I often order a drink that has to be mixed and I find that they put effort into doing it well -- a bartender can do a bad job on this -- make things too weak, etc. As for the tipping culture in the US -- well it is the norm that has developed -- and I'm ok with it but I think that that cultural issue is something that is probably beyond the scope of this forum! But IMO in most countries that I visit where tipping is not a norm, getting good service of the type I find normal in the US is a rarity -- this is particularly true in European countries where you can wait forever for service which is paltry at best and those self serve restaurants in the UK are the pits. The big exception here is my experience in China and Japan where tipping did not seem to be expected yet service was extremely good.
I think you have a bit misguided view of service in Europe and other non tipping dependent cultures.
I always find it funny when I am with someone who is with me in Brazil for the first time, and they wonder why the service is so slow.
Same is true in Spain.
I agree with the China and Japan comments. Asia in general.
Americans just move at a different pace than most other cultures. Very few people here sit down to have a meal. They usually sit down to eat(big difference), and the tipping incentive just makes everyone move that much faster. In my opinion it is annoying when you wanna sit down, relax, and enjoy a nice meal or whatever other service, and you have to feel pressured to move. Some people love to get in and out as fast as they can. So is life.
It took me a while to get used to having a server bring me my check without me asking for it. In other cultures that would be considered extremely rude.
As far as good service in the US, I would have to disagree. Good service is not the norm, and nowadays we feel to obliged to tip, that no matter how bad the service is, service workers know they will get at least something.
Don't get me wrong. I love tipping for excellent service, but more often than not, I find myself forced to give money for service that is mediocre at best.