Originally Posted by
gglave
I'm Canadian.
A few years ago I was on vacation at an 'all inclusive' resort in Cuba. Because it was Cuba there weren't any Americans - Just Canadians and Europeans. The Canadians were very popular because they 'greased the wheels' with a few tips here and there, as was our custom. I remember a German being very puzzled as to why the Canadians were getting table service and drinks in glasses (as opposed to plastic cups) as well as top-shelf rum and the best chairs at the pool. When he came over and asked I explained that it was because we had tipped a few staff here and there a few greenbacks.
They asked why I bothered tipping as it was 'all inclusive, no?', to which I replied 'well, there's 'all inclusive' and then there's *all* inclusive'...
Once I gave them some tipping lessons their service improved dramatically too
This is why I will never stay at another American-dominated AI resort. Or at least if I do, it will be one that has a strict policy of firing employees that accept tips.
AI resorts pretty much always say something along the lines of 'all food, select drink, non-motorised watersports,
gratuities are included'. Some visitors appear not to understand this concept. Oh yeah, let's go to Cuba, or some other low-income, low-cost country, and tip the waitstaff as if they were living in New York or San Francisco. What a great plan.