Originally Posted by
Fredd
It's at least refreshing to hear a non-US citizen endorsing the idea that it's not necessary to conform to the norms of the country one is visiting - that's a common criticism of American tourists.
We've spent a considerable amount of time in the UK, several European countries, and Australia over the past few years, and dined out a few hundred times in total. To generalize perhaps to an absurd degree, I suggest that visitors from those countries can add a modest 15% to the amount of their U.S. restaurant check/bill and still get as good a deal as they would dining at home, amending the fairly common waitstaff perception of the "ugly foreigner" while actually paying for the service rendered.
Just a thought...
of course each country has its own norms and habbits etc. but do we always have to agree with the norm? ( i mean if something is obviously wrong, and anybody except the US citiziens disagre with this? i mean anybody from asia or eurpoe i have met complain about the rudeness of the employees about tips)
the advice of adding 15% tip should work well in the US.
i would add a bit more than that on smaller amounts i.e <50USD you could add a bit more than the 15%.
anyway DO I LIKE the SUPER Capitalizm in the US ?*?? NO, i dont like it.
I dont like the demanding taxi driver who tried to deny to give my friend his baggage after he only did tip 3USD on a 10USD taxi ride. (he wanted 5usd instead. my friend was talking and talking so i went back and asked very" friendly" if there is a problem, after i heard him complaining that he wanted 5USD i asked him what has he done to earn an extra 2 USD tip on top of the 3USD, his answer was he turned the radio on ... yes we requested that...
but well i looked at him asked him if he really want to pull this crap and he gave us the bags, but my friend who gave already 20% tip , was really annoyed.)
i mean what is that attitude anyway, being super-unfriendly the whole ride, and than demanding a 5USD tip on a 10USD ride...
i say there is something wrong with the service attitude of the US service industry.
-> this is caused through the brutal and un-human conditions workers in the US have to face, even in china you have better work conditions these days
(ok not really )
even
it is the NORM to tip in the US , a tip is something which has to be earned and
which should not be taken for granted.
anyway my personal opinion about tipping is, that tipping more than 15% is idiotic, and you should give the money instead to charities or do other good things which are going to help people who are really in trouble.
i dont think that the usual worker in the us couldnt survive if he got only 10% of a bill in the US. (and i have met some people in the service industry and they earn 2000USD + only through tips per month (ok, girls , very hot. very good tips , lax area )
but if you sent the money to charities or other good causes you might save a persons life.
dp