windowontheAside

I got into a very interesting discussion with a group of pretty frequent international travellers the other day. It was around tipping the maid service in hotels.

Some - like me - never do it, and to be honest had never really thought about. Others were aghast at this and said they tip every day, leaving money on the pillow or nightstand. Going rate was about $5 iirc.

What fascinated me was that most people on both sides stared at the other side in astonishment. Our group was pretty evenly split, but had a lot of Americans which favoured the 'always tip' group.

Lefly

A tip is a sort of "reward", not part of a bill or wage. When it becomes almost compulsory, as in US, to me it's not a tip but a fee.

It never occurred to me to think that could be expected or demanded also in a lounge, by the way. At this point other airline/airport personnel should have some too?

Don't know why, but all this sounds weird...

(just my personal opinion of course )

Fly Baby

Lol (when I was 19 I kissed an RAC man for the same thing... Mortifying to think of now but I was just so bl**dy grateful to see him!) I learned how to change a tyre pretty quick after that.


I tried to tip the waiter in the F lounge at Boston last year as I was dining on my own and he went out of his way to make me feel comfortable - it was loudly refused and made me feel quite embarrassed

I just wish for some consistency....

Fly Baby

I've heard this many times. Paying to "ensure" good service seems so skewed to me. I don't have a problem tipping and do so frequently (whatever the culture& custom expects) but almost bribing someone to ensure they give you preferential/better service leaves me feeling somewhat depressed.

Not saying its wrong to do it - just that it makes me feel a tad uneasy.

Back on topic - how hard would it be for an international airline to put some ground rules in place at each lounge (taking local working custom and practice into consideration)?

LondonElite

There is no need to tip in a lounge, no matter where you are. I really hate being 'guilted' into making up the wages that an employer should be providing. If that means the meal or the airfare is a few dollars more expensive, so be it. But there are a sufficient number of tipping threads on FT!

orbitmic

+1. That is the part that I find most objectionable personally. Tipping to thank for good service, great, but a "strategic tip" or one which comes with either hope or expectation of better service bothers me. Indeed, personally, when I tip, that would always be when I leave precisely not to come across as trying to "get something in return".

chrismk

Just returned from a US vacation and an abundance of tipping! Didn't regret a single dollar simply because the service was so good.
There was a glass for tips on the bar at the ATL lounge and I was happy to contribute. The barman knew his stuff especially about craft beers and conversation with him made for a pleasant and informative experience.

flieduk

In places where the drink is "officially" included as part of the service or fee (i.e all inclusive resorts, casinos, airport lounges, etc) then this is bizarre

Genius1

I tip 10% in restaurants and round up taxi/driver fares. Those are the only times I really tip.

Geordie405

That wasn't the scenario I was envisaging. For example, my gf and I recently had dinner in a restaurant in San Diego. The service was excellent and I spoke to the Manager to compliment her on the staff, particuarly the young guy who was serving us. Shortly afterwards we received two cocktails on the house from said waiter. It was these drinks that we paid for as part of the tip.

If a drink was officially included as part of the service or fee then I would tip a couple of dollars per drink as per usual. I wouldn't pay the full cost of the drink.

As for maid service, it depends where I am. In a large chain hotel I may tip at the end of the stay, but in smaller hotels I usually tip every day. I would agree that $5 per day is the going rate

layz

Then it's not really free is it? It's happened to me a few times and thought it was just thanks for tipping generously on previous lounge so all they got for my free drink was my sincere thanks, and comments on how good the service was. Of course I continued to tip for rounds after the free one so I think they would have been happy enough (there definitely didn't seem to be any pressure for me to tip the free one).

I would feel wrong tipping the full price for a free drink. Basically they are pouring a drink, not putting it through the till and then collecting all the cash for themselves - that's effectively theft from their employer not a nice gesture. If it's genuinely free I assume it's probably sanctioned by their employer to build loyalty in the venue as why would anyone risk their job to give a freebie to a stranger.

angatol

.....

HIDDY

I must be losing out. I don't recall being given a free drink by the waiting staff in any restaurant I've ever been in.

PETER01

As a tight fisted Scotsman can someone explain to me what 'tipping' is?

I'm so tight that when I accidentally dropped 50p the other day and I bent down to pick it up it, it hit me on the back of the head!

Seriously though, I usually leave 10-15% only if the service is good. Likewise usually pop a dollar or two in the jar in the USA lounges.

I do remember getting very bad service in a Florida restaurant once and I never left a tip. The waiter was angry but I stood my ground and said to him how can he expect a tip when we waited a long time for everything, no offers of refills, clearing plates away and a wrong order (1) was also served. He was genuinely miffed!!

T8191

No, just 10-20%

But counting a few Bar Managers amongst my friends, there is indeed authorisation for free drinks for customers to encourage loyalty ... With the added benefit that you can use them, unlike Avios