Is "I'm from Europe" A Good Excuse For Being a Crappy Tipper?
Dec 1, 2010, 10:54 pm
#1
Original Poster
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Location: Seattle, Washington USA
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Is "I'm from Europe" A Good Excuse For Being a Crappy Tipper?
About a month ago, we brought you the story of overpriced NYC hotel bars that were adding automatic 18-20% gratuities to tabs, claiming that they had to do so because so many of their patrons were from Europe and other parts of the world where tipping isn't part of the culture. Now we hear from a waiter who proves they might have a point.
Over at ServerNotServant, they have the tale of a waiter at a Boston restaurant who was stiffed by a table of seven non-American women.
The tab for the septet totaled $590.11 and they only paid $600, leaving a less than 2% tip for the restaurant staff.
While the waiter didn't make a fuss about the chintzy tip, he wanted to know how viable of an excuse is the whole "foreign customers don't tip" thing, especially in a day when it's incredibly easy for travelers to learn these things:
http://consumerist.com/2010/12/is-im...py-tipper.html
Over at ServerNotServant, they have the tale of a waiter at a Boston restaurant who was stiffed by a table of seven non-American women.
The tab for the septet totaled $590.11 and they only paid $600, leaving a less than 2% tip for the restaurant staff.
While the waiter didn't make a fuss about the chintzy tip, he wanted to know how viable of an excuse is the whole "foreign customers don't tip" thing, especially in a day when it's incredibly easy for travelers to learn these things:
http://consumerist.com/2010/12/is-im...py-tipper.html
Dec 1, 2010, 11:29 pm
#2
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: GRR, USA
Posts: 3,298
About a month ago, we brought you the story of overpriced NYC hotel bars that were adding automatic 18-20% gratuities to tabs, claiming that they had to do so because so many of their patrons were from Europe and other parts of the world where tipping isn't part of the culture. Now we hear from a waiter who proves they might have a point.
Over at ServerNotServant, they have the tale of a waiter at a Boston restaurant who was stiffed by a table of seven non-American women.
The tab for the septet totaled $590.11 and they only paid $600, leaving a less than 2% tip for the restaurant staff.
While the waiter didn't make a fuss about the chintzy tip, he wanted to know how viable of an excuse is the whole "foreign customers don't tip" thing, especially in a day when it's incredibly easy for travelers to learn these things:
http://consumerist.com/2010/12/is-im...py-tipper.html
Over at ServerNotServant, they have the tale of a waiter at a Boston restaurant who was stiffed by a table of seven non-American women.
The tab for the septet totaled $590.11 and they only paid $600, leaving a less than 2% tip for the restaurant staff.
While the waiter didn't make a fuss about the chintzy tip, he wanted to know how viable of an excuse is the whole "foreign customers don't tip" thing, especially in a day when it's incredibly easy for travelers to learn these things:
http://consumerist.com/2010/12/is-im...py-tipper.html
Europeans are not used to tipping as taxes and service charges are built into their bills/tabs, etc. Kudos to the waiter for not making a scene or embarrassing the patrons. It would be appropriate not to expect, or criticize a non US citizen for the lack of a tip since europeans arent accustomed to it. Many (not all) Americans typically expect everyone to be exactly like us and immediately take up our culture, which makes that kind of ignorance unfortunate.
Dec 1, 2010, 11:41 pm
#3
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Upstate, NY
Posts: 3,359
I took my Mom to San Fransisco for her birthday and a the Cheesecake Factory there was a pretty long notice inserted into the menu explaining tipping...
I joked with the waitress "So you get a lot of foreign tourist here?" and she laughed and said something like "You have no idea bad it was before we put that notice in...we had wait staff leaving because they weren't making much..."
I joked with the waitress "So you get a lot of foreign tourist here?" and she laughed and said something like "You have no idea bad it was before we put that notice in...we had wait staff leaving because they weren't making much..."
Dec 2, 2010, 1:01 am
#4
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Personally, I hate the whole approach to tipping in the US. Tipping, IIRC, was originally a way to reward service people for good service. Now it is expected and the fact that wait staff wages are reduced to accomodate anticipated tips makes the situation worse. In most of the world, wait staff are paid fair wages and do not rely on tips to be the bulk of their income. And I don't think it effects service one way or the other. I have had terrible service in the US when a big tip was expected and I have had great service when no tip was expected in Slovakia. I've had tour guides in Lithuania refuse a tip from me.
It's hard to get a handle on tipping customs throughout the world. I think the US should get with the rest of the world on this and pay wait staff a decent wage and not operate with the expressed expectation of a tip.
That being said, as a former waitress, I do tip well, even in Europe. Am I part of the problem?
It's hard to get a handle on tipping customs throughout the world. I think the US should get with the rest of the world on this and pay wait staff a decent wage and not operate with the expressed expectation of a tip.
That being said, as a former waitress, I do tip well, even in Europe. Am I part of the problem?
Dec 2, 2010, 1:19 am
#5
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It's simply about being culturally aware. If you travel somewhere, you ought to at least read up a bit on the do's and don'ts of that culture. Tip a lot in the US, a little in Europe and none at all in China, where back in the day they actually warned all visitors on the landing card to not tip. 
Dec 2, 2010, 2:53 am
#6
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About a month ago, we brought you the story of overpriced NYC hotel bars that were adding automatic 18-20% gratuities to tabs, claiming that they had to do so because so many of their patrons were from Europe and other parts of the world where tipping isn't part of the culture. Now we hear from a waiter who proves they might have a point.
Over at ServerNotServant, they have the tale of a waiter at a Boston restaurant who was stiffed by a table of seven non-American women.
The tab for the septet totaled $590.11 and they only paid $600, leaving a less than 2% tip for the restaurant staff.
While the waiter didn't make a fuss about the chintzy tip, he wanted to know how viable of an excuse is the whole "foreign customers don't tip" thing, especially in a day when it's incredibly easy for travelers to learn these things:
http://consumerist.com/2010/12/is-im...py-tipper.html
Over at ServerNotServant, they have the tale of a waiter at a Boston restaurant who was stiffed by a table of seven non-American women.
The tab for the septet totaled $590.11 and they only paid $600, leaving a less than 2% tip for the restaurant staff.
While the waiter didn't make a fuss about the chintzy tip, he wanted to know how viable of an excuse is the whole "foreign customers don't tip" thing, especially in a day when it's incredibly easy for travelers to learn these things:
http://consumerist.com/2010/12/is-im...py-tipper.html
Dec 2, 2010, 2:57 am
#7
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I'll follow US rules the day US tourists stop tipping like Americans when outside the US.
(Well actually, I do tip more generously in North America - unless the waiter gives me a speil about how I need to tip then I half what I would give them in Europe. Tips should not be expected and telling me I need to tip is not good service, and I don't tip for bad service).
(Well actually, I do tip more generously in North America - unless the waiter gives me a speil about how I need to tip then I half what I would give them in Europe. Tips should not be expected and telling me I need to tip is not good service, and I don't tip for bad service).
Dec 2, 2010, 3:05 am
#9
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I've always said TIPS = To Insure Prompt Service
When I was a youngster tending bar in Chicago I never expected tips and I never begrudged the patron who tipped poorly. There were plenty of other customers who tipped well to make up the difference. Both customers got the same drink service, but the good tippers got that extra bit of attention.
When I was a youngster tending bar in Chicago I never expected tips and I never begrudged the patron who tipped poorly. There were plenty of other customers who tipped well to make up the difference. Both customers got the same drink service, but the good tippers got that extra bit of attention.
Dec 2, 2010, 4:45 am
#10
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The tipping culture just makes me feel uncomfortable when it comes time to pay as it's not like tipping in my home city. In London you tip for good service, in the states you tip mostly because you have to and a little because of the service. When i was in NYC last, we got sick of tipping for bad service and getting dirty comments from waiters and waitresses, so we just paid the bill exactly.
In addition, you always need to carry cash so you can tip as not all card machines allow you to add it when you pay. This is annoying.
It seems that all of the USA has forgotten what tipping is for...
In addition, you always need to carry cash so you can tip as not all card machines allow you to add it when you pay. This is annoying.
It seems that all of the USA has forgotten what tipping is for...
Dec 2, 2010, 4:49 am
#11
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One other cultural point is that while two cities in America are really bad about tipping, the rest of the country isn't so obsessed about it. New York and Las Vegas are the two. If you go almost anywhere else, you won't get hassled much about tipping. So don't overly worry about being annoyed by the NYC tipping culture. It annoys most other Americans too.
Dec 2, 2010, 5:06 am
#12
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This discussion has reminded me of something else:
When i'm in a restaurant/bar and the waitress/waiter comes over and asks how the food/drink is, i tell the truth. If it's bad or good. The majority of friends who i have dined with in restuarants will complain to one another about their food when it's bad, but when asked by staff how it is, will put on a big fake smile and claim it's fantastic.
Do you tell the truth in these situations?
When i'm in a restaurant/bar and the waitress/waiter comes over and asks how the food/drink is, i tell the truth. If it's bad or good. The majority of friends who i have dined with in restuarants will complain to one another about their food when it's bad, but when asked by staff how it is, will put on a big fake smile and claim it's fantastic.
Do you tell the truth in these situations?
Dec 2, 2010, 5:07 am
#13
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Dec 2, 2010, 5:19 am
#14
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Dec 2, 2010, 5:31 am
#15
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This discussion has reminded me of something else:
When i'm in a restaurant/bar and the waitress/waiter comes over and asks how the food/drink is, i tell the truth. If it's bad or good. The majority of friends who i have dined with in restuarants will complain to one another about their food when it's bad, but when asked by staff how it is, will put on a big fake smile and claim it's fantastic.
Do you tell the truth in these situations?
When i'm in a restaurant/bar and the waitress/waiter comes over and asks how the food/drink is, i tell the truth. If it's bad or good. The majority of friends who i have dined with in restuarants will complain to one another about their food when it's bad, but when asked by staff how it is, will put on a big fake smile and claim it's fantastic.
Do you tell the truth in these situations?
But this is also a good point why tipping does not work, as everyone seems to tip at least 15% anyway. It wasn't the waiters fault etc. etc.
By the way have you ever been the lone traveller travelling alone and then the next table gets filled with a twelve person group dining on company dime and they get all the attention? Does someone really think that you will be getting any better service whatever you tip.
Get real, isn't tipping as practised in the US just a way to enable the employers to not have to pay decent salaries? (And maybe make service persons hope to get more salary than they deserve.)