At a well known hotel chain in Ft Lauderdale, that starts with the letter M, they offered a serve yourself buffet breakfast or you could order off the menu. My dear wife and I sat down and waited about 10 to 15 minutes and were completely ignored. Finally a could care less server brought coffee and never brought requested cream for the coffee. After serving our selves at the buffet which was somewhat out of food we got the bill for the two of us with an added 20% service charge. The exact same thing happened in Copenhagen to the two of us for breakfast at same well know hotel chain that starts with the letter M.

I'll get it back on topic.I first arrived in the USA in 1981 for a conference.No FT or anything else for advice but knew we had to tip.A group of us Aussies went to a cheap Chinese restaurant in the Burbs.Now Asian food in the States is to our taste not a patch on what we get back home.We all discussed the tip.Decided to round up leaving approx a 5% tip.We soon realised it was not enough when we were chased down the street by a waiter with a meat cleaver.Decided not to argue.
We were staying at the then HI on Union Square and often ate in their restaurant.The Maitre'D was enthralled with our accents and would always come over and chat with us.Told him the story.He said that was in bad taste and said he would show us how it should be done.Not long afterwards a European family was heading to the door only to be faced by the Maitre'D with the plate containing the CC slip.He bowed ostentasiously low and in a loud voice said-And thank you sir for your finger prints.The whole restaurant looked around and a tip was forthcoming.
Ever since I have tipped and if good service above the"mandatory %".I though am now annoyed having seen the % rising from 10 to 15 and now 20% especially as the meal prices have risen.
I am also very dissmissive of those Americans who use the justification-When in Rome.I have travelled extensively in Asia for 40 years.Initially there would never be a request for a tip.Now apart from Japan it is common.This is part of the reason you will notice anti America sentiments in Australia-though this is not the norm.Before you rant though I love the USA and those that live there and if I see this sentiment I will usually go and apologise for others rudeness.

My Mom twisted a knee on a trip and on her return to San Francisco used a wheelchair from the gate to the curb. She tipped the guy $20 and he have her grief over the small amount.

There is something really special about taxi drivers in Vegas. I was "tunneled" by a driver on the way back to LAS from the Venetian.
Despite telling him to take Koval/Paradise Road.

I carefully counted out the meter amount, down to the exact dime, with no intention of tipping.
He cursed and shouted at me from the minute I closed the cab door until I entered the airport door. Words that would make your granny blush.

I learned the easy way to tip from an American: In the US, it is "Double the tax". Usually, the tax is 7-8%, so doubling the tax will leave you at 14-16%, which is appropriate for good service.

Also, I learned that you never should not give any tip. If you are extremely dissatisfied, give a single penny. I did it once, and there were no complaints, because they knew the intention.

Once, I had dinner with a friend of mine. The service was lousy, so my friend gave a low tip. The waiter had heared us speaking in German, so he said "In this country, it is customary to give a 15% tip". My friend apologized politely, took back the money, and handed the waiter the amount without any tip at all. The waiter's face was priceless!

Last year I had a US flight out of IAD cancel and I was given a taxi voucher to go to DCA. There was a big sign at taxi dispatch saying "vouchers do NOT include tip". The dispatcher reminded me of this and the driver reminded me several times the voucher didn't include tip. It got old fast

Also, I stayed at a Hilton in Phoenix a few years ago and the restaurant breakfast had a mandatory gratuity on it and under it, a separate tip line item. When I asked the waiter about it he said "oh most guests choose to leave me an additional tip". Right

This method works best in Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon.

Some guests are probably in such a rush or such poor readers, they don't realize they're being charged already. Some others are on an expense account and don't care because it isn't their money.

Actually, in NH (can't speak for the others) it works just fine -- despite not having a sales tax, they have a meals tax around 8%.

I learn something every day.

@:-)

While I'm sure the servers in L.A. County (9.75% sales tax) are quite happy with it.

Ok, you intrigued me with that one. What type of employee was it that did this? An airline employee? Someone like a porter or red cap (do they still use that term?).

20 bucks...and he complains. What a country!

After a fair dinner in a NYC restaurant with poor service the waiter loudly held up my father's 10% tip and sarcastically said "Look with the nice guy left me". My father went back and apologized for the mistake and very obviously took about half the tip back.

That reminds me of another annoying phenomenon, when the receptionist hands your key packet to a bellhop and says "[name] will take you to your room with your bags". I am quite capable of carrying them myself thank you.