FlyerTalk Forums - Tipping in foreign countries

FlyerTalk Forums (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/index.php)

- TravelBuzz (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travelbuzz-176/)

- - Tipping in foreign countries (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travelbuzz/1681023-tipping-foreign-countries.html)

Quote:

Originally Posted by CarolynUK (Post 24875343)

Surely it ends up being a totally stupid system as wait staff in high end restaurants end up with a hefty income from their 20% plus tips just because the prices for the food and drink there are higher than in a fast food joint. Why should they be "paid" so much more than someone doing the exact same job in a cheaper establishment?

At higher end restaurants it's supposed to reflect a higher level of service (in terms of services offered, staff skill, and staff-to-patron ratio), as well as as ThePointsCollector mentioned in many cases it reflects a greater degree of tipping out to other staff (although some of this does occur at plenty of casual places.)

In the case of high-end places, odds are very good that in a non-tipping system, they'd pay higher-end wages/benefits to attract more reliable and better-qualified staff.

In some other cases, it's purely a matter of local cost of living, or outright "tourist pricing;" for an example that's about as casual and low-end as it gets while still having table service, compare Denny's prices in (to pull a small midwestern city out of my a**) Topeka to suburbs outside San Francisco (higher cost of living) to the one at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francsisco proper (location, location, location... as a local I'd call it gouging.)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThePointsCollector (Post 24875559)

If I had to tip for British food I would ask for a tip myself as reward just for eating it.

Time for another visit perhaps? By your argument no one at TGIF or Olive Garden would ever get a tip.

Full disclosure: I understand there's humour in there somewhere.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LondonElite (Post 24877967)

Time for another visit perhaps? By your argument no one at TGIF or Olive Garden would ever get a tip.

Full disclosure: I understand there's humour in there somewhere.

I'd take Olive Garden over fish and chips or lamb chop with tasteless gravy on any given day. Best food I ever ate in UK was in Indian restaurant off Westminster. And I hate Indian food in general.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThePointsCollector (Post 24878574)

I'd take Olive Garden over fish and chips or lamb chop with tasteless gravy on any given day. Best food I ever ate in UK was in Indian restaurant off Westminster. And I hate Indian food in general.

Now I know you're just trolling, but I'll rise to it anyway... How about trying some of the fantastic fresh fish, the venison, langoustines, oysters, mussels and other great ingredients that (Scotland in particular) has to offer?

After Cullen Skink to start, followed by a scallop and Stornoway black pudding fish course, then venison and seasonal vegetables main course, cranachan for dessert, then some guid Scottish cheeses, you would be stuffed, and would I'm sure, have changed your mind!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scots_Al (Post 24878780)

Never been to Scotland but if I ever do I'll give it a try. I ate some fantastic seafood in Ireland yet English food really sucked. It felt like it was against the law for chefs to use any sort of spices except for vinegar.

Thread closing message.

Despite our attempts, together with those of some members, to keep the thread on-topic, it has continued to go off-topic into a discussion of various cuisines and continued personalized insults. Therefore, the thread is now closed. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator.