Tipping in foreign countries
 

How do you figure what to tip (if at all), who to tip, and how much when traveling abroad? Is it something you actually take the time to research or just kind of figure out on the fly?

It isn't something I even think about before I go abroad, but have made a few embarrassing mistakes over the years (i.e. trying to tip a taxi driver in Singapore). Still something I am often confused about (esp. in global hotel brands abroad).

Here's a long thread with the assembled wisdom of FT.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...ry-region.html

Why is there no information about bar tipping? That seems to be a critical missing piece IMO.

Just go by the waiter recommendations.

Please search here first. Use google and try "site:flyertalk.com tipping bar foreign"

You will see that there are hundreds of threads. Please let's not have another one on this topic.

There is literally nothing on bar tipping. In fact, this thread is the first result.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/dinin...appy-hour.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/dinin...cash-only.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/dinin...inks-only.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ocean...4-tipping.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ocean...australia.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/dinin...-thread-4.html

Just a selection...;)

It can be hard to figure out tipping customs "on the fly" without being overly nosy about how other people are settling their bills. Fortunately there's an excellent resource available in this thread, which others have already noted:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...ry-region.html

Look back in this forum and you'll notice this thread is a sticky and is literally the first thread listed. That's an indication of how popular & useful it is.

Follow the norms for tipping a waiter or waitress. I'm not aware of any country where tipping at the bar is substantially different from tipping the waiter/waitress.

I wouldn't tip bar staff but would tip wait staff in Australia.

Bugs the crap out of me at The Star Casino when you get a drink from the bar and they give you your change on a little plate that screams "leave your change hear you cheap a**". If they put it in your hand you would just walk away. I so dislike the pressure of that in Australia where staff are paid very good wages.

It's simple. Never tip anywhere. No need to be worried about how much or to whom.

There are dozens of country guides which discuss all manner of local customs and practices.

There is nothing which speaks brashness more than over-tipping where it's not done and which is cheaper and more churlish than not tipping where it's something on which the employee counts.

Doing the right thing isn't tough.

Oh dear, you seem to have started a new thread without searching first. You are very naughty indeed. When I am down the pub with my friends and some of them try to start a conversation on a topic we have had before I have to sometimes remind them that we have spoken about this before so would rather not have another conversation on it without them performing a mind search using whatever search method they prefer.

How right you are.

One should never be a brash, churlish knave. ;)

I tip abroad as I do at home. I'm not going to overthink it or fret about whether I've offended someone by offering a gratuity.

I've probably over tipped in some places, under tipped in others and don't care.

In all that time I've only had a tip returned once and not because I tipped but because it was deemed to be too much.

I'm not aware of any country outside North America where tipping is considered obligatory.

However, I'm also unaware of any country where it isn't appreciated by staff, except maybe Japan (hearsay, not experience) . Give what you feel like, if you feel like it.