How come america has such a big tipping culture when no one else does?
Jul 16, 2011, 5:04 pm
#61
Join Date: Mar 2007
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My experience has been different. I never left the USA until I was in my 30s but in the last several years I've traveled abroad extensively. For me, paying at restaurants without leaving a tip has taken no effort to get used to. The only effort is researching a country's customs before my first trip there.
Jul 16, 2011, 5:14 pm
#62
Join Date: Jul 2006
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I have lived in the US for over 60 years. The only time anyone complained to me ("berated" would be about right) about a tip was at the coffee shop at Galeries Lafayette in Paris. (I had no change for the pourboire.)
Jul 16, 2011, 7:14 pm
#63
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On that note, I once left a restaurant in Melbourne, FL and got a snarky remark from the waitress. I left 4 large shiny coins on the tray which was a decent tip for the meal tab but I guess she had never seen a Susan B. Anthony (got those dumped on me buying stamps from a USPS vending machine).
Jul 16, 2011, 10:11 pm
#64
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 73
IMO its a small price to pay for service. In Europe I have to go get my own drink, or wait what feels like hours for the waiter to do it for me. There were plenty of times where the drinks would come out after the appetizers and times when I was waiting 10-15 minutes before I could even get my drink order in. After we were clearly done we'd have to go find the waiter to get the bill. After spending a few months abroad I had a sit down meal in the states and I was more than happy to leave a 20% tip for the service.
Jul 17, 2011, 2:31 am
#67
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 7,605
What is - for example - the difference between paying someone $4 an hour plus $1 in tips compared to paying $5 an hour and no tips which is what you have when you have compulsory tips.
Jul 17, 2011, 2:45 am
#68
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Saundersfoot
Posts: 716
If the service is dreadful, then you ask to speak to a manager, tell that person that the service was dreadful and then leave no tip. I totally agree. I've done just that, a few times, in the past. In the best of circs, the manager will thank me sincerely for bringing the dreadful service to their attention and comp the entire meal.
Sorry Queeny!!!
Jul 17, 2011, 5:00 am
#69
Join Date: Mar 2009
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My experience has been different. I never left the USA until I was in my 30s but in the last several years I've traveled abroad extensively. For me, paying at restaurants without leaving a tip has taken no effort to get used to. The only effort is researching a country's customs before my first trip there.
Jul 17, 2011, 5:31 am
#72
Join Date: Mar 2007
Programs: QFF Gold, Flying Blue, Enrich
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While we're on your point, how about the additonal taxes that one pays in many other countries? For example, gasoline costs significantly more in Europe than it does in the US, largly due to higher taxes? What do those taxes go to, and why should tourists have to fund whateve those taxes go to?
Jul 17, 2011, 5:41 am
#73
Join Date: May 2007
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A tipping thread never fails to start the same fireworks all over again. Let me tell you what I don't like about tipping. I am merely an observer here, of the phenomenon and of my feelings about it, but I am not an activist. In my personal life, I try to follow local customs everywhere, as best as I can understand them.
So here are two things I don't like about tipping as practiced in the USA.
First, the undertone of class. We don't tip teachers, doctors, nurses, firefighters, etc., even when they did a great job. Tipping seems reserved for "lower classes", servers etc.
Second, on top of classism, arbitrariness. Cashiers at an ice cream or coffee shop feel free to put a tipping jar out. For some reason, cashiers at a fast food restaurant, supermarkets, departments stores, bookshops, garden shops, etc., who perform essentially the same task, are not allowed the same privilege. We tip taxi drivers, but not bus drivers. Barbers, but not dry-cleaners.
Americans who are not well-traveled may feel that tipping culture brings them good service. In truth, service in the USA is mediocre at best. Coincidence or not, the best service I see provided consistently is in places without tipping culture.
So here are two things I don't like about tipping as practiced in the USA.
First, the undertone of class. We don't tip teachers, doctors, nurses, firefighters, etc., even when they did a great job. Tipping seems reserved for "lower classes", servers etc.
Second, on top of classism, arbitrariness. Cashiers at an ice cream or coffee shop feel free to put a tipping jar out. For some reason, cashiers at a fast food restaurant, supermarkets, departments stores, bookshops, garden shops, etc., who perform essentially the same task, are not allowed the same privilege. We tip taxi drivers, but not bus drivers. Barbers, but not dry-cleaners.
Americans who are not well-traveled may feel that tipping culture brings them good service. In truth, service in the USA is mediocre at best. Coincidence or not, the best service I see provided consistently is in places without tipping culture.
Last edited by aktchi; Jul 17, 2011 at 5:48 am
Jul 17, 2011, 5:58 am
#74
Join Date: Mar 2007
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Jul 17, 2011, 7:10 am
#75
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
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A tipping thread never fails to start the same fireworks all over again. Let me tell you what I don't like about tipping. I am merely an observer here, of the phenomenon and of my feelings about it, but I am not an activist. In my personal life, I try to follow local customs everywhere, as best as I can understand them.
So here are two things I don't like about tipping as practiced in the USA.
First, the undertone of class. We don't tip teachers, doctors, nurses, firefighters, etc., even when they did a great job. Tipping seems reserved for "lower classes", servers etc.
Second, on top of classism, arbitrariness. Cashiers at an ice cream or coffee shop feel free to put a tipping jar out. For some reason, cashiers at a fast food restaurant, supermarkets, departments stores, bookshops, garden shops, etc., who perform essentially the same task, are not allowed the same privilege. We tip taxi drivers, but not bus drivers. Barbers, but not dry-cleaners.
Americans who are not well-traveled may feel that tipping culture brings them good service. In truth, service in the USA is mediocre at best. Coincidence or not, the best service I see provided consistently is in places without tipping culture.
So here are two things I don't like about tipping as practiced in the USA.
First, the undertone of class. We don't tip teachers, doctors, nurses, firefighters, etc., even when they did a great job. Tipping seems reserved for "lower classes", servers etc.
Second, on top of classism, arbitrariness. Cashiers at an ice cream or coffee shop feel free to put a tipping jar out. For some reason, cashiers at a fast food restaurant, supermarkets, departments stores, bookshops, garden shops, etc., who perform essentially the same task, are not allowed the same privilege. We tip taxi drivers, but not bus drivers. Barbers, but not dry-cleaners.
Americans who are not well-traveled may feel that tipping culture brings them good service. In truth, service in the USA is mediocre at best. Coincidence or not, the best service I see provided consistently is in places without tipping culture.