Comments on: Tipping – why is it so easy for Americans to follow, yet so muddling for the rest of us?

By: Nicole

Nicole — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 16:00:57 +0000

Living in Richmond, Virginia, a smaller American city than say New York or Las Vegas, the only place I ever really find myself tipping is at restaurants or hotels. At restaurants, I usually give a 15% tip for average service, 20% tip for good service. Many of my friends think 15% is too little, but that has always been the standard that my parents and many others have used. I can understand using tips to make up the rest of a worker’s wage because, for the most part, it makes people work harder and be nicer so that they will receive a tip. I agree that Americans can get a little crazy with tips and I would imagine that in places like New York, where it seems many people are quite wealthy, the tipping can get extravagant. In the hotels that I stay at, often pretty good but not fancy chains, there are no bellboys or valet drivers (and if valet is an option, we don’t use it). The only people there for us to tip are the maids. Many times, when choosing a fancier hotel or perhaps even just a hotel in a larger city like New York or Las Vegas, tipping just comes with the package. Most places in the United States, you can carry your own luggage on carts up to your room and park your own car. If you want the luxuries of having those things done for you, I think it is important to leave a good (but not crazy) tip unless you experience bad service. In Richmond, there are very few taxis and I don’t think I have ever even been in one except in other countries. They are only really used to get people from the airport to their hotel. So, if you do more yourself you will have less to tip and it really isn’t all that bad. If you want simple things like these done for you, just leave a small but decent tip.

By: Andy Jarosz

Andy Jarosz — Mon, 17 May 2010 11:57:34 +0000

Thanks for sharing your experiences, Shannon. It made me think – maybe the US expectations of service are different to ours, based on your experiences of the high standards you’re used to.
For us in the UK, service can be good, and can be awful. But ask around and I reckon most Brits would take a ‘good enough’ level of service with a standard 10% tip.
I worked in several bar jobs and it always made my day when I received a tip or a free drink from a customer, so I do sympathise with the server’s wish for good tipping. I suspect though, that this is a cultural thing that is very much dependent on where you’re from. An endless topic for debate though

By: Shannon OD

Shannon OD — Fri, 14 May 2010 22:16:24 +0000

I worked as a bartender and waiter throughout Uni in the US and have now traveled the world for about a year and a half…in my experience, the service in the US is usually far superior as far as restaurants are concerned (not really as applicable for quick services like valet and the such). Though I agree that it’s a bit ridiculous that servers are paid such low wages so that the fee is passed onto diners, I feel that it greatly improves the service. I really found that in Australia and the UK in particular the service was often far inferior to a similar restauranting experience Stateside! So, perhaps that makes up for the fact that you have to tip?!

And as a note – as a server, 10 percent was a bad tip. That meant you thought the service was barely acceptable. 15 is pretty standard these days…and 18-20% if they were great IMO

By: Melissa

Melissa — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 11:40:17 +0000

Americans tip because it’s in our culture to do so. As young people, many of us had jobs washing cars, waiting or bussing tables, and running cars (valet). We know how nice it is to get a nice tip, and we’re more then happy to do the same.

10% is customary, if the service is bad then only the change. In New York, I saw some restaurants who suggested 15% as the minimum tip for “okay” service, and 17%-20% foe good to great service. The young man in who asked what he had done wrong had probably become accustomed to expecting and receiving higher tips, and honestly thought he had done something bad.

There seems to be a push to tip more since the cost of living has gone up, but I don’t feel that I need to tip more. After all, I’m short on money too.

By: Andy Jarosz

Andy Jarosz — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 08:19:16 +0000

Hi Anna
That explains why we got such variable service when we lived in NYC (and we did tip well). It’s sad but inevitable that people will go the extra mile when there is a clear reward as a result of their efforts. But that is a natural consequence of the system; it doesn’t justify it.
Why don’t people tip the hotel receptionist? The pilot? The subway driver? The ticket inspector? How has society decided who is worthy of a tip and who isn’t?
Ultimately tipping has been used as a tool to drive salaries away from the employers and onto the customers. And that’s where I have a problem. You have demostrated the inequality of the system. Surely it’s not too much for all staff to be paid fairly, and for the cost of this to be included in the bill. Customers will then be able to enjoy their food and the attentiveness of the staff with no need to add extra.
And staff who are treated fairly (separate from being paid fairly) WILL respond and provide top service. Japan is great evidence of this, and I hope it does not get poisoned by the tipping culture.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences of this one Anna. A great debate, and one that will be around for many years to come.

By: AnnaI

AnnaI — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:20:53 +0000

When I was still in school I worked as a waitress in NYC (at Patsy’s) and whenever we heard European accents (Brits, Germans, etc) they automatically got crappy service, because we KNEW they wouldn’t tip nicely anyway, so there wasn’t a point really to stress ourselves.The Japanese, on the other hand, followed their guidebook advice religiously and tipped nicely.
I tip everywhere (unless it’s a chain food court type place), because even in those countries where tipping less common, a tip is still very much appreciated. And because we always leave a little bit extra, our local mom-and-pop ramen shop treats us like a royal family when we show up for dinner. I guess in this economy, every little bit matters, even in countries like Japan, where tipping is not the norm.

By: Dave and Deb

Dave and Deb — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 22:31:35 +0000

We Canadians are just as bad as the U.S. When Eating out a tip of 15% is average but 20% is expected. Especially in the larger cities.
We tip the cab drivers, the doormen, we even tip at the coffee shop.
It is a little out of control and of course, I have guilt all of the time about tipping. I always feel that I have to tip.
It is so much of a part of Canadian and American society. Dave and I were waiters in college too so we tend to have a soft spot for good service.
I do enjoy the break from tipping when we are traveling though.

By: Andy Jarosz

Andy Jarosz — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 07:08:12 +0000

Thanks for posting Ren and don't worry about it. In the UK you'll get by with a smile, good manners and whatever change you want to leave. It's in the US you'll need to follow the 15% rule or expect some dirty looks.

By: Ren

Ren — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 06:52:13 +0000

I'm gonna be so screwed when I go to the US/UK/etc., then. I almost never tip here in the Philippines, and when I do, I almost never calculate 10% (or whatever).

Here in the Philippines, many restaurants have a 12% service charge that's already calculated into the bill. For restaurants that don't, I usually leave just some change (like if a meal is PHP 112 and I give PHP 120, the PHP 8 becomes my tip), or nothing more than PHP 20. And nobody makes a stink about it.

By: Andy Jarosz

Andy Jarosz — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 07:54:28 +0000

Agree with you Mark – if it's part of their salary (implied or otherwise), I can't get my head round why it's not included in the price of the meal.