Tipping

[mexico]

Sorry should ave said!!! Of course I would let my husband visit the dream home also!!! Lol!!!
Just to add to the thread! Up until the last two visits we have always tipped mostly 15-20% and a lot of times we have not had the service that merits it! But have felt that this is what you have to do! ie- the whole low wage and taxed on tip thing! But recently money is tight for everyone and although there has been very few times when I have refused to leave a tip I now base what I leave on the service I receive!!

[vickk]

Having read some of the comments I just want to make it clear that I am happy to reward good service with tips at the expected level. When you add it to the cost of the meal it still makes good value compared to eating out in the UK. I just wanted to know where other people stood on this. What I did feel this year was that in a small number of times the service was not as good and I felt we were pre judged. The uplift in attitude was remarkable after we paid. This was only a couple of times but was something not noticed before. Perhaps we would benefit from eating in the same place each night but we do like a variety

[sunseeker]

I tip here in the UK as well as the USA. I do it only if the person that has provided the service has the right attitude and does a good job. I don't tip to make up somebodys wages because their boss is too tight to pay a decent wage. Slow surly staff get nothing.

Dave

[MTP]

I don't tip to make up somebodys wages because their boss is too tight to pay a decent wage.

Dave

I think if the wage structure of a whole industry is structured in such a fashion, it is harsh to lay your criticism at the feet of the boss. While you may agree or disagree with the business model of the industry, it is what it is and I don't think it adds anything to the discussion here.

Personally we will generally tip at about the 18% maybe slightly more or slightly less given the service. Generally the level of service is very good. If we do have an issue with the service and we decide that we will leave a poor tip or none at all, however, we will discuss this with a manager - we do not want them to think that we are simply not tipping as we are foreign tourists - we want them to know that we are dissatisfied.

[LesleyB]

I have been reading this thread with interest. One question - when calculating the percentage tip, do you base this on the total before or after the sales tax is added?

[vickk]

I was told by an American that you should base it on the pre tax total but I noticed this year that one bill had printed tip totals based on my actual bill at 15 18 and 20% and these were based on total inc tax

[steph_goodrum]

I have been sat here reading the comments and deciding whether to reply.

I understand how you can feel that 18% or thereabouts is a huge amount but in a lot of cases the wait staff do not get any/much in wages. There are get out clauses in the minimum wage legislation that allows restaurants to barely pay these people so the tips are important.

I do think that the fundemental difference is how wait staff are viewed on the opposite sides of the Atlantic. In the US many people choose it as a job because they can make a very good living. They aspire to the better restaurants as a career move. A waiter/waitress in somewhere like Jiko can make over $600 in an evening.

In the UK we tend to see it as a stop gap. There is still a 'service' type attitude towards it.

Personally I think a good waiter/waitress can make our break your whole experience.

Sorry but that's not my problem, unless the Unions or whatever get together and ensure they are paid better wages I don't see why I should fell sorry for them on that account. prices would have to raise but at the end of the day a waiter in a small restaurant could do a 12 hour shift and only serve 4 people. Not his fault if the customers aren't coming in but he will still have to be there for 12 hours and should be paid a proper wage for the time on duty. If they give good service they can then probably expect a decent tip on top not to make up their wages.

[vickk]

You say its not your problem and that's fair enough but at the end of the day we are in their country and if thats the way they do things then maybe we should do things their way while we are there. After all we are there by choice.

The way I see it is the menu price is from 80% of the cost with up to 20% variable dependant on quality of service. Rather than the menu price being 20% higher with no incentive to the server to give good service.

I know its not the way we do things in the UK but when in Rome and all that. My main reason for starting this thread is to see if people resented tipping in the USA with money being tight these days because I felt on some occasions this year that being English was not greeted with the same friendliness as previous years. Only in a small minority but there none the less.

[steph_goodrum]

You say its not your problem and that's fair enough but at the end of the day we are in their country and if thats the way they do things then maybe we should do things their way while we are there. After all we are there by choice.

The way I see it is the menu price is from 80% of the cost with up to 20% variable dependant on quality of service. Rather than the menu price being 20% higher with no incentive to the server to give good service.

I know its not the way we do things in the UK but when in Rome and all that. My main reason for starting this thread is to see if people resented tipping in the USA with money being tight these days because I felt on some occasions this year that being English was not greeted with the same friendliness as previous years. Only in a small minority but there none the less.

I didn't say I didn't tip good service but I should not feel obliged to give a tip regardless of service because of the poor wages they are paid. You could have the best waiter in the world but if the food isnt up to scratch because the food is no good then people will obviously lower the tip as it doesnt reflect just the work of one person

Perhaps it needs to go back even further, when I was younger I was told to do things (especially when it came to things like jobs etc to the best of my ability at all times. If youu are being paid to do a job then that should automatically mean you give it 100% not need an extra reward to do what you are being paid for already..

[vickk]

Could not agree more with you about giving 100% in your job and as an ex manager I wish everyone felt the same but sadly they don't. I do feel when eating out in the UK the service in general is excellent and feels genuine because the tipping levels are lower where in the USA it sometimes feels you are buying their friendliness

I also agree you should not feel obliged to tip poor service. I believe if you get poor service and as a result don't tip most americans would respect that. However I also know some people who don't tip whatever the service and have bragged to me that they can eat out for 20% less than me without any regrets.