The Tipping Saga!

[jna]

I go along with the majority - tip when service is good, don't when bad.

Well said and in addition have a brief word with the floor manager to explain your reasoning.

 

[carolfoy]

To be honest, I don't tend to read a guide book on each country that I go to (which has been a lot over the past few years - just don't have time).

I have ALWAYS known about tipping in the US because have travelled there, with my parents, from an early age.

There are lots of things that seem common sense or common knowledge to me, but are actually not... it is a mistake to judge other people by your own levels of intelligence, knowledge, education and awareness

Boo

I don't expect many people do read guide books before each country, I just don't believe that they don't read brochures, the leaflets that come with tickets etc. If they've never travelled to the US before then chances are you probably haven't done much long haul, surely then they'd have read brochures about a place before they intend to go there? especially with the media always insisting you need a visa/biometric passport/personal invitation from the white house before they''ll allow you in.
Maybe, I'm wrong but I seem to find UK travel plans start with: teenage travel to clubby/sun resorts in the med, young couple travel is usually med based, graduating up to longer haul with a caribbean or far east holiday and as they get wealthier and more able they'll do long haul as city breaks, adventure holidays or pampering like cruises, at least that's how I've always found it. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound patronising and I certainly don't think I'm any more knowledgeable than the next person but I can't imagine I'm in the only place in the country where people spend upwards of £5k (average family price) to go to a place with no research.

 

[DebIreland]

How do most of you tip? Now how much but *how?*? lol I recall we made a dog's dinner of tipping quite a few times.

Ok, so the bill comes out, usually in one of those leather bound holders and, if I recall correctly, we put the cash into it with the bill and added x amount as tip but a few times the server came back with the 'change'. So then I had to hand him the 'change' and explain that it was his tip and he was confused. At the end of the day we managed to get the tip into his/her hands but I do know that we didn't really understand what we were to do with the money. Should we just leave it on the table as we leave and make it a separate transaction entirely from paying the actual bill? Or should we include it with the payment? I've confused myself now. Anyone?

 

[PotNoodle]

Its become my public duty to warn against the Pirates Dinner Show. I took great delight in handing back an empty tip plate. The entire show was a rip off.

Normally tip about a dollar for each of our group.

Well I only gave them a fiver for the two of us, but still felt cheated.

The service was good, but still couldn't believe the sodding cheek of them asking for that in writing.

 

[PotNoodle]

BTW - maybe just post a trip report rather than spam multiple threads about every little thing ??

Eh?

I've just come back from a very good holiday, so why not post events, highlights good or bad about the vacation.

In this particular forum for the good and benefit of the British holidaymakers to Florida past and present I hope they can take something from it.

I could post a trip report, but if I did that it would be one long post and I doubt folk would be that interested to read it from start to finish due to it's length. To accuse me of spamming is ridiculous.

 

[PotNoodle]

Of course the better the service - the better the tip.

The service at restaurants especially was brilliant, but at times at other events etc where tips were requested in writing I felt embarassed not to leave anything.

I just don't want future holidaymakers to be conned in a similar way.

 

[Boo Boo Too]

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound patronising and I certainly don't think I'm any more knowledgeable than the next person but I can't imagine I'm in the only place in the country where people spend upwards of £5k (average family price) to go to a place with no research.

No, you didn't sound patronising... I am HONESTLY pointing out that your own levels of intelligence, knowledge, education and awareness are probably a LOT higher than MANY other peoples!

I think, however, that you may be wrong about the demographic of people who go to Orlando - there are a LOT of very cheap last minute ((and family) package deals to Orlando these days... it could often work out cheaper than the med! There are very likely to be a lot of people who go into a travel agent, say I have £2000 to spend, what can you give me? The TAs say "hhhmmm, a week in Spain or two weeks in Orlando". Customer says "I'll take Orlando!" and there you go... Probably doesn't bother reading all the rubbish he gets with his tickets (often barely bothers to check his tickets...). Customer gets to Orlando, doesn't have a clue about tipping or culture...

Boo

 

[mkingdon]

We ate at TGI's, and when the bill came in the leather wallet, inside was a matrix showing what the 15%, 20% and 25% tips would be on a range of prices.

This was good for two reasons.

1. For those who do not know to tip...it shows it is expected
2. If you are rubbish at maths like me it saves you having to work it out on the spot

We always tip, usually more than is expected, as I'm conscious of the perception of Brit's not tipping, but I thought the rate card thing was a handy thing to have.

Craig

 

[wayneg]

very cheap last minute ((and family) package deals to Orlando these days... it could often work out cheaper than the med!

Boo

Your right with this comment, and it does not have to be a late deal or a package.
We did 1 week in Italy in June. It cost more or less the same price as our 3 weeks in Florida in Aug. Ok the food was included in Italy but still it was so expensive. Our next 4 holidays we have booked are all USA we have just about given up looking for holidays in Europe now.

 

[marivaid]

It gets on my nerves when foreigners (and I'm one of them) pretend that they dont know they're supposed to tip. ONE episode of *any* US Tv show and you know about tipping.
We've spent about 3 months a year in the US for the past 10 years and yet my mother,who is an English teacher,still insists that it's perfectly fine to leave $3 on a $40 meal. She just doesnt get it or doesnt want to get it... either way, I solved that problem by saying she'd pay for the park tickets and I'd pay for all the meals.

We've never had a waiter actually reminding us to tip - though it did happen with a cab driver about 8 years ago in NYC. I think it's due to the fact that we dont look foreign or have accents. Yes it's rude to ask, but it's understandable.

I actually have a tendency to tip too much because I hate to think that they will think of us as stingy frenchies LOL

 

[UKDEB]

How do most of you tip? Now how much but *how?*? lol I recall we made a dog's dinner of tipping quite a few times.

Ok, so the bill comes out, usually in one of those leather bound holders and, if I recall correctly, we put the cash into it with the bill and added x amount as tip but a few times the server came back with the 'change'. So then I had to hand him the 'change' and explain that it was his tip and he was confused. At the end of the day we managed to get the tip into his/her hands but I do know that we didn't really understand what we were to do with the money. Should we just leave it on the table as we leave and make it a separate transaction entirely from paying the actual bill? Or should we include it with the payment? I've confused myself now. Anyone?

Often, if you pay the entire bill in cash, they will ask if you need change. In any event, if you're paying in cash and the amount you give them is sufficient to cover the check and the tip just put it inside the wallet and leave. If they do take it away before you leave and bring change, just a simple wave of the hand and, "No, that's OK" is sufficient for them to understand that the change is their tip. If you don't have the right amount of cash (say the check is $50 and you only have a $100 bill), just let them bring the change and then leave the tip on the table. Often, particularly in the more expensive places, we'll settle the check with a credit card and then leave a tip in cash. You're not expected to hand it to your server.

 

[jna]

If you don't have the right amount of cash (say the check is $50 and you only have a $100 bill), just let them bring the change and then leave the tip on the table.

And if they know what they are doing they will give you the $50 back split into small notes rather than one $50 bill to encourage leaving the tip, which is actually quite helpful.

 

[Goofyish]

I always seem to collect loads of $1 notes in WDW (too lazy to count them out to pay for things in shops so hand over larger bills LOL). So I always use these for tips in restaurants (will larger notes) to get the correct % without giving too much or too little

 

[JohnnySharp2]

I always seem to collect loads of $1 notes in WDW (too lazy to count them out to pay for things in shops so hand over larger bills LOL). So I always use these for tips in restaurants (will larger notes) to get the correct % without giving too much or too little

Me too, had dozens of them last month.

 

[paulfoel]

Its become my public duty to warn against the Pirates Dinner Show. I took great delight in handing back an empty tip plate. The entire show was a rip off.

Normally tip about a dollar for each of our group.

So give that one a miss then ?

I've always wondered about the dinner shows. They seem awful expensive...

Are they any good at all or just tourist trap rip-offs ?

 

[paulfoel]

as have been to the states for the past 14 years its usaly comes as a shock for the english to tip.Have read some of your posts and am sory you seem to have had a bad time
Paulh

Does that mean us Welsh, Irish, and Scots are OK then?

 

[paulfoel]

Stupidly (I think) in the US, tipping is not what I consider optional - UNLESS you have REALLY bad service... (I have never had service where I have considered not tipping and spend a lot of time in the US - probably 5/6 weeks a year)

Tipping is a bit like US sales tax - it isn't on the "price tag", but has to be added when you pay. So whenever we look at prices at a restaurant, we always think of it as "stated price" + "taxes" + "tip (min 15%, but often more for good service)".

Yes, service should be good (or at least 100% professional).

I agree that tipping can get excessive. Once we stayed at a hotel where the guy who took our cases out of the car and put them on a trolley had his hand out for a tip. We tip when the bags are delivered to the room (which we did). But we didn't tip this first guy (I think tipping twice for the same bags is mad) - he was very persistent and unsubtle about it though....

Boo

I remember buying a bottle of bud in Pleasure Island a few years ago off a fella on a stall at the side.

Beer cost $3.50 so I gave him a $5 note. He flipped the lid off and handed me the bottle and assumed I would let him keep the change. I held my hand out for it and he grudingly gave it back to me with a comment !!!!

Nice work if you can get it. $1-50 per bottle flip must add up to a nice hourly rate !!!!

I know the score with waitresses etc and always tip accordingly, but I always wind up my wife and say I'm not going to leave a tip because 'nobody gives me a tip at work'

 

[paulfoel]

Had a bad waitress once at rainforesst,meal cost $56.00 we paid with a $100.00 TC she nevever retuned with change.After 15min got a manager.server thought change was the tip.We would usaly tip 15% normaly
Paulh

$44 tip !!!!!!

80% or something....

 

[lorryw]

My hisband works in a posh country hotel. American guests are notoriously mean when it comes to tipping. To make it worse they usually tip with $1 bills, never British currency.

 

[corbennic]

I know the score with waitresses etc and always tip accordingly, but I always wind up my wife and say I'm not going to leave a tip because 'nobody gives me a tip at work'

I'm the same, I tip when expected, here and abroad but I work in a service industry where tipping is not customary - wheres my reward for good service?