Tips?

[ukstitch]

I read that tipping is expected more in the US where waiting staff can be paid only a few dollars an hour. In the UK waiting staff should be protected by the minimum wage, so tipping is not essential to make their wages up. They proabably earn as much as the person who stacks the shelf in Tesco - and I certainly don't tip them.
I personally do tip unless service was abysmal (never happened in DLRP) but I wouldn't be too worried if your mum doesn't believe in it, PJ. I would think the labour laws in France are as good as ours and staff should be on a minimum wage. As Bob noticed, the staff often look surprised to get a tip, so either they are good actors or they genuinely don't expect it.

You're right - many US jobs are paid a low wage with tips expected to make up the difference. In the US, tipping is expected for almost everything - Bell boys, waiters, taxi drivers, cinema attendants - you name it and a tip is usually expected. It's so common in the US that you're almost considered rude if you don't tip.

Personally, I don't like this approach, because I feel a tip should be a bonus reward, rather than the normal. From the point of my US trip, I have to be careful with my tipping because we don't have a formal policy for tip related expenses (as they aren't recorded on an official receipt), so unless I can justify it every time I tip, then that comes out of my own pocket, even if it was a tip for a work related taxi trip for example. That's fine when I've had good service and personally want to tip, but it's more awkward when I've tipped because I feel I have to.

I've just found this. I'd thought I'd read somewhere that there was a service charge added in France but as I'd never seen it on the end of any bill thought I'd got it wrong.

Indeed, although I've never noticed the note at the end of the bill in DLRP...

 

[PJackson]

Thanks Elaine that's an interesting article. Seems it's the driver that benefits most from tips! We'll see how it goes - someone told me that service is included at DLP but wonder if the waiters get it? Also someone said you never get your change back!?!

 

[Ware Bears]

someone told me that service is included at DLP but wonder if the waiters get it?

That's what always puzzled me, I'd always looked at the foot of the bill expecting to see the charge. Now I understand that it's already included in the price of the items although looking back through my receipts a meal we had in Paris did print the charge at the bottom of the bill, it was only for reference though and wasn't added on to the total.

I would hope that it's passed on to them. That's why I always like to tip in cash to an actual server rather than add it on to the bill total. Then as far as I'm concerned I've rewarded the server for his/her good service. If he/she then decides to pool tips that's his/her choice.

Also someone said you never get your change back!?!

If we've got quite a bit of cash left by the last day we'll pay for our last day's main meal in cash and have always been given all our change back. The CMs have never assumed it was a tip.

 

[PJackson]

I've actually heard two people say about the change now (second hand mind you) maybe we are talking like 2 euros or something....?

 

[DLPdaft]

I've often paid for meals at DLRP in cash, and have always had the change back, with my receipt.

 

[BONITATIME]

I would always tip 10% (even when the bill is over 200€.) I would rather not go out to eat than not tip. I wourk in the service industry and know how much waiters are paid and how the tips really make thier life better. It is a matter for everyone to choose though. We were talking to one of the waiters in the bar in DLH a couple of years ago and I got the impression that inspite of it being a 5 star hotel they were not particularly well paid.
I would tip a bus driver a couple of euros per person. And try to accunulate change for the chambermaids. I have never used a porter but would guess about the same as a bus driver.