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In America, I tip. In Belgium, I don't. Legolas Send a noteboard - 26/02/2010 03:29:41 PM
When you go to a restaurant, do typically tip?

As you can tell from the post title, depends on the country I'm in. In Belgium, all restaurant food is tax and service included, so most people either don't tip or tip ridiculously small amounts (like half a euro for a 60 euro bill or some such). Having some experience with American tipping, I find the tiny tips absurd and rather pointless, so I don't tip at all here.
Do you tip a set amount or do you vary based on service quality?

What with being used to a country without tipping and generally a much slower pace in restaurants, I tend to be quite impressed with the efforts American waiters will go to to serve people (although at times it can be over the top and become annoying), so I pretty much always aim for 20%. If the numbers work out that way and the service was good, it can be up to 25 or 30%. And there was one time that I was taking a small bus - really more like a big SUV - from one city to another, and ended up being the only passenger left. To the best of my knowledge tipping wasn't expected under those circumstances (tickets were bought beforehand), but since I had a good time talking to the driver and he went to some extra effort to make things easier for me, I gave him five bucks at arrival. I'm not really sure what he thought about that... but he took them, anyway.
But I don't usually go lower than 20% - of course, I haven't eaten in American restaurants all that often, and never really had a serious reason to be dissatisfied.

Why do you tip or choose not to?

Because it's the thing to do in America. Let me tell you, though, first time I went to a restaurant in America - or Canada, it was, actually - and had to pay the bill while my friends were already outside, and suddenly was informed by an angry waitress that tipping was the custom there, I panicked somewhat. :P
Pizza delivery, tip the driver?

Yeah - again, in America.
Why or why not?

Again, it's the thing to do? :P And because unlike in Belgium, I know such people aren't paid in full in the US and partially have to live off tips.
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To Tip or not to Tip? - 26/02/2010 05:17:47 AM 1380 Views
Yeah, I tip *NM* - 26/02/2010 05:38:26 AM 512 Views
Thank you - 26/02/2010 05:40:39 AM 742 Views
Re: To Tip or not to Tip? - 26/02/2010 05:52:57 AM 798 Views
Re: To Tip or not to Tip? - 26/02/2010 06:39:12 AM 896 Views
He's not exaggerating. - 26/02/2010 03:55:40 PM 1123 Views
definitely not exaggerating - 27/02/2010 03:43:12 AM 758 Views
Re: To Tip or not to Tip? - 26/02/2010 11:35:22 PM 685 Views
Re: To Tip or not to Tip? - 27/02/2010 12:05:35 AM 748 Views
a general rule of thumb for tipping delivery folks.... - 27/02/2010 03:36:46 AM 681 Views
Re: a general rule of thumb for tipping delivery folks.... - 27/02/2010 07:22:22 PM 672 Views
Re: I tip unless the service has been very bad. (I'm mostly unemployed.) - 26/02/2010 06:45:01 AM 813 Views
Re: I tip unless the service has been very bad. (I'm mostly unemployed.) - 26/02/2010 06:53:43 AM 887 Views
Re: My dad's a doctor. -- edited because I was overly rude. - 26/02/2010 02:30:40 PM 743 Views
Re: My dad's a doctor. -- edited because I was overly rude. - 26/02/2010 11:58:51 PM 709 Views
I don't tip. It's a cultural thing, it's not common to tip here. *NM* - 26/02/2010 07:05:47 AM 413 Views
It INFURIATES me that tips are reported and taxed - 26/02/2010 07:15:43 AM 812 Views
Oh, and re: Cultural Differences - 26/02/2010 07:18:36 AM 764 Views
No it is just another way of being compensated - 26/02/2010 02:20:37 PM 678 Views
Businesses compensate employees - 27/02/2010 07:08:12 AM 792 Views
except federal law mandates a lower wage for tipped employees - 27/02/2010 10:31:19 AM 772 Views
Yes, I know it's legal. That's why it's infuriating. - 28/02/2010 08:02:53 AM 674 Views
I do carry out just to save money from tipping a driver. - 26/02/2010 07:25:18 AM 724 Views
Thats all I ask - 26/02/2010 11:37:37 PM 685 Views
Re: To Tip or not to Tip? - 26/02/2010 07:46:25 AM 736 Views
do your credit card slips print out a place for tips? - 27/02/2010 04:01:47 AM 781 Views
I used to deliver pizzas.... - 26/02/2010 08:16:29 AM 793 Views
Re: I used to deliver pizzas.... - 26/02/2010 01:39:20 PM 785 Views
Re: I used to deliver pizzas.... - 26/02/2010 11:51:50 PM 742 Views
Re: I used to deliver pizzas.... - 26/02/2010 11:41:24 PM 737 Views
Yeah, that's exactly how it happened in my store - 26/02/2010 11:50:49 PM 745 Views
Sounds like an american problem to me. - 26/02/2010 08:42:09 AM 669 Views
I'm 23, married, and have a baby - 26/02/2010 11:43:26 PM 749 Views
I am sorry. I was not being specific enough. - 27/02/2010 12:12:32 AM 885 Views
i have a physics degree, and i delivered pizza to pay the bills when i was in school - 27/02/2010 03:41:40 AM 686 Views
At least you don't have an English Degree - 27/02/2010 03:43:27 AM 670 Views
my BS in physics is more worthless than your english degree - 27/02/2010 04:03:51 AM 752 Views
Haha, yeah it gives me a couple options - 27/02/2010 04:16:52 AM 831 Views
A master's doesn't really help, either. *NM* - 27/02/2010 10:24:36 AM 344 Views
meh, it's more opportunity than the bachelor's would be - 27/02/2010 10:27:40 AM 673 Views
Considerably - 27/02/2010 01:59:55 PM 697 Views
well... to be honest... - 27/02/2010 11:18:35 PM 698 Views
I'm really not sure what he focused on.... - 27/02/2010 11:32:15 PM 688 Views
There is a guy in my store with a masters in physics - 01/03/2010 03:30:42 PM 742 Views
Definitely tip. - 26/02/2010 08:51:22 AM 891 Views
Re: Definitely tip. - 26/02/2010 01:43:51 PM 661 Views
lol *NM* - 26/02/2010 02:23:07 PM 317 Views
We are required to drop... - 26/02/2010 11:46:15 PM 735 Views
Required to drop.....but realistically.... - 27/02/2010 12:16:18 AM 796 Views
Re: We are required to drop... - 27/02/2010 04:28:38 AM 679 Views
I tip as appropriate and within my means - 26/02/2010 01:49:24 PM 785 Views
I work to EARN my tips - 26/02/2010 11:48:20 PM 916 Views
then good for you - 27/02/2010 02:38:51 AM 651 Views
A tip? Never run with scissors. - 26/02/2010 02:18:47 PM 682 Views
Why the hell is it irritating to tip? - 26/02/2010 02:21:18 PM 744 Views
Why ? Because they are workers. - 27/02/2010 10:51:15 PM 658 Views
Re: Why the hell is it irritating to tip? - 27/02/2010 11:18:47 PM 666 Views
people who hate to tip should stay home and not order in.... - 26/02/2010 02:39:54 PM 659 Views
Re: To Tip or not to Tip? - 26/02/2010 03:08:46 PM 625 Views
The standards are slightly different here - 26/02/2010 03:13:25 PM 779 Views
I tip the barman too - 26/02/2010 03:23:44 PM 717 Views
In America, I tip. In Belgium, I don't. - 26/02/2010 03:29:41 PM 867 Views
Re: To Tip or not to Tip? - 26/02/2010 03:30:11 PM 686 Views
I used to deliver pizza. - 26/02/2010 04:15:22 PM 776 Views
Interestingly... - 26/02/2010 04:44:09 PM 932 Views
Re: Interestingly... - 26/02/2010 05:42:29 PM 716 Views
Re: Interestingly... - 26/02/2010 05:53:36 PM 584 Views
I do tip... - 26/02/2010 04:57:08 PM 656 Views
always tip. *NM* - 26/02/2010 05:20:08 PM 450 Views
Most often in the UK, almost never in NZ. - 26/02/2010 05:32:33 PM 798 Views
Oh yes - 27/02/2010 03:53:59 PM 726 Views
Have you considered a wider base? - 28/02/2010 02:07:23 AM 705 Views
Yes! - 26/02/2010 07:05:26 PM 679 Views
i've been in your place before - 27/02/2010 03:59:59 AM 755 Views
In Israel tipping is almost mandatory - 27/02/2010 03:49:32 PM 858 Views

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