Re: Tipping Protocol
 

That's a very accusatory tone. Did somebody not tip your properly for your last set of accounts;)

I said they had it right, not that it would work here. North americans are too grasping for that.

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The only tip anyone has given me was to buy shares in a company that lost 90% of their value in the following six months. Fortunately, I am far too close to a dollar to risk money on speculation.

If a client wanted to give me a tip I would curse myself for not charging them enough.

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So western cultures have not developed a code of manners yet?

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Of course they have, but it is a different one.

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Spot on.

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Completely disagree. In deciding to eat in a restaurant or drink at a bar one does so knowing that the staff in that establishment need and expect 15% of the pre-tax bill to be added as a tip. That's the custom in Canada and people who do not wish to follow the custom should stay at home.

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Also agree. One can follow a custom despite beliving it is wrong.

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Fair enough. It makes me cringe to be on a tab with someone who doesn't tip.

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I was talking to my regular Ozzie waitress about tipping, and she suprised me by relating this:

She has to pay 15% of her take to the manager, who splits it between the chef/kitchen, and the bar manager and staff. Whether or not she gets a tip!

15% means she doesn't OWE (WTH???), more than 15% she gets to keep the difference!

She is highly motivated to serve well!

It sounds a bit like bondage to me!

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I don't mind tipping for decent service in a restaurant, but I find it a bit much when sandwich shops and fast food places have their hands out too- usually the only service they provide is taking your order, probably getting it wrong and then handing over the debit machine.

I was out for dinner with my wife and 2 kids recently. My kids are young, so we tend to leave a mess, and i'm more than happy to tip a little extra in those curcumstances. However I'm starting to see a trend now where we're getting personalized messages on the bill. One waitress gave us a card with the bill saying how beautiful the kids were and that it had been a pleasure to serve us... Now, as nice (but sickening) as the sentiment was, I think this is bordering on ridiculous.

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That's borderline begging....:frown:

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Well, he's going to say that isnt he!:p

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Even worse with someone who adds up everyone's contributions to the bill and then decides the tip is too large and pockets some it for himself.:mad:

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Sorry Steve, I wont do it again :o

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Think I said on here before, but is a good point to say again: I was told by a barman - in downtown Calgary - that he made $11/hr basic, then usually made about the same again in tips. Regardless of what he actually made in tips, he had to pay a certain amount in tips to the kitchen staff, the waiting staff etc. based on his total $ sales, not on the tips he actually took.

Generally I tip 15% rounded up to $5. If I get that wrong, as I can often do, then tough. More if the service is really great. If I get bad service, then 0-10% depending on how much I want to get the point across.

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The custom is alive in the UK (didn't the concept originate there?) too so it's certainly not alien. Just because people disagree with the whole aspect of expectation doesn't mean they don't partake.

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not heaving read through the whole thread, I just wanted to add my 2 cents to the original question..
I just came back from a trip to the US with a group of 40 people, and last Thanksgiving Thursday we had a turkey dinner in a nice restaurant. I paid the bill for the whole group and they automatically added 18% tip on top of it, that seems to be the going rate in the US, but seemed a bit stiff to me. In Canada they usually add 15% on top of the group bills.

I work in a job that is heavily dependent on tips and we get people from all over the world. The Australians , British, Spanish, Germans and French (in that order) have the worst reputation for tipping and therefore don't seem to get the same level of attention as our American guests, who are very generous. Canadians are somewhere in between. That maybe explains why my senior colleagues will refuse to work with Australian or European groups and those get left to the newbies...

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But surely the tip is compiled with the rest of the nights "takings" to be shared amongst all staff? So it shouldn't matter who serves the tight assed ingrates?

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A discount should be given on the meal, rather than the tip, if the service is particularly poor. That should be expected of the restaurant. There should also be a room where the victims of poor service or food can go into, take one breakable item of choice from the table and then smash it in the aforementioned room. Protective clothing should be provided by the restaurant.

If a restaurant places a tip of above 0% on the bill, without my consent, I will expect to pay 100% of the meal, minus how much they expected as a tip. By demanding a tip, they are essentially saying - if I decline - "you are an ungrateful, bigoted idiot who has no semblence of respect." I do not expect to be spoken to in that manner, when I go to a restaurant or other place which uses bills. Subliminal or not. Having said that, considering that I would probably not have the courage to make such demands, I'd probably just pay for the meal sans the tip and leave...quickly.

As someone mentioned earlier, if there is a problem with wages, it is a matter for the employer. I don't like this underhanded begging.

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My FIL cracks me up, he's Scottish and generally doesn't understand tipping, so when he's here, he'll give them a tip and then say "are you happy with that?", they then look at him like this :confused:

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Don't mind leaving a tip if I'm happy with the food/service. What does annoy me is if I pay in cash, the server invariably asks if I want change, even without looking to see how much I have handed over to pay the bill.

Kev

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I couldn't agree with you more. Canadians have a saying "If you can't afford to tip then you can't afford to eat out".

Also remember that typically the waiter does not recieve the entire amount of the their tips. They often need to tip out 1 to 3 percent of their total sales to the kitchen and bussing staff. Therefore, if you choose not to tip then you are actually taking money away from the waiter.

Eating out is very reasonable in most parts of Canada. Tipping is expected and very much a part of the culture.

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Not in MOST establishments in Calgary (AFAIK), as others have suggested EACH server is responsible for paying out the kitchen, bar, hostess and (in many cases) the 'house' Some servers (I know) can be left with as little 10-15% of their tips (so of that $10 you left THEM $1 goes in their pocket)

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sorry , I forgot to mention that I don't work in a restaurant but as a tour guide, and our tips are not pooled but the customers tip you personally and directly, which in the case of a "tight ass" hurts more than in the other case

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That's interesting. Certainly gives another perspective on the poor bastards who have to work with that.

I've never worked in retail or a service related industry but is this practice the norm in the UK and US too?

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As far as I know Tips in the UK are pooled, the US operates a similar to Canada

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From the way it's described here, the US and Canadian way seems reprehensible.

(I worked in a bar in the UK 20 years ago, I kept all my tips for myself - which wasn't that many. I remember my boss at the time saying he gave the choice between pooling or not and the men said yes and the women no, there were more women so that's they way it was when I started...:sneaky:)

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Hi

QUOTE=Butch Cassidy;8136032]As far as I know Tips in the UK are pooled, the US operates a similar to Canada[/QUOTE]

Just an aside to annoy the Aussies. Cruises sold to Australian have the daily per diem included in the price to cover tips about $9.00 per day. As tipping doesn't seem to be a part of the culture, and on cruise all the wait staff and cabin attendants salary is tips.

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AH now Bars (at least the ones I have 'inside' information on) in Calgary work differently. Bar'people' have a section to work (god help you if work anothers section), they are given 'x' amount of liquor at the start of the night (bottles of beer are counted, spirits are weighed-yes weighed) at the end of the night the amount of liquor is recounted. You are now responsible for paying (out of your takings) for the difference ANYTHING LEFT OVER IS YOURS. A GOOD Barperson will of course make a profit (dont forget most spirits are free poured ;)).

I'm talking about the people that actually stand behind the bar here, not the servers who may provide table service.

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That seems kind of reptilian and cut-throat.

I tip the normal amounts when I go out and don't really think much about it (I don't really want to do it but I cringe like dbd does when people I'm out with don't tip properly). This thread has been a bit of an eye-opener to say the least.

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Although i said what i did about not agreeing with the whole concept, i do actually tip (quite well if the service is good) but knowing how the sharing of tips work now, i'll certainly look at it differently. I feel sorry for the front line staff in that situation.

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Educational thread thanks :D

I usually leave 15% of the total bill as I had no idea it should be 15% of the pre tax ammount! Not that it matters too much when we're only there for 4 weeks a year at the mo :lol:

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Most people I know pay the tip on the whole bill including taxes.

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I did that when I first arrived; but quite a few Canadians have told me that I was being an idiot for doing so. I guess it don't make much difference if it's a few drinks for $50.

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The difference between tips based on the pre-tax amount and the total bill doesn't really amount to much in the grand scheme of things.

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When I lived in New England the custom there was for buy-backs. Where the bartender would give you a free drink for every two or thee you bought. :thumbup:

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Fair point! :D Interesting to get all the different opinions!

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I've seen that in the US too - it's a nice custom.

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Likewise.

10-15% is the norm in Canada.

10-15% in the USA flags you as a "cheap Canadian" (where 20% is expected).

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Hi

Under 15% in Canada gives you the same "cheap" name. See: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g1...Etiquette.html