Booji's Mom

What currency is best to tip in? Local or American dollars? We will be in Greece and Turkey and I know that the Turkish economy is not very strong right now (and they are not yet part of the EU) so I suspect American money would go a long way but now that Greece is on the Euro is that the way to go? I would be especially interested in responses from people of those countries.

janis

With VERY FEW exceptions (and Turkey and Greece are not two of them) always tip in the local currency. Changing foreign currency ($) would cost the more than the tip is worth.<BR><BR>Neither Greece or Turkey are 3rd world countries that would see a US$ tip as a good thing - but more likely they would look at it as the "ugly American syndrome" that we think the world revolves around us. An exception would be on a cruise where tips can be pretty much in any currency. <BR><BR>Just think what someone at your local diner would think about getting a tip in pesos?

Booji's Mom

Thanks Janis. You raise some good points. I guess I'm still remembering my parents talking about Europeans liking American dollars back when my dad was stationed there but this was in the early 60's and there was no such thing as a global economy like there is today.

Anon

Would you like a Greek tourist to tip in Euros in the States???<BR>Enough said, show some respect!

No

of course bills over $20 will be acceptable.

brownie

When we ran out of local currency, they were happy to accept US$. In fact, while bargaining for my chess board in the grand bazaar, the guy asked me if I was going to pay in US$ and I asked him what would he prefer, and he said US$, and he'd give me a better deal. Who knows if he did ... but that's the impression I got. <BR><BR>Though I do agree with the rest of the posters ... it might seem presumptious.

xxx

No brownie, you probably did not get a better deal ... but if you are happy with what you bought that does not matter.

brownie

Hey xx .. you are right. No, I don't think I got a better deal .. but my point was that he preferred being paid in US$. <BR><BR>Also to add.. that most of the prices were quoted/bargained in US$ and then if you paid in turkish lira, they just converted it - which makes it really worthwhile knowing the conversion rate!

European

Do not tip in dollars. That really is an "ugly American" thing. Especially in Greece. In Turkey some bazaars may take also dollars and euros, but that is just because inflation of Turkish lira is so heavy. And tipping in dollars – just like Janis said, changing currency is tedious and expensive, and if you leave coins (like somebody a few days ago suggested 1 dollar coins), banks don´t even accept foreign coins, so it is like Monopoly money.

Patrick

I guess I don't get the idea that the US tip would go further. All you have to do is figure the current exchange rate. If you would have left 2 US dollars, leave the corresponding amount in Turkish Lira or Greek drachmas -- it will go the same distance, actually further since the recipient won't have to pay a fee to convert it.

xxx

re. the poster who admonished booji's mom to "show some respect," duh! that's what she IS doing, soliciting advice, so she CAN show some respect. show some respect yourself, jerk.

Sam

Give me a break. Do you want to be waiting tables in whatever Podunk town you live in and have an European tourist leave your tip in Euros or a UK tourist leave some pence on the table. Get Real. You have to be one tacky person to come up with this.