>Seems so complicated with the tipping in Germany/Austria

Not nearly as complicated as in the US.

What is a "Tory" and what is a "daft bint"- in American terms... pardon my eves dropping

"Not nearly as complicated as in the US."

Sure, I think I would have to do a math degree if I ever go to the States

It takes a math degree to figure out 20%?

20% only because people can't figure out 15%.

OK, everyone, I've been evesdropping...My Dh and I have been lucky enough to travel all over the US over the past 40 years, staying in all quality of hotels from "The Plaza" and "The Waldorf" to "Holiday Inns" and "Motel 6"s and have never seen a "tip envelope"...ever! We always leave a tip for the cleaning staff, but have never ever seen an "envelope"! Are you really talking literally?

Ditto - what tip envelopes?

Having been in the restaurant business for many years (US), I can tell you that I rarely received a tip at all from Europeans - no matter what size the bill. Does that mean that I was pissed off at them? No, I understood that things are different in other parts of the world and what is customary here may not be customary there. Europeans seem to be much less tolerant of us though - the "tourists" who keep pouring money into their wallets. Perhaps we deserve a break.

I have often seen tip envelopes in hotel/motel rooms. In a motel, it is preprinted with seomething like &quot;Your room was cleaned by <b>Wanda</b><i>(handwritten)</i>. If you are satisfied, please feel free to show your appreciation.&quot; In a 'nice' hotel in NYC, the envelope was just marked 'housekeeping' and placed in evidence on the desk.

At a recent stay in a very nice hotel im Morgantown, WV there was an envelope for the housekeeping staff.

No, a 20% don't need a math degree..but if I add the flights, the hotels and all the others expenses and then I have to add a 20% for tips..then I have to do a lot of maths to be able to save that money..and maybe a need the degree I was joking !!!

&quot;Tory&quot; = British Conservative party supporter or Canadian Progressive Conservative (oxymoron, I know) party supporter
&quot;daft bint&quot; equivalent to &quot;stupid cow&quot;

I am shocked -- shocked, I tell you -- that there is disagreement about tipping.

Europeans are &quot;aghast&quot; at a tip envelope. Gee, it must not take much to ghast Europeans.

Oh, maybe a few other things -- anglo-saxon measurements, Fahrenheit, etc.

&lt;&lt;I have never met a European who was not aghast at the tip envelope to be found in American motel and hotel rooms&gt;&gt;

Europeans can be very unwilling to cross the divide when it comes to tipping. Having dinner with 5 Romans (one couple are dear friends of mine) I had to watch a NY waiter return to the table to ask about the forgotten tip. These folks come to the US twice a year, and have been everywhere in the world. They KNOW the tip system here, but try to ignore. The last time we were in a restaurant together it was simple: he picked up the check, so I said &quot;I'll get the tip.&quot; I know he was a little shocked at the 20%.

I also spent a few years in the restaurant business in NY, and I'd say the split was about 50/50 among Europeans: half did as we do, half did not tip in any way an American would find appropriate. Whether tipping as an economic method makes any sense is open for debate, but as we like to say around here, &quot;When in Rome ...&quot;