I have never tipped a bartender and never had trouble getting my next drink. Bartending is not a tipped occupation in Ireland. As I said earlier, lounge service (table service), which is usually done by teenagers working part-time, might merit a modest tip, in the range 20-50c.

I sometimes leave my change lying on the counter, but have never had a barman pick it up; it would be considered cheeky behaviour, and a barman who acted like that would not have a long career.

There are a few pubs - especially in Temple Bar - where things are done differently. Nobody I know drinks in Temple bar. Most pubs there are relatively new, developed to exploit the tourist trade, do not have a core local clientele, and charge high prices. Drink there if you like, but do so with the understanding that it is a tourist product rather than an authentic Irish pub experience,

Well, since I am a tourist I will do as I please then. We have a local pub we love drinking at in Dublin and yes the drinks are much less pricey but if out and about we will drink wherever.

..and on......
Merry Christmas everyone.

' I'll do as I please' does verge close to ugly American territory. Not saying you are, but flying space A as you do, and imposing your own 'standards' in other countries does seem my way is best and the rest of you can take a flying leap. (I have actually overheard Irish and Scots service staff joking about daft Americans throwing money around - more than a few times)

Bilboburgler: and to you too ;):pine:

As another Irishman living in Ireland I have never tipped in a pub. And neither has any of my friends or relations. It really is not the norm.

The rest of us have to tip more to make up for the Irish not tipping. :beer:

No, you really don't need to.

Yawn. The whole 'ugly American' thing is from over 60 years ago. Back when few had the means to travel after the war and Americans might have had a more dominant presence as tourists and were apparently guilty of some awkward behaviour. But anyone who has traveled within the last 25 years has seen 'ugly everyone'. Does anyone even know what 'Ugly American' is supposed to mean in 2018? I certainly don't.

I have no doubt that you have overheard Irish and Scots and other service staff talking about 'daft Americans'. Over the years I've overheard service staff deriding Africans, Muslims, Jews, Eastern Europeans, higher class people, lower class people, etc, etc, etc. Not sure what this is supposed to say about anything.

Some here seem to suggest that the "Ruin the natives --" by overtipping is a new thing. It has been going on for many years, since shortly after WWII. Luckily, the "natives" were not ruined, and I have found waiters making it plain a tip is expected only in a few intensely touristed sites. II hope they are never "ruined" as I find the whole American tipping system a Royal PITA.

I can recall my first (and most memorable) encounter with a pushy European waiter. It was In Amsterdam over 40 years ago. I was at a technical conference, and a Dutch colleague suggested lunch at a quite posh bistro/restaurant across from Central Station. Since her grasp of the English language was greater than mine, and the fact that I was limited to about four Dutch phrases, you can guess which language we spoke. The waiter probably thought we were both Americans.

The service had been unobtrusive and hardly noticed. The meal was pleasant, the waiter returned the change from the large bills I had, l I glanced at my friend with a questioning look if she thought I should throw down more bills on top off the guilder coins, and she gave a shake of the head and a "that's quite enough" gesture of her hand. We walked out onto the street, and the waiter rushed out after us and thrust the change in his palm under my nose and started to chide me for leaving so little. If you have ever seen a nuclear explosion you may have some idea of how formadable an angry Dutch head of an University Department can be. She reduced that blustering waiter to a craven in about five sentences of strident Dutch. Not content with that, she marched the poor man back into the restaurant, called the manager to the front and proceeded to give him a blistering, and loudly projected, lecture on the evil of gouging foreigners who did not know the norms of proper national culture. She threw a spectacular show. I could not understand the words, but I could watch the shock on the faces of the customers and the winces of the manager as she drove each point home.

In any case, that is where I learned it is OK to follow local tipping customs.

I think you are full of it. I'll do as I please means I will use my common sense in each situation. If I am in temple bar where they expect a tip then I will tip, if I am over at the more local pub I don't. If I am on a military base then I do because they expect it in bars and at hotels. You have to look at each situation. I live in a tourist town and the wait staff feel the same way about daft Europeans that never tip them. They know they must wait on them but will not get a tip. I am not an ugly American. I know they don't want tipping to become the norm in their country and maybe call us daft but don't think anyone getting the tip has been offended. You sound like you have never have been on the receiving end of getting a tip. A couple of euros is not throwing money around.

THANK YOU walkinaround. I'll wager I have sat through more ethics classes than anyone on here on how not to be an ugly American.

nukesafe, I never even round up in Germany. :)

OMG, I thought I had accidently stumbled into a tipping thread on Trip Advisor.

kerouac, I know!!! I read your post last night about the work for rule. Very interesting. So you are saying all the over time has not been compensated? We need to give those police a tip jar.

No, that shouldn't be necessary. The government struck a deal with the police unions last night and their salaries are going up 150 euros immediately. The problem of the 23 million hours of accumulated overtime should be worked out over the next three months. Some of it will be paid and some of it will go into a "compte épargne temps" (time savings account) which can be converted into more vacation time or early retirement.

i did not call you an ugly American, I posted that 'I'll do things how I please' does sidle up to the edge of ugly American territory. In your years of military life I'm sure you've adapted to customs where you are/when you are. BTW, You know nothing about me . . . Including my own military connections. Might surprise you.