Nikki

I had people who live in Scotland tell me they leave no tip, and some tell me they always tip. I know people who live in London who tell me they never tip, and some say they always tip. I know people from Paris who say the same things. And some in the French countryside. I am only talking about locals, and they do not reach a consensus, even within countries and regions.

As for whether the people on this thread are Europeans, I can only say I have met one of them but have no reason to doubt that the others are who they say they are and plenty of reasons to believe they are locals.

StCirq

<<The difference between the US and other countries is, if you haven't had good service (in a European restaurant for instance), you don't have to tip, unlike experiences I've had in the US where you feel obliged to tip even if the server is totally disinterested and couldn't give a toss.>>

That is just wrong. First off, you don't have to tip ANYWHERE in the world. It's a TIP, which means something extra for pleasing the customer. Second, tipping customs are different in Europe from those in the USA, and in many European countries, not tipping hasn't a single thing to do with whether you were happy or unhappy with the service.

111op

Well Nikki, I'd have to trust you on your word, and that could be too much for me. Just kidding!

I don't know. I do think that in France, you'd typically not tip as it's "service compris." If I pay cash, I usually round up. If I pay by credit card in France, usually there isn't even a line for "tip," so I don't normally bother. If I eat at an especially fancy restaurant, I leave a smallish bill, say 5-10 euros for say a tip of around 5%-10%, depending on how I am feeling that day.

With the UK (and I guess I should say, specifically for London), I think the trend is towards tipping. Perhaps it's always been there, but only lately have I started to notice more frequent surcharges of 12.5% on the bill. I use that as a guide regarding tipping.

And of course I am not a local!

And as far as I can see, this also agrees with most of the advice on this thread. And so far, no one has never yelled after me, "Never set foot in here again, a--hole," so I guess it's a-ok!

111op

StCirq, I disagree with you about the US. Why not try leaving out the tip or tipping 5% or something in your favorite restaurant and see how long that can last?

I've actually seen some NYC restaurants go to the extent of posting a note with the check of a "friendly reminder" to foreigners or whatever that it's customary to tip x%.

I suppose it's customary, so it's not "necessary" or "obligatory," but then that's a really fine line.

Michel_Paris

Let'd face it...from a common sense approach, why should I be paying extra so that a waiter makes a decent salary? Why are you , as a business making me pay separately the costs of you doing business?

Build it into the costs of a meal. Why should I feel guilted into adding extra to pay for something that should be included?
I expect that I won't have to go into the kitchen to deliver my order, then go back to pick it up. Charge me for it. And I do expect good service, I am the customer. I should not be surprised, and feel I need to pay extra because the waiter took good care of me.

111op

What you say is true, Michel_Paris, but then a lot of things are true. I mean, just because something makes sense doesn't mean that that that's the way things are done in practice.

Anyway, my personal view is that there's more flexibility about the UK -- or London, I should say. I say this because I'm pretty sure that I've encountered cases when 12.5% was added with the note that I could request it be taken off if I didn't actually want it added. So this certainly suggests some degree of optionality.

Also I seem to remember a really annoying experience that a tip was added but they didn't tell me. I only realized that they added something after I did a quick mental check. Since I had left a tip already, I had to ask them to correct the bill.

My other point (also in observation of what Nikki wrote) is that trends can change. For example, in the US, 15% used to be adequate. But as we now know, the percentage of what's "customary" has crept up over the years. In NYC I think you'd be expected to tip more than 15%.

So depending on whom you ask, you could indeed get a different answer, as these things can change and settle into a "new normal."

111op

One other thing I meant to add but forgot to add: I don't think this happens much in France or UK, but there could be different expectations regarding tourists and locals.

An example: Certainly in Beijing, a few years ago, they wanted more money for the audio guide in English at the Forbidden City compared to the one in Chinese. I am not sure if this is still the case.

neyboreno

Once again, all this brings me back to my earlier point that I think it just comes down to adding what you know about a place to what you feel comfortable with and making your best effort to fit the two together. People will know you are a visitor (usually) and take it into account as long as you are not insulting by being too far off in your best guess.

England, as for most of Europe, has just gradually becoming Americanised in some of these customs due to increased travel, media and entertainment. Not saying a bad thing or a good thing, just something I've seen over the past 30 years. Thus, the inconsistencies are showing in the way different people view what is the 'norm' in their own countries.

As for the earlier comment by Flanneruk, I AM home and home is here in England and has been for 27 years, my children were born here, my husband was born here. The only thing really American about me is where I was born. Please don't be insulting and thank you to tarquin for sticking up for me!

aimeep

I always leave something for the maids -- I think it's easy to forget them, because usually we don't see them -- why give a tip to a guy who opens the door for you or just makes a call to a restaurant, and then not tip the person who makes your bed, cleans your toilet, and cleans up your messes and probably gets paid a lot less? The concierge probably gets perks from the restaurants, etc. that he recommends, but the poor maid is often stiffed by the hotel guest because she's invisible. Usually, different maids clean on weekdays than on weekends, so it's probably a good idea to split up tips by day.

nyse

<i>What about housekeeping in the hotel? Do you tip daily or at the end of trip?"</i>

I absolutely agree that the chambermaids should be tipped daily -- how would you like to clean someone's room for five days and have someone else pocket your tip on day six?

And don't say "they probably share all tips" -- if, as pointed out above, tipping is the exception not the norm, there's likely no systematic pooling.

MelJ

Forgive me if others have said this, but when in the UK and EU I follow their customs and leave just a few coins if the tip is already included in the bill. Exception: If we have a really great experience with a terrific, friendly server and we wish to return we make sure to leave a more generous tip than is expected, just as we would in the States. Like most travelers, we have our favorite places and a nice tip, patience and a willingness to go with the flow has earned us wonderful warmth on return visits.

MLF611

"You know, I think in this modern age...you need to bloody well learn to respect the culture of where you're staying.

Otherwise, piss off home."

Perhaps Mr. UK could read that little homily to his compatriot "stag and hen" partiers in Eastern Europe or the English expats in Italy, Spain and France who never learn more than a few words of the local language.

Hooameye

""stag and hen" partiers in Eastern Europe"

Your talking about a different species (alien) there!

nona1

The situation varies a lot in the UK depending on where you are eating, which might account for some of the different answers you've had Nikki.

Restaurant - usual tip is 10% unless you had bad service (reduce or don't tip) or outstanding service (a bit more) or there is a service charge included (don't tip at all).

In cafes we don't usually tip.

In pubs we don't tip.

Breakfast - don't tip.

sashh

Be aware that if you tip on your credit card the money goes to the owner of the restaurant not the employee. If you want to tip the waiting staff and for them to get the money do it in cash.

British law does not allow employers to use tips to top up staff salaries - they have to be paid min wage regardless of whether they receive tips.

Tip in restaurants if you like, don't tip in pubs but you can (if you want) offer to buy a drink for the person behind the bar - they will normally take £1 or £2.

111op

Some Europeans go on this board because we do have the answers.

Oh and there are people in Britain who always tip and there are people who never tip. It is more common to tip in London then elsewhere in the UK (in my experience).

clairobscur

There's no generally accepted rule about tipping in France. It varies a lot individually (depending on their own opinion, habbits they picked up from their parents or friends, etc...).
Some people will just leave some change, some will almost never tip, some will almost always do, some will leave the same amount regardless of the cost of the meal or the number of guests, some will tip according to the price, etc...
It's the same with taxis. I've the habbit of tipping about 10% of the fare (except if I'm unhappy with the driver), but many people don't tip them.
Note that the "15% service included" on the bill doesn't mean that this amount goes to the waiters. It depends on their contract (fixed salary or fixed+"service fee"), and there's no way to know. As a very general rule, the service charge doesn't go to the waiter in small restaurants or bars (originally, the "service included" system was implemented to prevent restaurant/bar owners from displaying a price and then adding to it some random "service fee")

Not all taxis accept credit cards in France. Some also accept them only if the fare is above a given amount (for instance €15). Ask before the ride.

Carlux

One comment about tipping in France (from someone who has lived there for the last 15 years) Service is indeed included by law, so you are already paying 15%. So there is no need to leave any more.

However, you will sometimes, especially in tourist areas see the equivalent of 'Service is included, tip is not' Or if you ask the waiter if the tip is included, he may give you some variation of this.

I don't think a French person would ever be taken in by this and neither should you be. Most people feel it's polite to leave a little extra to round up the bill, but not a 10 or 15% 'tip.'

corli33

"You know, I think in this modern age...you need to bloody well learn to respect the culture of where you're staying.

Otherwise, piss off home."

Yeah, well FlannerUK you and your countrymen who come here to the USA and don't tip or tip far too little because it's not how you do it back home need to take this advice.

corli33

Padraig says-"If, in the USA, it makes me feel good to keep my money in my pocket rather than pay the server 15-20% on top of the bill, do you think that is the right thing to do?"

The poster was talking about if it makes one feel good to do something nice or reward somebody ...what you would be doing is harming someone. Two totally different things genius.

kerouac

"Service" is indeed included by law in France, but as clairobscur says, it is just to prevent them from adding a surprise onto the bill at the end. There is no rule or law about a service charge even existing at all and you will see all sorts of variations on menus (I believe that Léon de Bruxelles, for example, lists 12% or 13% while a lot of the Chinese restaurants mark "service gratuit" -- and you don't see service charges at McDonald's, do you?). There are laws about minimum wages for café and restaurant workers, and they have absolutely nothing to do with service charges -- the workers get their (decent) salaries, plus a few tips, and those can either be personal or shared. When I was a partner in a café, all of the tips went into a big coffee can and were counted and divided equally among all of the employees once a week -- this way, the people working back in the kitchen got a share of the tips as well, which they fully deserved.