Neil, I'm sorry- I didn't mean to imply that you, or anyone, said it was a hardship. I was just trying to clarify that OP should not expect to be paying more, overall, than other countries, due to the tipping.

Fair enough, sarge. No, the OP needn't worry about that - but may wish to check the price list before reserving a table at the French Laundry.

SusieQ,

it's nice to see that you are asking for advice, showing you have an interest in doing what is custom.

i work in a gratuity oriented business and have always found that people from most of the world seem to frown on tipping whether it is custom or not. i don't buy the ignorance thing either, i think the whole world knows about tipping, if you aren't sure, you need to ask...many foreign travelers seem to just ignore the gratuity issue and simply leave after whatever service without leaving a tip and apparently feeling no shame about doing so. i hope some of these people are reading this post and take your initiative and inquire before leaving for their next trip abroad and leaving alot of hard workers cursing whatever country they came from because they stiffed them on the tip.

I do not trust the "Tip" line on credit card receipts in restaurants. The waiter never gets the full amount due to the credit card company's discount rate. There are too many stories of the owner keeping credit card tips, or greatly discounting them, or withholding the true total from the staff.

In most restaurants below the level of haut cuisine, where tips are divided between waiters and captains and busboys, tip in cash on the table.

AJPeabody, you need to think about the quality of the restaurants you patronize. Until you do, then yes, you are probably smart to leave cash. But none of my server friends at decent to above average restaurants have ever mentioned any of these absurd things you mention (includint discounting the credit card percentage which is absorbed by most restaurants). Perhaps at the restaurants you go to, the owners also go through the servers' personal belongings and steal money from them while working? Or perhaps they know they are working so hire thugs to go rob their homes? I'm sure those things happen at "some" restaurants, but not the average self-respecting places that many of us patronize.

Agree - we eat in local neighborhood restaurants all the time and always leave tips on CC. And we have become friendly with some of the wait staff - if any such problem occurred they would definitely let us know to leave cash.

Agree, perhaps to reconsider the places you eat - sounds as it they are owned by thieves - not to put too fine a word on it.

Well Patrick and NYTraveler, I am glad to see the posts from you two as I always add the tip to the CC bill. Always, with the exception of the fabulous but funky Mexican cafe that I and many love. There is a tip jar and I put the cash into that (order at the counter and they bring you the food and your drink). I would never leave cash on the table and I don't leave my CC receipt for the restaurant on the table either. I give the CC receipt which includes the tip back to the server.

What, if anything, would you tip the roadside service guy (ie AAA or other) who comes to change a tire or give your battery a jump?

Nothing.

Tipping is usual in America because the wage is so low. Abroad the wage is higher (up to $10/hr) so usually there is no tipping in Europe, etc, but the waiter(ress) will still take a tip and not tell you not to tip. Tipping is on the subtotal before tax, 15-20% if the service is good, the latter if really good. $1/day for the maid. Also tour bus drivers depend on tips too. I always move my own luggage, but tip them if they do it for you.

Kinembe, I agree that people should do their research before travelling, and it cuts both ways. I'd expect American travellers to do the same and restrain their tipping here.

The problem on both sides is mostly ignorance - many visitors to the US not taking the trouble to understand that many service personnel need those tips to live, and conversely many American travellers not taking the trouble to understand that with few exceptions the US system doesn't apply in other countries.

For the record, the legal minimum wage for a waiter in Australia is something like $13/hr, but $15-20 would be more common in restaurants (as opposed to casual dining places). People often do leave small tips, but they're not expected. For some reason it's more common in upmarket restaurants where the waiting staff can expect to be paid more.

Many people's tipping habits derive from their concern that a waiter not think them "cheap," which, in my opinion, is an irrational way to spend money.

"What, if anything, would you tip the roadside service guy (ie AAA or other) who comes to change a tire or give your battery a jump?"

Nothing!

There are legions who work for minimum wage (been there, done that)at a variety of jobs who neither expect nor recieve tips. I do not tip maids for a hotel room because I have already paid for that clean room. To say "but they make so little and it costs you so little" is, IMO, BS. I work hard, don't make that much myself, and see no reason to pay even more. And I dine out very rarely because I can't afford it anymore (and tip percentages seem to be on the increase, along with the food/beverage prices, which seems illogical).