Tipping in USA/Canada

On Wed, 14 Nov 2007 22:48:52 GMT, Craig Welch
wrote:

Qanset said:



Craig Welch wrote:

Qanset said:

Bit late for that, I was there 20 years ago. I saw a peurto rican
waitress get hostile because a British Visitor forgot to leave her a tip
on the table. Her conduct was absolutely disgraceful.

How did you know her nationality? Did she have a badge?

What difference does it make about her nationality. ???? It was only
expressed
as a simple comment.

The difference is that if you can't answer the question, it's clear
that you're talking through your arse.

How did you know her nationality?

And what was the relevance of the waitress' nationality anyway?

--
************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

"Qanset" wrote in message
...

I'm very curious about your "strict moral guidelines." What is the
source
of a morality that says being disrespectful and judgmental when you're a
guest in another culture is acceptable?

What the hell are you talking about ??? How does my moral guidelines
about
tipping relate to respecting local customs.???

Tipping waiters is a local custom in the U.S.

Stephen Farrow wrote:
PTravel wrote:

I've posted these before, but I'll do it again. There are three rules
I follow when I travel internationally (and I've been traveling much
longer than you and to far more places):

1. Always remember you're a guest in someone else's country. Act
like a guest and respect the customs, preferences and practices of
your hosts.

2. If in doubt, ask rather than assume -- I'd rather appear naive
than rude and offensive.

3. Err on the side of generosity -- it is better to pay too much than
too little, tip high rather than low, etc.

You've violated all three rules and, as a result, you've already
offended a number of Americans and you haven't even gotten here yet.

I basically follow those three rules when I travel - but I will say
that, as an Englishman who's travelled extensively in the USA and who
has spent much of the last decade living in Canada, the one circumstance
in which I *won't* tip is if some waiter hears my English accent and
takes it upon himself to explain to me that in North America it's
customary to leave a tip. I absolutely understand that employees in jobs
where tipping is involved are poorly paid and depend on tips for part of
their livelihood, I've spent long enough in North America that I don't
find tipping remotely embarrassing, and in a restaurant in North America
I fully expect to tip 15-20% - but at the same time, tipping is still,
theoretically, discretionary, and I don't appreciate being patronised.


Based on my experience waiting on Europeans, I'll bet that waiter who
reminded you about tipping has been stiffed a lot of times by people
with accents similar to yours.

(Worse is when a European grins while saying to my face, "I don't have
to leave a tip, so I won't.")

Try having a little pity for those who have suffered again and again
from people with an accent similar to your instead of taking their
desperate hope not to get stiffed again as "patronizing."

On Wed, 14 Nov 2007 18:29:50 -0600, LizaJane wrote:

Based on my experience waiting on Europeans, I'll bet that waiter who
reminded you about tipping has been stiffed a lot of times by people
with accents similar to yours.

I hope you're better with accents than most of your countrymen. I have an
unexceptional British accent but most of the time I'm mistaken for an
Australian (occasionally a New Zealander). And even if you know your
accents, I hope you don't think that would be acceptable behaviour. My guess
is you wouldn't like it if something about you reminded your waiter how many
times he'd been stiffed by women of your size/shape/hair colour/skin
colour/state of origin, and he made that comment to you.

DaveM

On Wed, 14 Nov 2007 21:11:40 -0600, "Frank F. Matthews"
wrote:



Hatunen wrote:

On Wed, 14 Nov 2007 18:26:28 +1100, Qanset
wrote:


StephanieM wrote:

The part of the question I couldn't understand why is someone would be
miserly not to tip when it is highly likely they are coming from a
place where they are buying US dollars for cheap, that they would be
offended by tipping.

Its not a case of being miserly. Its a matter of principle.
Everybody has the right to decide if they choose to tip or not to tip.
In some Asian countries my wife and I have gladly given money to the
homeless.

What that has to do with tipping is beyond me.


He is trying to establish that he is not simply cheap.

I wonder if his principle make him wear his shoes when visiting a
Japanese house or a mosque.

--
************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

On Wed, 14 Nov 2007 13:59:31 -0800, Hatunen wrote:

On Wed, 14 Nov 2007 19:47:32 +0000, DaveM
wrote:

On Tue, 13 Nov 2007 23:10:20 -0900, (Dennis
P.
Harris) wrote:

many of the colonies were settled by folks who left england
because of religious persecution --- the new england colonies
(puritans),

However much the Puritans were persecuted, it wasn't enough. Cromwell's
reign was not a pleasant one.

Nor was the reign of the Puritans in the New World.

Shouldn't the above read, "Nor is..."?

:-)

===
Steve
Shoreline, Washington USA

14 Nov 2007, 2232 PST

mrtravel wrote:
Qanset wrote:

Newby wrote:

"Qanset" wrote in message
u...

DaveM wrote:

On Thu, 08 Nov 2007 21:29:14 +1100, Qanset wrote:

The wife and I are planning at trip to USA/Canada in the near future.
Is it true that the Yanks are really hung up on tipping, and that
FORGETTING to tip someone is courting disaster???

Like most tourists we will be traveling on a limited budget,this
means
that anybody expecting free money from us will be advised to look

elsewhere.

A colleague of mine who honeymooned in Hawaii was told by a tour bus
operator, that he EXPECTED gratuities for his efforts, because his
job
was poorly paid. What more can I say.???


[snipped]

What does a tour guide, or taxi driver, do that suggests he/she
should get a
tip?


I dont know. I ask them yourself.

Can you repeat that in English?

A typo. Repeat, Why dont you ask them yourself. I dont set the
criteria for tipping.

mrtravel wrote:
Jan wrote:

Qanset wrote:

Dennis P. Harris wrote:

On Thu, 08 Nov 2007 21:29:14 +1100 in rec.travel.air, Qanset
wrote:


I'm going to cop a lot of flak on this subject, but never mind I
have and open mind on accepting advice on World Travel.

if you have an open mind, the usual gratuity for good service is
15 per cent of the tab. it does not apply in fast food places


where you take your own food to the table.


Thats exactly what I intend to do.




My sister whilst on holiday in Florida, visited a totally self service
buffet.
Upon reaching the till to pay - at this point all she and her family
had were the empty trays on which to place their food. - She was asked
if she wanted "the tip" added to her bill !!!!


Yeah, it's kind of like the tip jar at Starsucks.

Thats their retirement fund, if you must know.

mrtravel wrote:
Craig Welch wrote:

Qanset said:



Bit late for that, I was there 20 years ago. I saw a peurto rican
waitress get hostile because a British Visitor forgot to leave her a
tip on the table. Her conduct was absolutely disgraceful.


How did you know her nationality? Did she have a badge?


People of all nationalities exhibit bad behavior. Why did you single out
her as a "peurto rican"?
In any case, was she hovering over the table waiting for a tip?

I am generally long gone before my few cents is discovered for bad
service.

For bad service, tip a few cents, so they don't think you forgot to
leave a tip.

Excellent idea, BUT ONLY if its bad service.

Hatunen wrote:
On Wed, 14 Nov 2007 22:48:52 GMT, Craig Welch
wrote:

Qanset said:


Craig Welch wrote:

Qanset said:

Bit late for that, I was there 20 years ago. I saw a peurto rican
waitress get hostile because a British Visitor forgot to leave her a tip
on the table. Her conduct was absolutely disgraceful.
How did you know her nationality? Did she have a badge?
What difference does it make about her nationality. ???? It was only
expressed
as a simple comment.
The difference is that if you can't answer the question, it's clear
that you're talking through your arse.

How did you know her nationality?

And what was the relevance of the waitress' nationality anyway?

Its not relevant, it was just mentioned in passing. Others chose to
pick up on it. I'm not prejudiced against Peurto Ricans.