Tipping Etiquette

Thank you for this valuable information. At restaurants, it's 15% and 18% if you order drinks. Here is where I'm confused. If you go to a restaurant and order take out, then are you supposed to tip? The service at PF Chang's restaurant is awesome. I usually leave $2.00 because they go out of their way to make sure that you leave home happy. Tipping at the hair and nail salon can be quite an expense. 20% is too high and I'm afraid not too many people will afford it.

Tipping started in the Roman Empire? No kidding? I had no idea...thanks for that bit of trivia. :) I'm a pretty good tipper considering I never have much money. I wonder what that says? LOL

We have always been good tippers, but recently I had a pretty bad experience at a restaurant and didn't tip as well as usually do. I felt bad, but what it boiled down to was the girl truly could care less, was not very nice to my kids and the service was poor. That said I do agree fundamentally with your article, but I guess I reserve my judgement until I see that I am not being treated properly.

I didn't know it started in the Roman Empire either. That is interesting!

Interesting Ruchira - I used to depend on tips when I worked in restaurants. For that reason I usually over tip a little bit and on special occasions or if they did something exceptional - I will leave a giant tip because I get a kick out of thinking I made their day extra nice too.

I have refused to tip for service that is off too though - if the server has an attitude or is sloppy - I won't leave as much or none at all. If they hate their job - I don't want to know about that. I want them to hide it so I can enjoy my night out:) Selfish...I know:)

I agree with RealHousewife. Plus, in the 1940s and 1950s, when service was bad, the customers put down 2 pennies as a tip to indicate poor service. I don't think anyone knows what that means now.

Good service, above average tip. Bad service I'll either leave nothing or 2 cents. I figure if they get the 2 cents or nothing they'll know I was disappointed in the service I rec'd.

I appreciate your stance on Karma and agree, especially with the issue of tipping.

I am overly generous unless the service is blatantly apathetic...I never penalize the server for bad food but will ask to speak to the manager about that. I over compensate if I observe someone treating a server rudely or see they do not leave a tip when warranted.

Thank you for this. My tipping habits are simple. 15% is average, It will go up or down based on service.

It is funny because some older persons that I know do not understand the concept of leaving a percentage of the tip. They still think $1 per meal is enough.

this is a much needed hub.. I tip 20% down the line except for busboys and caddies.. I tip them on how they do sometimes a great deal sometimes not yeah I can really use this hub info Ruch thank you

I didn't know that tipping was up to 20 %. I am a tipper because i know the person is working for minimun wage. I must admit there were times when i thought about not leaving a tip, ( Bad Service ). I am shocked at the celebrates who do not tip, shame on them. I must tell you a true story that happened this year, a friend who works in a cocktail lounge in Fl. She thought she would make a mint when the GOP held their get-together at her place of work, It seems they brought their own liquor, all she did was empty ash trays and deliver ice to their table.Ha. Thank's Ruchira, Great hub..

Excellent article. I am a tipper and often tip when it is not even expected. I didn't know it started with the Roman Empire. That can be a very interesting conversation starter. Thanks for the Great Article!

Good advice and a reminder on tipping and Karma, Ruchira. Thanks for sharing!! Am passing it on.

Great advice I never know how much to tip. The principle of Karma very interesting and true.

I had no idea it could be offensive to tip in the countries you list in here. However I feel good service deserves a good tip and vice versa well, I don't tip well. The least I expect is good prompt service.

Voted up.

Very Interesting, Ruchira how the practice of tipping varies so, from place to place. As a teen, I was a tipped employee...and as a result, I am a big tipper! Most people who work and are underpaid due to gratuity being considered as part of their income......are very hard workers! I have always appreciated waiters, manicurists, baggage handlers, parking attendants, etc......I even tip the kids who pump gas and carry out groceries.......Love this hub! You did an excellent job as always....UP+++

Interesting hub! Its difficult to know how much to tip. It'd be great if we could feel free to tip more when the service is great, and less when the service isn't so great. But there's so much pressure to stay at 15 - 20%.

I travel all over the country and the world. We live in San Francisco. My wife and I eat in a restaurant at least 4 times a week when we are home, when I travel every meal. 20% has been the threshold for a long time, at least 12 years. Now the tip should be a reward for favorable service not overwhelming service. The threshold for good service is relatively low so very seldom do I not tip the full or more than 20%. In San Francisco the city killed th waiters by forcing restaurants to pay minimum wage, this then reduces the number of waiters and forces a sharing of the tips with establishment. It has no effect on the amount or percentage of the tip. In the past and in most cities the waiters make less than minimum wage, keep their tips and many of the waiters drove Porsches..good for them!

there are 2 things that annoy me...the first is when good service is under-tipped - especially when it's by someone of wealth. There's not enough good service in the world today and what little there is - needs to be generously recognized! The other irritant is when bad service is over-tipped - it's like positively reinforcing a bad behavior...eventually - he won't be getting 'pity-tips' anymore - he'll be getting fired!

Great hub topic..personally - it makes me happy to tip well but - 20% as a general rule seems a tad high..

I am surprised Bill Cosby is not a good tipper - not sure why but I was like 'really?'. I think it is important to tip when you get good service at a restaurant. I always think it supplements their hourly wages and if it were me I would appreciate it. I'm sharing this one!

Tipping all depends on the service and the attitude. I'm a softie and always put myself in someone elses shoes so I usually leave a good size tip. I agree with tipping is good karma! :)

I am a decent tipper I feel-and a great tipper when the service is really good--great article Ruchira!

I waited tables when my Hubby was in Vet school, and we depended on tips to buy food. If service is good and the food is good, I tip 15%.

Good Hub, I voted it Up, etc.

I agree that tipping should always be given, even if the service is poor. The tip should be a minimum amount if this is the case. Great advice for when others visit foreign countries -- don't want to insult or confuse the staff.

There are places that you can't tip? That's crazy! Tipping is a way to say, "Thanks, you did a good job and made me happy." Any time that I get served in any capacity, I tip.

My husband and I tip very well, but there are some places I draw the line with a big tip though. If a waitress or waiter orders our food, doesn't come back to bring us the food or check on us, but rushes over when the bill is ready...I don't tip well.

I was a waitress, and I know that I am not meant to be in the service industry. I am not patient enough to deal with angry customers...if people didn't tip me, I understood. I think if you are in the service industry, then you have to treat people with respect in order to get the tip you deserve.

Ruchira,

The only reason I don't tip is because some of the restaurants in Kathmandu include service charge in the check.

I did not know the full form or the history. Thanks for this wonderful lesson.

I'm not sure that ethics enters into it. You tip when it's customary in your country, and you don't tip when it isn't customary. Still, I'm voting this Up and Interesting.

I always over tip when receiving good service as it is so rare these days.

I would give a generous tip if I had good service, in Croatia it is not compulsory to tip but we often do

Ruchira ~ I always want to tip more than those I am with, my wife included . . . she is the kindest and most honest person I've ever come across, but she's regularly fussing with me that I leave too much. However, while I seem to be inclined to consistently want to tip more than others, I do tip in reference to the manner of service I've received . . . if someone is both expert at the tasks of their job and genuinely personable while performing their duties, I own a great desire to demonstrate my appreciation (not just as their efforts made things nice for me, but in an objective recognition of a job well done) by leaving an over-the-top tip.

But here's the things to consider about all this; since I was 8 or 10 I would stay-up to 2am for my mom to get home and watch her spill the change from her apron onto the kitchen table, and begin to count quarters and dimes, know as I watched her she was counting out new sneakers for me, glasses for my sister, the electric bill, etc, etc . . . my mom raised her household on waitress' tips.