How much do you tip at restaurants?

My figure is no more than 5 to 10%- that may sound miserly to some but I can't help.

Wow 50%? You are very generous !

@much2say That is only for people at our usual hangout.

15%? That's pretty high! Because I'm functionally illiterate, I think in numbers. $52 to $60 is another 16% or so!

@TheHorse Italians are appreciated because they are generous with tips, let's say that with a $52 bill a French would round to $55 and an Italian to $60.

@sabtraversa Exactly, this is what we do in Europe, the service is included in the bill. In the United States the waiter will stop you and have an argument if you do not leave the correct tip, the service is not included there.

Yes, we like to round out to an even amount, so sometimes we tip more.

You all are very generous tippers!

@GardenGerty - I'm glad I am not the only one!

@TheHorse living wage is something that is enough for 3 meals, a living place and average clothes - it would be INR 25000 pet month IN India ( Government figures would be ridiculously low though!)

What constitutres a living wage? Should it be more than I make with my fancy degree in psychology? I work three jobs, plus music and speaker refinishing.

@TheHorse Enough to pay have what one needs and be able to pay for it. I don't know an amount.

Some of my waiter and waitress friends tell me they can tell who will be a good tipper and who will not. As a (retired) dishwasher, I respect those who work at restaurants and try to tip well.

andriaperry Heh. I remember how my hands and feet felt when I was a dishwasher.

@TheHorse Same here, I know how their feet feel.

And we need not pay tip if service charges have already been deducted.

@TheHorse I did not understand? Calculations for what?

You mean they assume you're an idiot and do the calculations for you?

Is that pretty "normal" in India?

@TheHorse I am not sure if it is "Normal"- but I based this after discussion with a few of my friends and some of my elders also used to follow it.

@TheHorse As I mentioned, there are restaurants (not all, some), which collect the tip from the clients, and distribute it evenly across all servers, as earnings can vary and some like cooks and helpers inside never get anything. But now with GST ..that may go..when the restaurant collects upfront it is easier for the customer also because they don't have to decide.

@TheHorse Its monthly pay mostly, but some of the Maids or domestic helpers ask for advance in between.

@TheHorse .. I pay her every month, and she get annual increment. Anything extra I ask her, I pay her extra at the double her normal wage rate for that hour. That is how much it works...when we go out to eat. As of now, she sweeps, mops, cleans restrooms, washes utensils, dries clothes, and removes them, and does some dusting. All that collectively, I pay about 2500 which in itself is very high as per the government prescribed rate for an hour and a half out here. She is old, and does shoddy job. Nobody else will employ her..so kind of ..employed at my place. She also gets breakfast and dinner, annual gratuity (which she has collected for the next 4 years already), and two pairs of clothes. I get yelled at by everybody in the building. You are the one causing inflation they say. She comes only once and their maids are citing her example ..to take afternoons off. But this one is old! Almost my age!

Do you pay your maid every day? Or weekly or monthly?

I love arithmetic, so I'm always thinking about percentage.

@TheHorse I'm just lazy .

@valmnz any special reason for no tipping at all in New Zealand- Is there GST or VAT in New Zealand?

Interesting--thanks for the info!

@valmnz So tips would help?

Yes, in the United States they do that all the time "Hi, my name is XXX, I am your server this evening...". In Italy, France and Switzerland I never heard waiters introducing themselves by name.

@TheHorse @LadyDuck As Anna has said, tips are included in the bill in Europe. We were told by waiters in the USA who recognised that we were Europeans, "Here, tips are not included in the bill." Can one be more direct?

Hello, I am sure some Business Research found that it leads to higher tips, and big chains like Applebees and Outback Steak House started using it.

@Tracy04 Yes and GST is now in India also. In any case,since many years, we have had 14.5% VAT + 8 to 10% Service tax at Restaurants above a certain level, and many of these do not ask for extra tip. But at not so upscale ones, do tip even now.

@TheHorse Service Tax is a kind of "official" "Ransom" by the corrupt central and state governments though of late we are seeing more drive against corruption.

"Service tax" sounds like a "forced tip."

Where is that? I haven't heard of such a thing in the United States.

@TheHorse In some countries, like China, Japan, a no. of restaurants don't accept tips and so don't ask either. Even in the US some popular restaurants have gotten rid of tipping for example Black Star Co-Op in Austin, Riki in NY and many more!

I think that's what I would do as well. Most of my travels have been to Europe, but I can't even remember what the customs were there.

I have had too many friends who were waiters or waitresses not to be considerate of them.

@TheHorse yes so small things mean a lot, it's also the reason a lot leave to work abroad where currency value is higher and bring it back home to spend it here.

Understood. My Filipino friends have explained how income there is not high.

That sounds really sweet! I assume he got a good tip.

@TheHorse I notice they all look that way like they are not happy to see you or wait on you..

@CookieMonster46 I'm glad it's not always like that around here.

Some do. Some don't. I noticed that people (the servers) didn't look very happy at the BBQ place where we played last night.

He was a very classy US fella--a Professor of English.

@TheHorse ohhh good

@TheHorse am very glad to hear that your dad was a verry good proffesor of english