Tipping culture around the world 2

ITALY

Like moped riding and wolf whistling, tipping is customary in Italy – and a few euros can make a lot of difference.

DO: "Check if a service charge or coperto is included. If it's not, 10 per cent of the bill is acceptable in restaurants," says Zablith. "Hotels generally add a service charge of 15 to 18 per cent, but it is customary to tip the service staff extra."

DON'T: Follow the lead of the tight-fisted locals who rarely tip taxi drivers; 5 to 10 per cent is appropriate for visitors. Also, try to avoid offering large tips to referees.

JAPAN

To avoid offence and embarrassment, not only should you never tip in Japan, you should also avoid counting your change after paying a bill.

DO: Keep your yen firmly in your wallet. One of the very few exceptions is if you find yourself at a first-class ryokan (Japanese-style inn), where it is custom to give a tip to the room clerk.

DON'T: Try to give tips in any other circumstance. "Tipping is seen as patronising and vulgar," says Strafford-Taylor. "The proposed recipient can easily take offence: the culture is about respect for others, so every job is done with total focus and effort – from road sweeper right through to company director." Sadly though, you do still have to pay for the stuff you buy.

NEW ZEALAND

Fantastically, it is not customary to tip in New Zealand. No wonder those little guys with the hairy little feet were so unwilling to leave.

DO: Tip if you receive truly exceptional service – especially with hotel concierges, or in restaurants or cafes. "The amount you leave is really at your discretion, but generally remains well under 10 per cent," says Zablith. Some people might call this tight. We call it a result.

DON'T: Feel obliged to tip your waiter, as he won't give you an evil eye if you don't dig deep; it's just not expected. (Oh, and probably best not to make any bad Middle-earth jokes either.)

FRANCE

"By law, a 15 per cent service charge known as servis compris is already included in your restaurant bill," says Tamiko Zablith, managing director of the Minding Manners consultancy (www. mindingmanners.com). No need for an encore then.

DO: Round up the bill to the nearest euro. Despite the service charge, it is still customary to leave small change.

DON'T: Expect effusive "mercis". Eating is an incredibly serious business in France, so it's not always service with a smile.

« first‹ previous12

Source: Men's Health magazine

Sent from my iPhone

Tipping culture around the world

SPAIN

"The locals never tip in Spain – it's seen as bribery," says Helen Warburton, head of travel services at the UK's Post Office.

DO: Leave a small 5 to 10 per cent tip for services if you're a visitor, although note that in many locations, a nominal service charge is already included in the bill. Just to keep things nicely above board.

DON'T: Forget to slide your guide that extra bit if you're on a tour; 10 per cent should keep him waving his yellow flag high.

THE UNITED STATES

Ironically for the "Land of the Free", tipping is customary and expected for nearly everything. "This is reflective of the underlying ultra-capitalist culture of the States," says Ian Strafford-Taylor of foreign exchange service, FairFX. And of the fact that most Yanks obviously have more money than sense.

DO: As Mr Pink pointed out in Reservoir Dogs, waitresses are one of the many groups short-changed by the US government. So tip, and tip generously, as failure to reward good table service with 15 to 20 per cent is a no-no. "Even unsatisfactory service deserves 10 per cent," says Strafford-Taylor. "And you are expected to tip anyone who does anything for you – ranging from the doorman at the hotel to the theatre usher."

DON'T: Leave coins instead of notes; it is considered rude. If it doesn't fold, don't leave it.

EGYPT

The Western notion of tipping is a practice which resembles "baksheesh" in Egypt – a term used to describe everything from charitable giving to certain forms of political corruption and bribery across the Middle East and South Asia. "Baksheesh is very much a way of life in Egypt," says Warburton. Forget about it and it won't just be your camel that has the hump.

DO: Leave 10 per cent of the meal value for most restaurant service; for other small services, a few Egyptian pounds will suffice.

DON'T: Tip for a taxi: the entire fee is generally negotiated as part of the upfront bargaining.

Next: How to tip in Japan and Italy?

12next ›last »

Source: Men's Health magazine

Sent from my iPhone