Tipping In Your Own Country

[MCCREADY8 0]

In Thailand tipping is almost automatic,(Only because they make farangs believe its custom in Thailand to tip. Have you ever seen Thais tip in Pattaya?)

 

What's your views on tipping in your own country? Do you tip taxi drivers, take-away delivery men, commercial delivery men?

 

What about the paper boy/milk boy?

 

Myself? It really depends what kind of mood I'm in tbh, I don't have a milk/paper boy but I would tip them if i did, as they are only kids trying to earn a wee bit

 

of cash for themselves.

 

Commercial delivery men I never tip, however if they are delivering something to my house and building that item, I will offer them tea/coffee and a bite to eat.

 

I'll usually round a taxi fair up to the nearest pound, but only because i cant be bothered with the driver fumbling about for change. If I know that the driver has

 

made an effort to get me to the destination asap then I'll maybe stick an extra few quid on to the fare.Pizza/Chinese delivery etc £1 tip.

 

I normally tip a waiter or waitress regardless of my experience there, funnily enough I also always tip the barber, even if I'm not too impressed with his/her

 

work.Hope to hear an American perspective on this were their tipping culture is different,and Australian were i hear they dont have a tipping culture

Edited January 24, 2011 by MCCREADY8

[FatherMojo 2]

Tipping is rarely done in Japan so sometimes I feel odd tipping folks for doing their job while traveling. The only place that I have heard where tipping is done in Japan is at high-end traditional Japanese Inns. I think the tip was like USD 50+. Not for me!

 

 

 

FatherMojo

[kaiser71 30]

In America, waiters and waitresses are paid a salary ~ 50% of minimum wage. Tipping 15% is expected. I'm guessing in Europe they have a much higher base salary.

[joekicker 53]

In Thailand tipping is almost automatic,(Only because they make farangs believe its custom in Thailand to tip. Have you ever seen Thais tip in Pattaya?)

 

Yes. I'd say most Thais tip more than most farang in Thailand. Just my own observation, though.

 

.

[DjMiami 18]

Well here in Miami 15 to 20% is expected for most things you would tip on. While in Thailand i let the GF handle the payments and I watch her as to who she tips and not. Its surprizng to see who she tips and what the percentage is I seen her tip as little as 1% all the way up to 25%.

[Tatanka 1]

In America, waiters and waitresses are paid a salary ~ 50% of minimum wage. Tipping 15% is expected. I'm guessing in Europe they have a much higher base salary.

 

You say tipping is expected.

What happens if one decides not to tip ?

 

How can someone get 50% of the minimum wage ? In Holland that would not be possible.

Minimum wage is....well, what it says. You can not give an employee less than that.

Edited January 24, 2011 by Tatanka

[berettakid 26]

In England i rarely tip, if in a Taxi no way, delivery drivers no, the only people i do tip is if i go to a restaurant for a meal and the waitress, will get £5 if the meal comes to around £50, my friends are, Two factory workers from Jaguar cars, one unemployed,another a green keeper we all are not highly paid, so giving tops is something we dont do lightly

[gaijin 146]

In America, waiters and waitresses are paid a salary ~ 50% of minimum wage. Tipping 15% is expected. I'm guessing in Europe they have a much higher base salary.

 

 

I don't know about that. I believe waiters make whatever the state's minimum wage or at least the Federal min wage per hour, and plus whatever tips are agreed upon, could be 100%, could be split between bus boys and managers.

 

I tip around 10-20 baht in Pattaya restaurants and they're usually happy with it.

[kdc1899 1]

I'll tip when I want and I never give business to places that require a gratuity on the checkbin.

[MCCREADY8 0]

we all are not highly paid, so giving tops is something we dont do lightly

 

Thats fair enough.

[gs joe 1,780]

In Thailand tipping is almost automatic,(Only because they make farangs believe its custom in Thailand to tip. Have you ever seen Thais tip in Pattaya?)

 

What's your views on tipping in your own country? Do you tip taxi drivers, take-away delivery men, commercial delivery men?

 

What about the paper boy/milk boy?

 

Myself? It really depends what kind of mood I'm in tbh, I don't have a milk/paper boy but I would tip them if i did, as they are only kids trying to earn a wee bit

 

of cash for themselves.

 

Commercial delivery men I never tip, however if they are delivering something to my house and building that item, I will offer them tea/coffee and a bite to eat.

 

I'll usually round a taxi fair up to the nearest pound, but only because i cant be bothered with the driver fumbling about for change. If I know that the driver has

 

made an effort to get me to the destination asap then I'll maybe stick an extra few quid on to the fare.Pizza/Chinese delivery etc £1 tip.

 

I normally tip a waiter or waitress regardless of my experience there, funnily enough I also always tip the barber, even if I'm not too impressed with his/her

 

work.Hope to hear an American perspective on this were their tipping culture is different,and Australian were i hear they dont have a tipping culture

 

Do you leave a tip for the maid , when you stay in a hotel in your homeland ?

and is a L/D consider a tip or just payment for the girls time ?

 

Joe

Edited January 24, 2011 by gs joe

[MCCREADY8 0]

Yes. I'd say most Thais tip more than most farang in Thailand. .

 

.

 

I find that astounding.

[MCCREADY8 0]

Do you leave a tip for the maid , when you stay in a hotel in your homeland ?

and is a L/D consider a tip or just payment for the girls time ?

 

Joe

 

Yes i always tip the maid irrespective which country.

 

I would pay for a LD for the girls time and usually give a 100bt when i leave if satisfied.

[kaiser71 30]

You say tipping is expected.

What happens if one decides not to tip ?

Nothing. Then the waiter goes out back and kicks garbage cans for a few minutes.

How can someone get 50% of the minimum wage ? In Holland that would not be possible.

Minimum wage is....well, what it says. You can not give an employee less than that.

This is going back 20 years, but I think everything works the same now.

Salary + tips must be above minimum wage - averaged over a pay period. With tips, most waiters will make at least 150% of min wage. It all depends on how busy the place is. They have to tip out the bartender, busboys. So, if you ordered a $100 meal and didn't tip, he'd end up losing money on your table.

 

When a waiter hears a European accent he cringes. Not your fault. Just a different system. How does it work in Europe?

Edited January 24, 2011 by kaiser71

[The_Fat_Controller 25]

Tipping should be for good service and not an expectation of ANY staff, I think the US system is bizarre.

 

In Thailand I usually leave a small tip of 20 Baht plus any small coins in the change up to another 9 Baht.

 

My girlfriend, who is a schoolteacher, leaves the small change OR 20 Baht maximum and nothing if service charge is added to the bill.

 

I always have a word with the maid on check-in and make sure I have two rolls of toilet tissue available at all times, tip her 20 Baht and leave the same every day.

 

In the UK, I tip my local taxi guy and barber £1 each time, and if eating out add a 5 to 10 % tip IF the service has been good.

Edited January 24, 2011 by The_Fat_Controller

[Ajicey125 0]

I am an American, and live in New York City, where entire industries can and do revolve around the expectation of gratuity. I find it an interesting topic not only when discussing how tips are handled abroad, but I find it amazing that from state to state within my own country the scales tend to ebb and flow according to regional and cultural norms.

 

Waiters and waitresses are the easiest example. Here in New York it is true that the employees receive a pittance of an hourly wage, if they receive one at all. The bigger restaurants and chains run serious risks of being audited by the IRS (tax collectors) should they not offer at least a meager payroll mainly because of the government expecting to get their slice. Smaller outfits, like privately owned pubs and family owned restaurants (mostly 'mom and pop' joints) can get away with not paying any wage at all, and the "employee" lives on any tips generated.

 

Most people who were born and raised in this part of the country are aware of this situation so tips for waiters and waitresses tend to be a bit on the higher side compared to the rest of the country. The wait staff at these places are also expected to tip out any bartenders, bus-boys and runners that helped them on their shift... typically something to the tune of 10%-20% of their gross for the evening.

 

The main reason this is accepted is due to the large amount generated in tips. A standard tip for a server in these parts is about 15%, and the cost to go out and eat is probably double in NYC than it is in most places in the country if not the western world. So it is one of the few professions that exist (in a country that has shipped 90% of it's blue collar work overseas) wherein a non-educated hard working individual can make enough money support themselves and their family.

 

I remember when I was a child and being taught how to tip I was told to simply double the sales tax on the meal and you've got your tip. Sales tax at the time was 8.25% (I couldn't tell you what it is now, but I doubt it has changed much). Not leaving a tip is viewed as being incredibly tacky and uncouth. And I warn any tourists that head out this way to steer clear of returning to any establishment where no gratuity was offered as you will experience the 'not so nice' side of New Yorkers very quickly.

 

I have had the pleasure of living in California where business owners are mandated by state law to provide a minimum wage. As a result the tipping tends to be a bit lower than it is in the northeast. I have also spent a considerable amount of time in the south (think Tennessee, Alabama, etc.) and across a few states in the Midwest (mostly Minnesota). In these other regions nothing compares to the amount we tip up here, but that is mainly due to the drastic difference in costs.

 

Additionally, in these other regions you seldom see much tipping in the way of taxi or livery drivers unless you're within a major city (Chicago, San Fran, DC). In New York there are hundreds of thousands of cabs, car services, limo services, and so on that all have to adhere to special rules depending on the type of service they're providing and within which region/district/borough of the city they are allowed to operate within. Cab rides in the city are pretty cheap in the grand scheme of things (albeit still viewed as a luxury when compared to riding subways, buses, trains, ferries, so on, so forth).

 

If you're traveling within city limits, more often than not you're being charged a metered rate which is very reasonable. There are additional fees for certain times of day, and additional passengers, but due to the massive supply the rates are kept relatively affordable. I could be wrong, but I am almost certain that the city government imposes some sort of cap on what the cabs can charge. Granted there are a number of factors that would skew my over-generalizations (tolls, heavy traffic, vomiting in the car, etc.).

 

I personally tend to tip a bit on the higher side for good cab service. Anyone who knows there way around the city is keen to when a cabbie is trying to take an extended route or attempting to pull a stunt. I appreciate when a driver takes a bit of pride in being able to get me where I'm going in a safe and efficient manner. As long as the cabbie follows what I like to call the "human decency" factor I'll tip up to 30% for a ride. Note, however, that when I bounce around town my cab ride is seldom over 7$. It's always just easier for me to round up to a nice even number, and that extra dollar that I would have kept means a hell of a lot less to me than it does to the cabbie. Again, regional factors are at play here because it costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to be allowed to own and operate a cab in new york city. Because of this you seldom encounter many owner-operators. Most cab drivers are living off of their tips while the owner of the taxi is collecting the lion's share of the fares. In other parts of the country these car services are seen as a major luxury and the prices are outrageous compared to what I am used to up here. But, that being said, in these other parts one could not possibly live without owning an automobile the way I do. So it is all relative.

 

Barber shops, any sort of concierge or delivery service (provided I have the option of picking up said items myself), good lap dances, door men at selective clubs and nightlife spots, musicians playing at places that don't charge an entrance fee, tour guides, catering companies... the list could go on. So much of New York revolves around the service industry, and convenience is a tangible widget in these parts that a the tip has become more of an obligation than an expectation. Once again, if you come to these parts be forewarned that if you don't tip expect to be treated accordingly.

 

With all that being said, it is difficult for me to visit a place like LOS and forgo this practice which has been bred into me since birth. Combine that with the glaring cost differential, and the constant over-consumption of alcohol and I tend to go a bit overboard when I'm a 2 week millionaire. I've never rang the bell, but whenever I check-bin I immediately calculate and additional 20% into the total as a matter of habit. Last year was my first trip, and it took a while before a bar girl stopped me and took back a bunch of money from the tab and put it in my pocket. Prior to that particular situation I never thought twice about tipping. But ever since, I made a point of giving the check and the 1000 baht note to the girl and had her pay the bill just so I could catch a glimpse of the "norm". To my surprise, the tips were usually the same regardless of the total.

 

I was able to find a couple of thais during that trip that were able to explain a bit. One in particular, a relatively young little stunner (probably 30, but looked like she was 23), who was running a bar up in Chiang Mai. She was married to some German guy who had since retired to Thailand and decided to own a bunch of bars but not work in them. She said that in most cases that any tip is greatly appreciated regardless of the amount so if I'm doing it to impress someone I'm just wasting my time, and baht. Being that I was on holiday, and the type of tourist that I am, she said that it has become normal amongst the thais in the service industry to expect tips from the farang hordes. However, there are situations in which a tip could be viewed as being rude and/or condescending. According to her it makes us appear as if we think we are 'better' than the person we are giving the tip to, and that the person that they work for is not doing enough to provide for their needs. This was a bit of a shock to me, and I wish I had less whiskey in me that night as it is definitely a topic that I would have enjoyed expounding upon.

 

If anyone can provide any sort of insights, or examples as to when this particular situation may prove to be true, please enlighten me.

 

This same girl went on to talk about how most of the girls that work for her, and the ones that she knew to come from the country seldom consider putting together any sort of savings as well. She said that for the most part the bulk of the money the girls receive goes back home. But anything left over that is not spent on providing the bare necessities is spent as soon as it is made in a number of different ways.... but I digress.

 

I do find it fascinating. I am curious as to how others handle tipping in their respective countries, and if they modify their spending habits when on holiday in Thailand. Especially places like Europe and Australia (mainly because now that I have been to LOS, I won't waste my money going on vacation anywhere else, so don't expect to see me in your home town any time soon). Is there a "norm" to speak of in Thailand? I have to imagine that Patts is a universe unto itself in comparison to most of the country.

 

Wheels up in 3 days. Anyone who wants to continue this conversation over a couple of Heineken hit me up. I definitely need to make more connections while I'm out there this time around.

 

Please bear in mind that my particular opinion on the matter is not necessarily reflective of the views of all yanks. There are entire groups of people within our country that do not subscribe to the tipping paradigm as I see it. Someone else on this thread mentioned that when a waiter hears a European accent they cringe. It's not just the tourists. Ask any waiter that's been in the game a while and I'm sure they'll have a laundry list of stereotypes to ramble off.

 

I doubt many would disagree with me that Americans probably take it to a whole different level when it comes to tipping when compared to the rest of the world. I just know that if I go out and someone is providing a service or convenience that I would otherwise be able to provide for myself through some other means I am going to tip. I can count on one hand the amount of times I've chosen not to tip. Poor service typically results in a tip in the 10% - 15% range. Good service always gets 20%. I will admit that I suffer from the same affliction stateside as I do when overseas... If I'm really enjoying myself (see whiskey) and the establishment is bending over backwards for me I've been known to tip anywhere from 30% to 150%.

 

But that's just me. I'm young with next to no responsibilities and enjoy spending my money as opposed to watching it drop in value every day sitting underneath a mattress somewhere. That and my vacation only lasts about two weeks. I cannot live like a rockstar in my city without running the risk of being evicted for failure to pay rent. Even then I doubt it would be worth it because you would need a couple million dollars to party in NYC the way we do in LOS.

 

Hopefully I haven't pissed anyone off with any of my commentary... but we new yorkers tend to do it without even knowing. Apologies in advance to the sensitive ones.

 

-=UG=-

Edited January 24, 2011 by Ajicey125

[MCCREADY8 0]

I am an American, and live in New York City, where entire industries can and do revolve around the expectation of gratuity. I find it an interesting topic not only when discussing how tips are handled abroad, but I find it amazing that from state to state within my own country the scales tend to ebb and flow according to regional and cultural norms.

 

Waiters and waitresses are the easiest example. Here in New York it is true that the employees receive a pittance of an hourly wage, if they receive one at all. The bigger restaurants and chains run serious risks of being audited by the IRS (tax collectors) should they not offer at least a meager payroll mainly because of the government expecting to get their slice. Smaller outfits, like privately owned pubs and family owned restaurants (mostly 'mom and pop' joints) can get away with not paying any wage at all, and the "employee" lives on any tips generated.

 

Most people who were born and raised in this part of the country are aware of this situation so tips for waiters and waitresses tend to be a bit on the higher side compared to the rest of the country. The wait staff at these places are also expected to tip out any bartenders, bus-boys and runners that helped them on their shift... typically something to the tune of 10%-20% of their gross for the evening.

 

The main reason this is accepted is due to the large amount generated in tips. A standard tip for a server in these parts is about 15%, and the cost to go out and eat is probably double in NYC than it is in most places in the country if not the western world. So it is one of the few professions that exist (in a country that has shipped 90% of it's blue collar work overseas) wherein a non-educated hard working individual can make enough money support themselves and their family.

 

I remember when I was a child and being taught how to tip I was told to simply double the sales tax on the meal and you've got your tip. Sales tax at the time was 8.25% (I couldn't tell you what it is now, but I doubt it has changed much). Not leaving a tip is viewed as being incredibly tacky and uncouth. And I warn any tourists that head out this way to steer clear of returning to any establishment where no gratuity was offered as you will experience the 'not so nice' side of New Yorkers very quickly.

 

I have had the pleasure of living in California where business owners are mandated by state law to provide a minimum wage. As a result the tipping tends to be a bit lower than it is in the northeast. I have also spent a considerable amount of time in the south (think Tennessee, Alabama, etc.) and across a few states in the Midwest (mostly Minnesota). In these other regions nothing compares to the amount we tip up here, but that is mainly due to the drastic difference in costs.

 

Additionally, in these other regions you seldom see much tipping in the way of taxi or livery drivers unless you're within a major city (Chicago, San Fran, DC). In New York there are hundreds of thousands of cabs, car services, limo services, and so on that all have to adhere to special rules depending on the type of service they're providing and within which region/district/borough of the city they are allowed to operate within. Cab rides in the city are pretty cheap in the grand scheme of things (albeit still viewed as a luxury when compared to riding subways, buses, trains, ferries, so on, so forth).

 

If you're traveling within city limits, more often than not you're being charged a metered rate which is very reasonable. There are additional fees for certain times of day, and additional passengers, but due to the massive supply the rates are kept relatively affordable. I could be wrong, but I am almost certain that the city government imposes some sort of cap on what the cabs can charge. Granted there are a number of factors that would skew my over-generalizations (tolls, heavy traffic, vomiting in the car, etc.).

 

I personally tend to tip a bit on the higher side for good cab service. Anyone who knows there way around the city is keen to when a cabbie is trying to take an extended route or attempting to pull a stunt. I appreciate when a driver takes a bit of pride in being able to get me where I'm going in a safe and efficient manner. As long as the cabbie follows what I like to call the "human decency" factor I'll tip up to 30% for a ride. Note, however, that when I bounce around town my cab ride is seldom over 7$. It's always just easier for me to round up to a nice even number, and that extra dollar that I would have kept means a hell of a lot less to me than it does to the cabbie. Again, regional factors are at play here because it costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to be allowed to own and operate a cab in new york city. Because of this you seldom encounter many owner-operators. Most cab drivers are living off of their tips while the owner of the taxi is collecting the lion's share of the fares. In other parts of the country these car services are seen as a major luxury and the prices are outrageous compared to what I am used to up here. But, that being said, in these other parts one could not possibly live without owning an automobile the way I do. So it is all relative.

 

Barber shops, any sort of concierge or delivery service (provided I have the option of picking up said items myself), good lap dances, door men at selective clubs and nightlife spots, musicians playing at places that don't charge an entrance fee, tour guides, catering companies... the list could go on. So much of New York revolves around the service industry, and convenience is a tangible widget in these parts that a the tip has become more of an obligation than an expectation. Once again, if you come to these parts be forewarned that if you don't tip expect to be treated accordingly.

 

With all that being said, it is difficult for me to visit a place like LOS and forgo this practice which has been bred into me since birth. Combine that with the glaring cost differential, and the constant over-consumption of alcohol and I tend to go a bit overboard when I'm a 2 week millionaire. I've never rang the bell, but whenever I check-bin I immediately calculate and additional 20% into the total as a matter of habit. Last year was my first trip, and it took a while before a bar girl stopped me and took back a bunch of money from the tab and put it in my pocket. Prior to that particular situation I never thought twice about tipping. But ever since, I made a point of giving the check and the 1000 baht note to the girl and had her pay the bill just so I could catch a glimpse of the "norm". To my surprise, the tips were usually the same regardless of the total.

 

I was able to find a couple of thais during that trip that were able to explain a bit. One in particular, a relatively young little stunner (probably 30, but looked like she was 23), who was running a bar up in Chiang Mai. She was married to some German guy who had since retired to Thailand and decided to own a bunch of bars but not work in them. She said that in most cases that any tip is greatly appreciated regardless of the amount so if I'm doing it to impress someone I'm just wasting my time, and baht. Being that I was on holiday, and the type of tourist that I am, she said that it has become normal amongst the thais in the service industry to expect tips from the farang hordes. However, there are situations in which a tip could be viewed as being rude and/or condescending. According to her it makes us appear as if we think we are 'better' than the person we are giving the tip to, and that the person that they work for is not doing enough to provide for their needs. This was a bit of a shock to me, and I wish I had less whiskey in me that night as it is definitely a topic that I would have enjoyed expounding upon.

 

If anyone can provide any sort of insights, or examples as to when this particular situation may prove to be true, please enlighten me.

 

This same girl went on to talk about how most of the girls that work for her, and the ones that she knew to come from the country seldom consider putting together any sort of savings as well. She said that for the most part the bulk of the money the girls receive goes back home. But anything left over that is not spent on providing the bare necessities is spent as soon as it is made in a number of different ways.... but I digress.

 

I do find it fascinating. I am curious as to how others handle tipping in their respective countries, and if they modify their spending habits when on holiday in Thailand. Especially places like Europe and Australia (mainly because now that I have been to LOS, I won't waste my money going on vacation anywhere else, so don't expect to see me in your home town any time soon). Is there a "norm" to speak of in Thailand? I have to imagine that Patts is a universe unto itself in comparison to most of the country.

 

Wheels up in 3 days. Anyone who wants to continue this conversation over a couple of Heineken hit me up. I definitely need to make more connections while I'm out there this time around.

 

-=UG=-

 

Great post.

[Fondles 94]

I dont tip at home and I dont tip here, I let the missus handle the money, she might leave 5 baht.

[Regyai 415]

Oh

 

 

I thought this was a thread about dumping rubbish

 

 

 

 

 

.

[captcraig2 120]

I don't know about that. I believe waiters make whatever the state's minimum wage or at least the Federal min wage per hour, and plus whatever tips are agreed upon, could be 100%, could be split between bus boys and managers.

 

I tip around 10-20 baht in Pattaya restaurants and they're usually happy with it.

 

That depends on what State you are in, when we owned a business in California you paid ALL employee's no less than minimum wage. But we now have a restaurant in Missouri and here the law states that tipped employee's are to be paid no less than 50% of the required minimum wage (Right to work State), providing they make at least half of the State wage in tips. Our waitresses get paid $3.63 per hour....as long as they make at least $3.63 per hour in tips (which they always do). Tips are earned and not a given, if you get good service the tips will always be there....Bad service, then no tip is expected! same rule should apply anywhere in the world...That's why it's called gratuity! we do not require our wait staff to split any tips with bus boys or dishwashers, but if they choose not to, then don't expect any help when you need it! Our bus boys and dishwashers are all paid the State minimum wage. A tip of 10 or 20 baht is fair as long as your tab is 200 baht or less...If not, you are a "Cheap Charlie"! and I would hope the staff remembers you on your next visit! would you bust your ass for 10 baht? I wouldn't! unless of course your bill is only 100 baht! by the way, standard gratuity is at least 15 to 20% unless you get shitty service.

 

 

One more thing.....Managers NEVER get a tip split.......That would create a conflict of interest!

Edited January 25, 2011 by captcraig2

[captcraig2 120]

I dont tip at home and I dont tip here, I let the missus handle the money, she might leave 5 baht.

 

 

5 Baht is an insult and again, I would hope you get the service you're paying for! They are service employee's not your free slave! I would be ashamed to show my face in an establishment where I left a 5 baht tip....Unless the service was very poor! .... If you left me a 5 Baht tip after giving you good service..... I would give it back to you....Seems you need the money far more than I do!

[Fondles 94]

sucks to be you captcraigy, I leave fuck all, if you actually read my post instead of being an all knowing asshole you would notice it's my missus who leaves the 5 baht tip.......sometimes.

 

If your working in a place that only attracts a 5baht tip from my missus it would seem its you who needs the money, not me.

Edited January 25, 2011 by Fondles

[joekicker 53]

Tipping should be for good service and not an expectation of ANY staff, I think the US system is bizarre.

 

Tipping is required in most "real" hotels and restaurants in Thailand. They call it a service charge of course, but it's not voluntary. Lots of places in lots of countries to this. I suspect the French are more notorious than most, for the "service (non) compris" slogan everywhere.

 

.

[kaiser71 30]

Tipping should be for good service and not an expectation of ANY staff, I think the US system is bizarre.

Look at it this way - The waiter has to get paid somehow. Higher prices, tips, a service charge added to the bill. The tip system creates the most incentive for quality work. And don't feel sorry for them - average city/restaurant they make ~ $100 for 5 or 6 hours of work - best paying job around for someone going to school.

 

Some countries in Europe have the service charge added, right?

[jacko 8,822]

In America, waiters and waitresses are paid a salary ~ 50% of minimum wage. Tipping 15% is expected. I'm guessing in Europe they have a much higher base salary.

If they paid 50% of minimum wage, well it is hardly minimum wage is it?

In Europe minimum wage means just that.