Re: n. stiff, the antonym?

On 16 Feb 2006 08:44:26 -0800, "Seán O'Leathlóbhair"
<jwlawler@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I find the tip culture in America a challenge. How much and when to
tip is not obvious to me. For example, sometimes the bill includes a
tip (a weird concept in itself), are you expected to add even more?

There are no rules, but there are guidelines. For restaurant service,
the guideline is 15% to 20% of the amount not including tax. However,
there are other factors. If I have just a cup of coffee and a piece
of pie, I'll tip higher than 20% on the basis that the space I took up
might have been occupied by a person that would have ordered a full
meal. I can't see depriving the waitress of income because I wasn't
hungry. Likewise, if I have a coupon for a free meal if another meal
is purchased, I'll tip based on what the total would have been if both
meals had been charged for.

Normally, the bill only includes the tip if the bill is for the meals
of a large number of people. That's a method of stopping everyone
from thinking that someone else is leaving the tip.

There are some places that have a basic service charge, and you tip
above that amount. In that case, you would tip to bring up the
service charge plus tip to 15% or 20%.

The whole subject of tipping in the US has been done to death here.
As far as I'm concerned, it's the way we do it and if you are here you
go along with the local custom. It's like taking off your shoes in a
Japanese house: custom. I'll do it in a Japanese house, but I don't
expect you to do it in my house.

If I visit where you live, I'll try to find out what is customary in
your area. It seems you should do the same if you come here.
Most guidebooks on the US contain sections on when to tip who and how
much. It's always voluntary, but you may endure some scathing
comments if you don't follow the custom.








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Tony Cooper
Orlando, FL
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