Private tour guide - treat to lunch ?

[ECURB1994]

When booking a private tour with a guide, is it standard policy to take him/her to lunch and pick up the tab for the guide. My wife says yes, I say no - lunch is just for us and the guide should not be included. Need some guidance here (no pun intended) Thanks.:confused:

[LHT28]

We have done it both ways there is no right or wrong

 

If you wish to dine alone you can do so

Some drop you off & arrange a time/place to pick you up after lunch

[phillymaps]

Most guides appreciate being taken out to lunch. Plus, it gives you an opportunity to speak with the guide and learn more about his/her country and life. Lunch with our tour guides has given us a better "feel" for the country.

[A Knitter]

I normally do because I have set up the tours way in advance and gotten to know them via email so I look forward to meeting them.

[StanandJim]

I normally do because I have set up the tours way in advance and gotten to know them via email so I look forward to meeting them.

 

We always invite the guide to lunch, but make a point of explaining that we would understand if they prefer to "do their own thing" instead.

[RetiredFL]

We have invited them but most prefer to dine alone.

If they take you to a popular restaurant there will be other tours there and usually the guides dine together, probably to tell funny stories.

Other times it was obvious they wanted to catch up on messages, tweets or whatever.

Offer but don't push it. It is probably work for them to speak English and do the tours and they want a break also.

[Marebear]

We have always invited them to join us - some do and others don't. We leave it up to them to join us and when they do, we pick up the tab for all of us.

[ClaudiaF]

We have invited them but most prefer to dine alone.

If they take you to a popular restaurant there will be other tours there and usually the guides dine together, probably to tell funny stories.

Other times it was obvious they wanted to catch up on messages, tweets or whatever.

Offer but don't push it. It is probably work for them to speak English and do the tours and they want a break also.

 

 

If they refer/stear you to " a specific restaurant " they usually know the owners or get free lunch for bringing you there..that is usually why the guides all dine together..

 

If it is just two of us and the guide and we are somewhere where he/she might be left alone while we have lunch we always invite.

If you prefer to enjoy a private lunch do not feel bad not inviting the guide.. it is your vacation and you are still paying them for their time.

[cruisecountess]

If lunch comes during the tour, we always invite the guide to join us. We have enjoyed those quiet, calmer times (not running around) learning about the culture and cuisine. (In St. Petersburg, we had a driver as well, and invited him also. He was surprised, but did join us.) And, of course, lunch is our treat. However, if our tour ends at a restaurant, we do not extend an invitation, merely our thanks for a wonderful morning.

[1985rz1]

If lunch comes during the tour, we always invite the guide to join us. We have enjoyed those quiet, calmer times (not running around) learning about the culture and cuisine. (In St. Petersburg, we had a driver as well, and invited him also. He was surprised, but did join us.) And, of course, lunch is our treat. However, if our tour ends at a restaurant, we do not extend an invitation, merely our thanks for a wonderful morning.

 

Our experience is that "drivers" as opposed to "licensed guides" usually did not join us for lunch, although we always invited them. Our "licensed guides" usually expected us to invite them and to cover the cost of their lunches. In some cases, this expectation was explicitly included in the schedule.

 

In St Petesrburg, our driver stayed with the car to guard it and our belongings, while the guide accompanied us to the three lunches.

[wripro]

This is because the driver usually does not speak English so conversation during a meal would be awkward whereas the guide, obviously does speak English.

[1985rz1]

This is because the driver usually does not speak English so conversation during a meal would be awkward whereas the guide, obviously does speak English.

 

In our cases, the drivers spoke quite very good to excellent English...as well as our licensed guides. The drivers, when not accompanied by a licensed guide had to also provide the travelogue, so their English had to be good. Sometimes the driver was also a licensed guide. In these cases, he/she always joined us.

 

Of course, we may have been lucky, so far.

[dwelsh]

On a recent private tour in Tahiti, it started and was paid for as a 1/2 day's tour, we asked our very personable guide if there was a restaurant he could suggest before returning to the ship. He directed us to a very wonderful hospice near the Paul Gaugin museum, a long way from the port. He was so delighted that we invited him to join us he extended our tour for the whole day with many additional "adventures."

 

Yes, it is a good idea if you are really enjoying your guide, to offer lunch.

[phoebe and parker]

we have used many private tour guides all over the world and it is customary to pay for their lunch!

[phoebe and parker]

;)it is customary to pay for your private guides lunch and hamve them join you at the table!

[mn2ga]

Yes, I think it is right to invite them to lunch. You will learn so much more from them.

[AndyArf3]

HI

 

We did a tour in St Kitts and offered to pay for the guides lunch...there were 10 of us..he refused and said he brought his own lunch.

 

At least give him the option of saying no....

 

 

Just a heads up

[CintiPam]

When booking a private tour with a guide, is it standard policy to take him/her to lunch and pick up the tab for the guide. My wife says yes, I say no - lunch is just for us and the guide should not be included. Need some guidance here (no pun intended) Thanks.:confused:

 

Yes, your wife is correct.