The Big Tippers Club??

[Oceans&Rivers]

If Aussies are denied the right to remove the gratuities from their account they are no longer gratuities but an enforced higher fare. I wonder if this is restricted to Aussies (and perhaps Japanese) because their cultures, unlike ours, do now allow for tipping.

 

Japanese servers do not expect tips in lower priced restaurants (or did not years ago), but if you dine at a high end restaurant, tips are customarily offered; however, it is done very discreetly.

 

The gratuity can be placed in a special tipping envelope (shugibukuro), similar to Japanese wedding gift envelopes, only not as ornate and the envelope would say thank you instead of "Happiness", or similar for a wedding.

 

Just don't dive into your pocket and pull out cash and hand it to someone. Japanese prefer discretion, and will usually not open the gratuity envelope in your presence.

 

If you are fortunate enough to attend a Japanese wedding and/or wedding reception, you should offer a monetary gift in an envelope similar to this:

 

[bissel]

That is new and valuable information to me. I enjoyed the picture of the gorgeous envelope that you included and wonder if perhaps where they may be found. Perhaps in San Francisco Japanese paper stores? Is the bow made by the customer or can that be purchased?

 

Thanks so much!

[hypercafe]

That is new and valuable information to me. I enjoyed the picture of the gorgeous envelope that you included and wonder if perhaps where they may be found. Perhaps in San Francisco Japanese paper stores? Is the bow made by the customer or can that be purchased?

 

Thanks so much!

 

 

Like all thinks today I would look on line, you can most likely get them right from Japan.

[bissel]

Oh, Hypercafe, you are probably so right. In the past we would spend time in the stores and it was lovely to see in person and to feel the goods. It's now been a long time since I've done that and that would be my preferred way of doing it.

 

But yes, the internet is probably just fine and I will research and enjoy this a bit today on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Thanks for the suggestion!

[writer100]

In effect, the auto tip is discretionary, since one has the option to change it if one wishes. Though I agree it takes considerable chutzpah to march up to reception and take that action. For some years now restaurants in London have had a note in mice-type at the bottom of the menu announcing that"a discretionary gratuity of 12.5% will be added to your bill." A lot harder to argue that one, as the subject of the dispute--the waiter--will be standing there.

[Paulchili]

In effect, the auto tip is discretionary, since one has the option to change it if one wishes. Though I agree it takes considerable chutzpah to march up to reception and take that action. For some years now restaurants in London have had a note in mice-type at the bottom of the menu announcing that"a discretionary gratuity of 12.5% will be added to your bill." A lot harder to argue that one, as the subject of the dispute--the waiter--will be standing there.

 

I would still be ahead as we usually tip 15% (and rarely even 20%) in better/high end restaurants here (when warranted) :D

[Ka Honu]

In effect, the auto tip is discretionary, since one has the option to change it if one wishes. Though I agree it takes considerable chutzpah to march up to reception and take that action. For some years now restaurants in London have had a note in mice-type at the bottom of the menu announcing that"a discretionary gratuity of 12.5% will be added to your bill." A lot harder to argue that one, as the subject of the dispute--the waiter--will be standing there.

 

I would still be ahead as we usually tip 15% (and rarely even 20%) in better/high end restaurants here (when warranted) :D

Interesting practice and response. I've always felt that when a restaurant does this it insults me and hurts the server. I understand all the reasons they do it but still disagree with the practice.

 

If they feel it necessary, management can explain the custom/concept of tipping briefly on their menu but I don't feel it's their business to tell me (or anyone else) how much to tip.

 

I spent 45 years off and on tending bar; I certainly know how to tip and probably "overtip" more often than not. Yet some restaurant manager is telling me he/she is better qualified to compute the proper tip than I am - even though I'm the one receiving (or not receiving) the service.

 

At the same time, the server is telling me that as long as I get my food and pay the bill, I'm going to tip them. The level of service has nothing to do with it.

 

When told what I will tip, I generally pay exactly what they ask unless the service was really terrible, in which case I quietly talk to the manager and force them to adjust or remove the charge. If the service is good to excellent, I let the server know that management arbitrarily restricted their tip to less than their performance warranted. Yes, I could tip them extra but it only perpetuates the restaurant's bad policy.

 

Good servers realize what's happening and either tell their bosses to knock it off or move on to other venues where they are rewarded for their efforts. Poor servers stay where they are and hope people are too embarrassed to call their bluff.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Ka Hona, I agree with you. I've rarely come across that practice, but it would really bug me. I'm a good tipper, my son is a bartender, and in Florida the minimum wage in the restaurant industry is pathetic, so we tend tip well unless service is terrible.

[Cancun01]

Japanese servers do not expect tips in lower priced restaurants (or did not years ago), but if you dine at a high end restaurant, tips are customarily offered; however, it is done very discreetly.

 

The gratuity can be placed in a special tipping envelope (shugibukuro), similar to Japanese wedding gift envelopes, only not as ornate and the envelope would say thank you]

 

Thank you for this insight into Japanese culture. The mainstream "nickel and diming' cruise lines do have white envelopes at their purser's desks for discrete extra tipping. We always avail ourselves of these envelopes for the last night of traditional dining however I am not sure this discretion is necessary as we have on more than one occasion found ourselves dining alone at our table of 8 on the last night.:D

[writer100]

Ka Honu and Wendy, The included gratuity--whether noted on the bill as service compris or as the Brits do in a discreet footnote to the menu--is commonplace in Europe.Not to generalize--but here I go--it is probable that in Europe being a waiter is a profession, so the structured gratuity is part of structured compensation. Waiters in America are, broadly, less a professional group and include more part timers. Also, at least in New York, some hotel restaurants which host European guests pointedly say on their menus that gratuities are not included. The inference being that many visitors will assume it is already included. Regardless of how courageous you may be on an African safari, facing an irate waiter in Paris over a disputed gratuity can be far more intimidating.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Ka Honu and Wendy, The included gratuity--whether noted on the bill as service compris or as the Brits do in a discreet footnote to the menu--is commonplace in Europe.Not to generalize--but here I go--it is probable that in Europe being a waiter is a profession, so the structured gratuity is part of structured compensation. Waiters in America are, broadly, less a professional group and include more part timers. Also, at least in New York, some hotel restaurants which host European guests pointedly say on their menus that gratuities are not included. The inference being that many visitors will assume it is already included. Regardless of how courageous you may be on an African safari, facing an irate waiter in Paris over a disputed gratuity can be far more intimidating.

 

I'm aware of practices in Europe, and I'm fine with an included gratuity (as long as it's clearly stated). What I would not like is a "suggested" gratuity.

 

There are many wait staff here in N.A. who treat it like a career (hardly a profession though), through economic necessity. If they are part-timers it often means they are supporting some other career (like acting, art or music.) I'm try to be as supportive of wait staff as I can be, everywhere, but don't like being told what to do.

[LHT28]

My goodness, if you do not like the restaurants stated gratuity policy it is quite simple.....DO NOT EAT THERE :rolleyes: