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**VeniHemealm** · 05-02-2009, 07:53 AM

It is all relative though. While you may not pay more, in certain merchandise situations, you can certainly pay less if you know what your doing, thus, you are often paying more than you would if it was tip based. Americans know about the tip, understand the tip and seem to overall have no problem with the tip based payment system. I am curious how the non-tip transplants like zoolook or others who have lived in the states for an extended time now think of it.

It's tough to be honest and I cannot help but feel awkward every time I tip, because we just don't have that culture in the UK. The hardest thing is knowing what's appropriate in each situation. I've been here 3 years, so have a lot figured out, but handing a tip directly to someone's hand, still feels odd. I guess I have a hangup about being the guy with the dollars... I would be so much more comfortable being the one receiving the tip!

Bearing in mind I live in NYC, this is what I tip

- Restaurants: 15% if it's awful, 20% of it's good more if it's excellent
- Hair Cuts: Where I go, it's $50 for a cut. I give my regular hairdresser $20 (40%)
- Hotels $1 per bag for the guy who opens the car door and gets them out, same to the guy who takes them to the room, plus another buck (usually this is out of town, Chicago etc).
- Bars. $1 a drink to the barman/woman. If I make a big order or stay for 2 or 3, I'll probably just tip $5 at the start of the night and be done with it
- Sandwich shops/take out coffes - I usually drop the change
- Cafes - might drop a buck if I stay in for a coffee and cake, especially if I'm staying in to write a paper or something

That's about it. Probably completely messed up, but I might get used to tipping. What I don't like is the expectation from some restaurants that tips will be given even if the service is utterly lousy. Once or twice when the service has been completely appaling, and the waiter/waitresses fault (i.e. they were rude), I'll leave a 'penny', which is supposed to give them a message.

05-02-2009, 07:53 AM	#42
VeniHemealm Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 468 Senior Member	It is all relative though. While you may not pay more, in certain merchandise situations, you can certainly pay less if you know what your doing, thus, you are often paying more than you would if it was tip based. Americans know about the tip, understand the tip and seem to overall have no problem with the tip based payment system. I am curious how the non-tip transplants like zoolook or others who have lived in the states for an extended time now think of it. It's tough to be honest and I cannot help but feel awkward every time I tip, because we just don't have that culture in the UK. The hardest thing is knowing what's appropriate in each situation. I've been here 3 years, so have a lot figured out, but handing a tip directly to someone's hand, still feels odd. I guess I have a hangup about being the guy with the dollars... I would be so much more comfortable being the one receiving the tip! Bearing in mind I live in NYC, this is what I tip - Restaurants: 15% if it's awful, 20% of it's good more if it's excellent - Hair Cuts: Where I go, it's $50 for a cut. I give my regular hairdresser $20 (40%) - Hotels $1 per bag for the guy who opens the car door and gets them out, same to the guy who takes them to the room, plus another buck (usually this is out of town, Chicago etc). - Bars. $1 a drink to the barman/woman. If I make a big order or stay for 2 or 3, I'll probably just tip $5 at the start of the night and be done with it - Sandwich shops/take out coffes - I usually drop the change - Cafes - might drop a buck if I stay in for a coffee and cake, especially if I'm staying in to write a paper or something That's about it. Probably completely messed up, but I might get used to tipping. What I don't like is the expectation from some restaurants that tips will be given even if the service is utterly lousy. Once or twice when the service has been completely appaling, and the waiter/waitresses fault (i.e. they were rude), I'll leave a 'penny', which is supposed to give them a message.
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