I dont always Tip

[Guest Qualityonly]

I have changed over the years coming to Pattaya.

I use to tip on every service I used.

 

Nowadays I guess as Im getting older I value money far more now than before.

Since being in Pattaya the last week on my vacation there have been several times I havent left a tip.

Once was yesterday afternoin at the Ambiance Coffee shop where I couldnt find anyone to serve me.

 

I was about to walk out when the lovely lady from the reception area said she would look for the waiter.

We both found the waiter sitting in the corner talking in his phone.

From his position he could easily have seen me but looks as though he made no attempt to come out to serve me.

I ordered a white coffee which for some reason he forgot the milk,but before I realised he was gone inside again.

 

I didnt bother chasing him so just drank it black.

About 10 minutes later I had to look for him to pay my checkbin,he was inside sitting at a corner table by the window talking on his phone.

Its must of been obvious to him with me standing that I was going to pay the checkbin but he made no attempt to move.

He obviously had some very important calls to make during his shift.

He didnt terminate the call but simply put the phone down and said 60 baht,I handed him the exact 60 baht for the coffee.

He didnt seem too pleased and didn't acknowledge me.

I quickly walked out not saying anything to him.

 

Now its your perogerative if you wish to tip in those circumstances but personally myself I certainly do not tip anyone who doesnt respect their job even to make some effort.

 

I dont reward bad service.

 

Even in my older years I work a service job with customers and I always try my best to provide good service.

Sometimes I cant please everyone but I make sure I try at least.

[Guest Qualityonly]

I have changed over the years coming to Pattaya.

I use to tip on every service I used.

Nowadays I guess as Im getting older I value money far more now than before.

Since being in Pattaya the last week on my vacation there have been several times I havent left a tip.

Once was yesterday afternoin at the Ambiance Coffee shop where I couldnt find anyone to serve me.

I was about to walk out when the lovely lady from the reception area said she would look for the waiter.

We both found the waiter sitting in the corner talking in his phone.

From his position he could easily have seen me but looks as though he made no attempt to come out to serve me.

I ordered a white coffee which for some reason he forgot the milk,but before I realised he was gone inside again.

I didnt bother chasing him so just drank it black.

About 10 minutes later I had to look for him to pay my checkbin,he was inside sitting at a corner table by the window talking on his phone.

Its must of been obvious to him with me standing that I was going to pay the checkbin but he made no attempt to move.

He obviously had some very important calls to make during his shift.

He didnt terminate the call but simply put the phone down and said 60 baht,I handed him the exact 60 baht for the coffee.

He didnt seem too pleased and didn't acknowledge me.

I quickly walked out not saying anything to him.

Now its your perogerative if you wish to tip in those circumstances but personally myself I certainly do not tip anyone who doesnt respect their job even to make some effort.

 

I dont reward bad service.

Even in my older years I work a service job with customers and I always try my best to provide good service.

Sometimes I cant please everyone but I make sure I try at least.

[vinapu]

I tip right , left and center, not too much for services leaving money for the boys but always tip if effort is made , even one  within job description.

 

In case above you were perfectly  right as he neglected you repetitively, no tip. It's why exact change will come handy.

 

I'm surprised though as such crap never happened to me in Ambiance restaurant. At one point of time boys must realize that technology is ruining their chance of getting tip with all this gluing to the phones.   

 

In June I noticed some improvement in Bangkok Massage soi Twilight in this respect, some even  acknowledged me sitting at Maxi's across the soi , feast not seen for a while

[traveller123]

I come from the UK and I believe tipping is a reward for good sevice and I always reward it often generously.

My worse experience tipping wise was in the good old USA.

We went into a restaurant/cafe type place for breakfast and got seated in a back, dismal room.

Service was slow so I didnt tip, and on my way out was rewarded with a sarcastic comment from the middle aged waitress

[Guest Qualityonly]

I come from the UK and I believe tipping is a reward for good sevice and I always reward it often generously.

My worse experience tipping wise was in the good old USA.

We went into a restaurant/cafe type place for breakfast and got seated in a back, dismal room.

Service was slow so I didnt tip, and on my way out was rewarded with a sarcastic comment from the middle aged waitress

My understanding is in the USA they dont get paid a minimum hourly rate unlike the UK or Australia where the hourly rate is usually double on weekends and enough without even getting tips.

But in the USA I have heard they do not get paid or get paid very minimally thus trying to survive on tips.

 

You would think that if she needed to survive on tips she would at least do her best for you,but they are used to customers giving tips regardless of service so its kind of expected I guess.

[Guest abang1961]

Here in Singapore, it is possible to have a decent meal for less than SGD 5/USD 4 in air-conditioned food court.  Think of it as "glamourised" hawker stalls with good quality food served.

 

On the opposite end of the scale, any "waiting staff included" restaurant here imposes a fixed 10% service charge, 7% GST and 1% cess charge.  So a simple meal can easily hit SGD 100 to 150.  My advice to fellow visitors to Singapore, eat at food courts and avoid tipping issues.

 

Tipping is NOT practised in Singapore!

[vinapu]

 

Tipping is NOT practised in Singapore!

lucky country indeed

[ggobkk]

In the San Francisco Bay area, restaurants are raising salaries and moving to a no tip policy.  Prices are going up as a result.  This practice is not yet widespread but as the wage rate moves toward a legislated $15 USD/hr, tipping practices will change.

[traveller123]

The US is also similar to Thailand in that prices quoted in Thai restaurants do not include taxes.

In the US, if my memory is correct that practice even includes prices displayed in stores.

Not really wishing to restart the whole scam thing, to a European, this feels like a scam.

Anyway next month I'm visiting family near San Francisco so will be able to revisit the tipping scene.

I just remembered another thing, 3 years ago at SFO the bus stopped outside departures where there was a conveyor transferring luggage into the terminal and I was asked for a tip for loading my bag onto the conveyor, so I hauled the bag off it.

 

SORRY if I have gone off topic

[vinapu]

The US is also similar to Thailand in that prices quoted in Thai restaurants do not include taxes.

In the US, if my memory is correct that practice even includes prices displayed in stores.

 

yes , you are correct , both USA and Canada has this stupid system , so one always pays more.

It's very annoying for travelers and locals too don't know if 5$ bill will be enough for their 4.35 coffee and sandwich special

 

It's a bit like booking through Agoda which practices the same crap, 100 $ room costs you 117 at checkput

[NIrishGuy]

"It's a bit like booking through Agoda which practices the same crap, 100 $ room costs you 117 at checkout."

 

I think I read that Agoda have now changed that policy for the very reason being discussed that it was pissing so many people off seeing one advertised price and ending up having to pay another. I think they now advertise "the price you see is the price you pay" as I know their competitors were hammering them for a while over all of that.

 

I "think" I'm right about that anyway, unless I'm dreaming the last time I went to book something :-)

 

And to the Op and to keep on thread - you're absolutely right to walk out, however I think we assume that every guy is chasing a tip, I'm guessing with the likes of this waiter he would rather you just hadn't of came into the place so he could continue his important call and as you walked out not tipping he was thinking "yeah great, keep walking, I really couldn't give a shit, right now friend on the phone what was that you were saying again" .........

 

Actually this whole stupid expectations of a tip for every small stupid thing you do throughout a day is one of the many small and very minor reasons I'm getting that I can't be bothered dragging my ass all the way to Thailand again. Buy a coffee, tip, buy an ice cream, tip, buy a beer, some guy happens to speak to you when you don't even want him too ( hello what your name) and won't take the hint, tip, every waking minute hands out for tips for me just getting through the day - and it's not the money, just the hassle of it  - my god it appears I've woken up a right grumpy bastard this morning lol 

[firecat69]

Grumpy?  Not you Irish.

 

I do understand Europeans not understanding taxes , tipping etc in USA. 

 

What Europeans don't understand sales taxes etc keep changing and are different in all 50 states. A restaurant does not want to be paying to change and pay for new menus every time the tax is changed . Thus the price almost never includes tax.

[Guest ryanasia]

My understanding is in the USA they dont get paid a minimum hourly rate unlike the UK or Australia where the hourly rate is usually double on weekends and enough without even getting tips.

But in the USA I have heard they do not get paid or get paid very minimally thus trying to survive on tips.

 

You would think that if she needed to survive on tips she would at least do her best for you,but they are used to customers giving tips regardless of service so its kind of expected I guess.

 

In the USA at a restaurant if you don't tip it will signify that you have no intention of returning. If I intend to visit a place again I will tip even on bad service. If I am a regular and something is off I will tell them. Part of tipping if you are a regular is you will get perks not offered to people that aren't known. 

 

If my favorite bar tender who I tip all the time makes my drink wrong I can have a friendly word with him. Part of tipping is to help them make a living but the other part ensures you get in some cases preferential treatment.

 

 

In Thailand I don't always tip. When I do tip I give about the same as Thais would which is normally the loose change or a 20 Baht bill. In gogos and sex places I tip accordingly as that is different. But in general if all you did was bring me a bottle of beer or coke in a restaurant I don't feel the need to tip. 

 

The problem with over tipping in Thailand is that if you give a very generous tip one time it will become expected in the future. Rarely will the understand that it is based upon the level of service. Again I am talking about resturants and taxis and such and not boys or gogo dancers.

[firecat69]

There are times when bad service is not the wait persons fault in the USA.

 

Management failed to have enough staff assigned or kitchen is understaffed and cannot keep up with orders etc.

 

That is why it is rare I take it out on the wait person because i know they are only getting paid $3.10 an hour and will starve without tips.

 

There are exceptions such as attitude or just plain laziness when restaurant is empty but they are the exception and not the rule.

[Guest ryanasia]

Well sometimes I tip on bad service if I intend to go back simply because they are the people handling your food. Anybody who has worked in a restaurant knows you don't fuck with people that handle your food.

[captainmick]

The best system is the French system......"Service Compris" which is a legal requirement. That said I am told that French waiters (or wait persons to use Firecat69's extraordinary terminology) do love it when Americans visit as their understanding of the French language is so poor that they leave another 20% on top anyway!

[firecat69]

The best system is the French system......"Service Compris" which is a legal requirement. That said I am told that French waiters (or wait persons to use Firecat69's extraordinary terminology) do love it when Americans visit as their understanding of the French language is so poor that they leave another 20% on top anyway!

Because the average person who can spend thousands of $ to travel is not capable of googling tipping in restaurants and coming up with just 1 of hundreds like this: Get real!

 

http://gofrance.about.com/od/travelplanning/a/tippinginfrance.htm

[faranglaw]

There are times when bad service is not the wait persons fault in the USA.

 

Management failed to have enough staff assigned or kitchen is understaffed and cannot keep up with orders etc.

 

That is why it is rare I take it out on the wait person because i know they are only getting paid $3.10 an hour and will starve without tips.

 

There are exceptions such as attitude or just plain laziness when restaurant is empty but they are the exception and not the rule.

As an American living in Canada I agree with this philosophy. We don't always know why serrvice is slow, or if the tired waitress was knocked around by her boyfriend before work, or her kids are sick, or she didn't sleep the noght before. They really do rely on tips, especially in the states, where some restaurants are actually allowed to pay their waitstaff under the minimum wage with the expectation that tips will bring them up to that minimum. Disgusting, but that's the US fir you.

 

I reflect that if I have a bad day at work, I still get paid. So I tip, and shrug it off.

[vinapu]

I reflect that if I have a bad day at work, I still get paid. So I tip, and shrug it off.

wise words indeed although I'd still reduce tip a bit  if not happy so message is sent across .

[Guest]

The street sweepers get at least the minimum wage & no tip. Waiters should also get the minimum wage, so I don't expect to tip for poor service or feel obliged to.

 

As for taxes (US), in the era of computers & laser printers, any restaurant should be capable of adjusting menus by state.

In the UK, anyone selling to mainly retail customers has to show prices including taxes by law (thanks to Maggie).

[firecat69]

Should does not equal does. Wait people in the USA do not get minimum wage and thus depend on tips to survive.

 

Very few restaurants use paper menus in the USA and thus it is a burden to keep spending money to change the prices .

 

At least in the USA if you get terrible service and feel it is the wait persons fault you can withhold or lower the tip given. In the UK you have no such option which is why that is the place I have gotten some of the worst service in the world and still had to pay for it.

[captainmick]

At least in the USA if you get terrible service and feel it is the wait persons fault you can withhold or lower the tip given. In the UK you have no such option which is why that is the place I have gotten some of the worst service in the world and still had to pay for it.

 

A great way to have a good meal ruined is if the waiter comes up with trite cliched phrases like "Enjoy", or " How is your meal?" or enen worse "You're Welcome" after you have thanked them for something. Such patronising synthetic waiter speak (or wait person speak) which is all too common in USA is a damn good reason to withhold a tip so just as well the tip is not included in USA.

 

In France where we enjoy "Service Compris" the waiters tend to be far more professional and treat their customers as individuals and converse with them appropriately and with respect as a result.

[ChristianPFC]

I dislike the idea of tipping and would prefer a system like in Japan (which I know only from internet: good service and no tipping). In the past I was inconsistent in Thailand, sometimes tip, sometimes don't tip, but now changed to this to not tipping.

[vinapu]

I dislike the idea of tipping and would prefer a system like in Japan (which I know only from internet: good service and no tipping). In the past I was inconsistent in Thailand, sometimes tip, sometimes don't tip, but now changed to this to not tipping.

that's fine but if you don't make sure you don't revisit place until they forget you, one never wants to upset people serving him food

[vinapu]

A great way to have a good meal ruined is if the waiter comes up with trite cliched phrases like "Enjoy", or " How is your meal?"

I agree with you, In my opinion best service is invisible one but it seems North Americans like their waiters asking them those irrelevant questions as pert of decorum.

 

It's the same with ' how are you ? ' question , nobody is really interested in other answer than ' fine'.

 

But simply it is different culture and visitors should pretend they like it like everywhere else