How much did you tip the valet during your last stay at an upscale hotel?
If the hotel was in the United States you should have shelled out at least 5 to 10 percent of the valet charge, according to gratuity experts. However, if you were given the same service in Europe, experts say you wouldn’t be expected to tip more than 3 percent, if at all.
According to a new poll, nobody tips better than Americans. In fact, many of us are “overtippers” and that generosity doesn’t stop when we travel overseas. Interestingly, in some countries, leaving a wad of cash on the table after a nice meal is culturally inappropriate, and in some cases it’s considered an insult. Consequently, travel experts highly recommend that you do your research prior to vacationing abroad this summer.
Services offered by restaurant wait staff vary depending on the region and country you visit. For example, according to experts, in major U.S. cities, such as New York and Los Angeles, diners typically leave a 17–20 percent tip, which takes into account the quality of service. In some cases, sympathy or empathy factors into tipping. For instance, if you were once a struggling waiter, then knowing that gratuities make up a hefty portion of a restaurant staff’s income may prompt you to leave a bigger tip.
Conversely, in Europe, tips typically supplement full salaries. In addition, in most major European cities, tipping is done on a discretionary basis, with some countries like France automatically factoring the tip into your final bill. In Japan, the opposite is true. The “Land of the Rising Sun” is a non-tipping country. There, gratuities are often flat out refused. In fact, humble waiters have been known to run after diners who leave cash tips on tables.
Do you travel overseas much? If so, what are the tipping practices like in the countries you’ve visited?
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