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Or, alternatively, you could take five minutes and look up the proper etiquette before you come out to dinner.
My implication here was that a european tourist may be ignorant of any difference in tipping culture or the availability of guidance, despite it's proliferation. Or maybe they have sought guidance and have unfortunately been misadvised. I guess this makes them tight-fisted gits.
No, it makes them ignorant of American tipping customs.
In my experience, Europeans don't recieve poor service, they just tip atrociously.
But this is highly subjective though, given the cultural variations. They may well be of the opinion that they have tipped exceedingly well and confused at your ire.
What ire? Did I ever say that I gave European diners a hard time? I did not, and I do not. There has never been any ire for them to be confused about.
I don't think it's too much to ask to research cultural standards when visiting a foreign country. In fact, to not do so is, in my opinion, lazy and arrogant.
Can I point out that, while this isn't applicable to the whole, American tourists have garnered something of a reputation of being ignorant of cultural standards. Lazy and arrogant are descriptors that are frequently used.
Which has what to do with anything? Are you saying that, because Americans have a reputation for being ignorant of cultural standards, it's okay for Europeans to be ignorant of American standards?
What do you mean when you say that chain eateries pay better than independant restaurants?
I can't say that I've ever heard of Chili's or Friendly's, but I was refering to European chain eateries. I've not seen any tourist guidance that explains that there is a continental difference.
Well, apparently there is, if chain restaurants pay better in Europe. Because they do not over here.
I'd also really like some clarification on this: "and, oh yes, some of us have higher/different expectations of service than others." Meaning what, exactly? That service is so kick-ass in Europe that we grubby Americans don't deserve a decent tip because we're such inferior servers? Well, don't come out to eat, then. Order take-out. I know I wouldn't want you at my bar with that attitude.
For clarification, I meant that while you feel that you may be giving good service, your customer may have a higher expectation. I didn't say that this was warranted. Alternatively their expectations of what constitutes good service may very well be different. That doesn't meant that your service is any worse, just not what they would expect. It's kind of like how Seinfeld and Frasier are both top ratingcomedy shows, yet very much different.
Further explanation is needed here, I feel. Specific examples would be nice. What expectations do Europeans have that an American server might not be meeting?
It really isn't hard. Tip on the total, including tax. Typically you will get a bill that has a figure with a fucking great big circle around it.
Not hard, but still finer points that are not actually covered in commonly available guidance. I have to say though, my experience of dining in the US hasn't commonly included the fucking great big circle around the total.
Oh, come on. All you have to do is ask somebody, for crying out loud. Or use Google. I just did, and there are websites devoted to tipping. It took me about ten seconds to find one.
Don't worry about the cooks, they don't get tipouts anyway.
Another cultural difference not covered in common guidance. In the Europe, a number of establishments tip out cooks because they recognise the link between good food and good tips/repeat business. It acts as an incentive to turn in a good performance.
A far superior system to ours, in my opinion. Incentive-based wages are teh awesome. |
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