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To come back to the thorny subject of cruises and tipping, the higher end cruise lines specify that tipping is not expected. And yet, they are fully staffed and the service is exceptional. It is my observation that their crews are paid well and that, for many, they are using the job to gain experience and save money so that they can open their own business in the future. Of course, cruise prices are higher but you are getting a lot for that.
On one cruise, our stewardess was disembarking in Rome (end of contract) but we were going on to Lisbon. I gave her 20 Euros and told her to have a drink on us when she got to the airport. Because there was no expectation, her delight was palpable.
I find the "when in Rome" argument interesting. So, if you tip on an Alaskan cruise because tipping is customary in the USA then, presumably, you would not tip on a Mediterranean cruise because tipping is not customary in Europe.
Garbage.
How about the homeless in the US?
The I have mine, forget you mentality?
I think we here reached a consensus that that was off topic and best ended on a civil note, and we made a note that we suspected this topic would go downhill and become uncivil when the the P&C wackos start coming into this forum...
And lo and behold....
Take the topic back up into that wacko forum please (and maybe they can understand your sentence "the I have mine.").
why do employers give little salary to waiters, bar tenders etc. in USA so that they have to rely on tips. in other countries, they are paid better salary and tips are only for exceptional service. in some countries, staff feel insulted or plainly refuse the tips saying that they are doing their job and they get paid salary for that.
Given that you're paying four times what the wine is worth, I'd feign cordiality and make a brief conversation were I in your servers' position myself.
Actually in this particular restaurant, the wine is only marked up 125%. Often we BYOB and pay corkage, of course tipping the server over and above 20% on the corkage. (I can't imagine bringing a $200 bottle, paying a $15 corkage, and tipping only $3. Tacky!)
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I prefer the European restaurant system. I'll often pay a somewhat higher price, especially in the UK, but I know my server is earning a proper wage. If I kick them 5%, they're thrilled. In the US, I tip 10% at my favourite places. I consider my (very) frequent custom a tip in and of itself.
Just because you're a regular, it doesn't mean you're doing the wait staff any favors tipping only 10%. And trust me, they are far from "thrilled" to see you.
Good point about the wine markup.
In my experience in Europe, they just tack on a couple euros, that I can handle.
Here in North America, even if it is merely double the regular retail price, it is a real turn-off for me.
I'll happily pay a corkage fee if a restaurant offers that service.
You just need to go to the right restaurants. Not all have huge markups.
You just need to go to the right restaurants.
Not all have huge markups.....
Of course this is true, not all have huge markups, and those are precisely the ones I patronize. The others (a grasping establishment in Aspen comes to mind) will not be seeing me darken their door again. Edited to add: I understand that these places need to make a profit, but I, the paying customer, need value.
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(I can't imagine bringing a $200 bottle, paying a $15 corkage, and tipping only $3. Tacky!)
I can't imagine bringing a $200 bottle, period.
My palate is developed enough to spend maybe $100, tops.
Last edited by BlueWillowPlate; 06-17-2011 at 03:33 AM..
I think we here reached a consensus that that was off topic and best ended on a civil note, and we made a note that we suspected this topic would go downhill and become uncivil when the the P&C wackos start coming into this forum...
And lo and behold....
Take the topic back up into that wacko forum please (and maybe they can understand your sentence "the I have mine.").
Thanks for the personal attack, not that I'd expect anything else...
If you knew it was off-topic, why did you post it?
My wallet wishes mine was still at the point yours is.
Maybe some day it will be.
I had sort of a Judgement of Paris epiphany some years back. I have a friend with much tasting prowess who is working on her MW. Even she admits how subjective it is. I don't need or want to spend $200 on a bottle of wine in order to enjoy my dinner. What do they say, don't drink the label, drink the wine? Something like that.
I don't think I'm stingy. If service is good, I always tip well wherever I am. I merely do not appreciate coercive restaurant practices.
Actually in this particular restaurant, the wine is only marked up 125%. Often we BYOB and pay corkage, of course tipping the server over and above 20% on the corkage. (I can't imagine bringing a $200 bottle, paying a $15 corkage, and tipping only $3. Tacky!)
Just because you're a regular, it doesn't mean you're doing the wait staff any favors tipping only 10%. And trust me, they are far from "thrilled" to see you.
That's not as bad a mark up as it could be. But still, a $100 wine from the liquor and wine purveyor costs $225.
I should have differentiated better. In the UK, they're thrilled for the 5%. Over there, tipping is infrequent and limited to foreigners (me).
At home (NY), I see my business as far more valuable than my tip (reaching adulthood in the UK had it's effect in normalizing me). There's a sushi place 10 minutes (walk) away. I patronize it every week. We have two other sushi bars in a town of 15,000 populated by more of the "pizza, beer, and sports bar" crowd and those who remember sushi as the food choice of those who destroyed Pearl Harbor. What's more valuable in a month: my $120+$11-15 in tips or $40+$10 in tips?
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