Tipping, or gratuity, is a sum of money given by a customer to appreciate the service provided by a worker. It is given as an addition to the basic price of the service. The tipping culture varies from country to country; some might expect tips, while people in other countries would get offended if you tipped them.
The amount of the tip Is based on how satisfied the person is with the quality of the service given. In some countries, giving tips is not necessary as a fixed percentage service charge is sometimes added to bills in restaurants and similar establishments.
Tipping may not be expected when a fee is explicitly charged for the service.
In America, tipping culture is seen as often discriminatory or arbitrary. Workers receive different amounts of gratuity based on factors such as age, sex, race, hair colour, and even breast size, while it should be based on the quality of service provided by them.
The practice of tipping emerged in England, where a servant would receive extra money when they performed well. By the mid-17th century, customers began tipping in London coffee houses and other shops.?
Later, the practice reached America from Europe. Initially, it was not welcomed by them, as they saw this practice as inconsistent with the values of a democratic society. The origins of tipping were promoted to establish social status by the so-called superiors and inferiors.
?Although that is not totally real today, mostly people tip just to show off that they are well off. Some give tips to supplement the server¡¯s income, thinking it¡¯ll be less and giving this would make them happy. While others consider this act to be done out of duty.
Tipping was not well received in America, but later in the 21st century, it has become quite prominent, and waiters salaries are paid less. Even if you buy a bottle of water, you are expected to pay 20¨C25% of the bill as a tip. They pay staff a lower wage, passing more costs onto the customer.
No tipping movement is working to make the imaginable shift in the current scenario towards more equitable compensation methods for staff, but progress has been slow.
The service providers in Europe earn a better wage than workers in the USA, who earn less than the minimum wage. A tip is not considered a lifeline, so tips are seen as a reward for good service.
A service charge would be added to the bill, so you¡¯ve technically already tipped the worker. But how much you reward a server will vary for different countries in Europe. For example, you¡¯re not obliged to leave a tip in Spain, but typically restaurants would expect a tip of around 5¨C10%.
In Germany, during festive times, you usually buy tokens to exchange for food and drink, and a small cash tip is the norm at these events. In France, tipping is not an obligation, as the service charge would already be added to the bill.
Having a standard percentage of the amount of tip is prevalent in Europe and America, but that¡¯s not the case in Asia.
Japan has a system of giving gratuities, but only on occasions like weddings, funerals, and special events. In more common situations, they¡¯d feel offended if they were tipped. They believe good service is part of the culture.
Even hotel workers are trained to politely refuse the tip in Japan.
In India, they levy a service charge on the bill, so you don¡¯t necessarily have to give a tip. A 2015 survey revealed that Indians were among the highest tippers in Asia, behind only Bangladesh and Thailand.
China has a largely a no-tipping culture ¨C for decades it was actually prohibited and considered a bribe. Local business establishment doesn¡¯t receive any tips. Exceptions are restaurants mainly catering to foreign visitors, even then it is accepted only to tip baggage handlers.?
Another exception is to leave gratuities for tour guides and tour bus drivers.
Mike (7th June, 2023) How to tip around the world. Retrieved from BBC.