PrintForeign Tourists Tend To Be Lousy Tippers: What's A Waiter To Do?
Frank Bruni reports today that waiters in New York are being stiffed by foreign tourists used to service being included on their bill (service compri in French). Bruni feels the waiters' pain and wracks his brain for an elegant, non-boorish solution that won't embarrass the unknowing, presumably well-intentioned diners:
"But I find myself wondering if, in restaurants with especially high percentages of foreign tourists, it wouldn’t be such a bad idea for a few lines of type on the menu, or even a few lines of type on the check, to say something alone the lines of: 'A gratuity of 15 percent or more of the pre-tax cost of a meal is standard, and very much appreciated.'”
While pondering the above-named solution, Bruni also wonders aloud if restaurateurs can take these lousy foreign tippers into account when paying their waitstaff.
So, serious eaters, what's a waiter to do? Suffer in silence and take the financial hit? Gently inform the offending parties about American tipping customs? Or has Bruni come up with the most elegant solution, namely a couple of lines on the bottom of the menu? And should those lines be translated into many languages?
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19 Comments:
The Ruby Tuesday in Times Square actually adds an 18 percent gratuity to the bill automatically. In a footnote on the menu, in fine print, is a line that reads "This Ruby Tuesday is an international location and as such adds an 18 percent gratuity to the bill." When we saw that, we figured it was a way to get the tips out of the Eurofolk.
Adam Kuban at 10:52AM on 09/23/08
It's also tough when Americans are abroad - recently, while in Paris, I had lunch, and got a bill that had a service fee added. As I understand it, we don't need to tip any more, but we rounded up and added a couple of extra euro anyway. The waiter was appalled that all we left was a couple of extra euro, as I think he assumed that as Americans we would accidentally tip another 20%.
I still think we did the right thing, but "foreiners" often do know our customs, and try to make them work for themselves on either side of the pond.
nalega at 11:15AM on 09/23/08
@:Adam Kuban: The last time I was at Veselka, I noticed a few lines at the bottom of the recipt that already calculated the tip in percentage terms starting at 15% and going up from there....what a great convenience, and also, what a great way to indicate to tourists what U.S. tipping customs are. Having worked at a resto in the West Village that catered to a lot of foreign customers, I know that so many foreign patrons, especially when dealing with large tabs, seem to have no problem leaving totally sub par tips, and sometimes, no tip at all!
JudgeFudge at 11:16AM on 09/23/08
it is one's responsibility as a visitor to a foreign country to know the basic customs and act accordingly. i.e. the places where it's rude to shake with your right hand or whatever, and which places you tip and which you don't. thus, these tourists are just rude.
anysuchname at 11:19AM on 09/23/08
@JudgeFudge: Oh, yeah. You're right. I go to Veselka often, and I think I've noticed that bit on the receipt. Always helpful. Now I'm going to have to look and see whether it calculates the percentage based on pre-tax or taxed total.
Adam Kuban at 11:21AM on 09/23/08
I used to work at a restaurant in Georgetown (DC) that had a large amount of foreign patrons. We did not include a line in the menu or on the bill, and it sometimes cost us. I once had a table full of Swedes from the embassy, and I got a $00 tip on a $400 bill. I got screwed that day.
However, I find that it all works out in the end. You get screwed some days, but others you get big spenders who come in and drop big tips for nothing. I find if you put a suggested tip amount on there, it acts as a cap for high tippers as much as a suggestion for low tippers.
AHolland at 11:42AM on 09/23/08
Hmm... In many countries, there's an automatic service charge of 10% that's included in the bill, pre-tax. You don't get to withhold the tip if the service was awful (unless you choose to speak with the manager), but you can always tip more. How's that for a system?
onedaylingers at 11:44AM on 09/23/08
I think that since most tourist-heavy locations in Europe include a note on the menu/bill stating that tip is included, it is appropriate to have a note on American menus stating that the tip is not included.
Laurel E at 12:05PM on 09/23/08
@nalega: Well a lot of that is due to Americans going abroad and dropping 20%-%50 on meals for a variety of reasons (I worked in a restaurant, this is how we treat our servers back home, my currency is a lot more valuable than yours so I can afford it, etc.) It screws up the balance of things and then after a while the service starts to expect it--even giving crappy service because they think you'll pay anyway. Or going so far as to ignoring locals because they won't pay as much. When the custom is 10%, for example, stick to that or a few extra points. You did the right thing.
Asado at 12:14PM on 09/23/08
These Europeans are ignorant or rude. Who goes to another country and DOESN't figure out (from guide book or god forbid, the internet, what each countries expectations on tips are).
A lot of comments on the Bruni Blog talked about the injustice of the American system whereby waiters are paid next to nothing by the restaurant and tipping was required for a living wage. Many people felt restaurants should pay a living wage and waiters should not work on tips. I agree to a certain extent, but this is how our system works (messed up or not) and unless you plan on changing it, stiffing a waiter isn't some clever political statement, you're just screwing a waiter.
wthrop at 12:17PM on 09/23/08
I'm from the UK and now live in the US so I've seen both sides. I now normally wouldn't tip less than 20%
In Europe it's acceptable not to tip if service is bad. Once (when I was still a visitor) we didn't tip a waiter in New Orleans, he was dowright terrible (told me Greek Salad was Crudite and then refused to swap it for me etc etc). He threatened to call the police and he said it was the law to tip in the State! After a standoff we asked to see the manager who said it was fine not to tip him
Also in New York a waitress refused to serve me for the rest of the night as I'd only tipped her $7 for 8 drinks
Pheeel at 12:19PM on 09/23/08
It's long past time that the tipping system here was changed. How about restaurateurs paying their wait staff a decent wage, and adding the service charge to the bill?
floretbroc at 1:01PM on 09/23/08
Last week I served at a pre-paid wine tasting and luncheon event at our vineyard and was completely stiffed on the tip by a group of fifty. They had received the bill (no gratuity included) earlier and handled it in advance. It disgusts me when people take advantage of a situation.
Serving is a difficult job and I feel restaurant owners should acknowledge that by paying at least closer to a living wage than they do now. Waiters/ waitresses are forced to rely on the appreciation of their patrons. Is the appreciation of their employers really too much to ask?
liwinegirl at 1:33PM on 09/23/08
@floretbroc: I dunno... although this post clearly illustrates how servers can be slighted by the current tipping system, I think its best if it remains suggested, and if the tips are out of the hands of restaurant management. There's a real incenstive for servers to "wow" their customers if the chance of a non-fixed tip is in the air. Also (and I know this is a generalization, but a generalization based on personal experience), without the tipping system, I don't think most restauranteurs would decide on a "fixed wage" that would truly benefit the servers the way that suggested tips do...
JudgeFudge at 1:38PM on 09/23/08
The best solution I've seen is a receipt with tips automatically calculated out for 15, 20, and 25 percent. Saves you the trouble of calculating it out yourself, just pick a number based on the level of service you think you received, and jot it down on the "Tip" line for the credit receipt. It's a subtle but effective reminder.
s_sevilla at 2:27PM on 09/23/08
tipping customs across europe vary, and people there seem to get very indignant when you handle it the wrong way. No matter where you are, Europe or the U.S., an (honest) note explaining the local tipping custom would be helpful.
mr guy at 2:27PM on 09/23/08
If the tourists do constitute a large part of the business, simply adopt the "bread and service charge" that is typically used in Europe.
beth1 at 4:14PM on 09/23/08
What astonishes me is that this issue is being brought up like it's something new! I quit bartending here in NYC 15 years ago, after 15 years behind the stick, primarily in hotel bars, and it was a problem we grappled with constantly. When I worked at the Crowne Plaza in Times Square in the early '90s, which had a very large foreign clientele, we successfully lobbied for a rubber stamp to adorn the bottom of out-of-towners' checks, in English, French, and German, that said the tip was not included.
We still got stiffed, but not as often. There is absolutely NO reason why such an addition at the bottom of the check should not be used. Checks in Europe inform me that the service is included; why shouldn't American checks inform our neighbors from across the ocean of our own customs?
klg19 at 7:53PM on 09/23/08
@ beth1: You are confusing Italy with Europe. The bread and butter charge is NOT typical in the EU. Normally the restaurants actually pay their staff (weird concept, I know), tips are given up to 10% and only if the service was good. Oh, and by the way - thank god only europeans are clueless about local customs. Americans are worldwide known for their good manners, fluency in multiple languages and intimate knowledge of foreign customs.
zedvaint at 7:34AM on 09/24/08