Are you having a laugh?

19 October 2007


It has become something of a habit with me that I spend a while browsing through AskMetaFilter reading the odd question and answer. Which is where I came across the question Do Waitstaff hate Change?, and in the middle of all the answers[1] was the fact that people usually tip 1.00 to 2.00 dollars on each drink in a bar. My response? Jayzis!

Now I know that the whole tipping culture over here is a lot different. We don’t assume that servers and bar staff live off of tips, I expect the owner of the pub/restaurant/whatever to pay the staff, that isn’t my job. My job is to buy drink. Course maybe that is why our drinks seem to be twice as expensive. I mean a pint is what, four to five Euro depending on what it is and where you are, and so adding on even one or two Euro to that would mean that a getting a round would be hugely expensive. But then again I don’t think I’ve ever tipped a barman in my life. Well, occasionally I’ve maybe said keep the change, but very very occasionally. Christmas-time. And only at the end of the night, not when actually paying for drinks. when i win the lotto I will, but apart from that, I don’t think so.

Course I do tip in restaurants but if any staff have the following attitude I think I’d not tip on principle:

tipping in change is an insult, no matter that four quarters equals a dollar. It’s a passive aggressive annoyance from people who think service staff are beneath them. If you argue this, you either need to get out more or learn to keep your cheap ass at home.

I know, I know, that is in the US where you have one dollar bills and tipping is a much bigger part of the the culture. But here, where the smallest note is a fiver and you’re often lucky to get one! Yeah, just expect the change.

Linknotes:

  1. yes they do

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1 Response

  1. anne says:

    The "funny" thing is whenever you have to break a bill at a bar, they'll bring you change in dollar notes – so they're sure you have enough for tips.