Tipping Culture

[Yue Han]

In Europe I feel we tip based on if our service exceeded expectations. In many Asian countries tipping is a no no and can come across as a put down like you think the service staff are beneath you and therefore need your help (the tip). In North America you have to tip or you're seen as rude. I don't know much about the tipping culture of other continents.

What do you really feel about tipping though?

Objectively I think it's a nice thing to do but only for service that exceeded expectations and definitely not something that should be expected of a customer. I will do it but only when I think the person I am giving the tip to went absolutely above and beyond. So I guess I feel the Europe way is the fairest way.

Subjectively I hate doing it because I'm a firm believer of: that is the price that was set so that is the price I should be expected to pay. I'm sorry that maybe in your country you get close to slave wages but it's not my fault your country's customer service wage system doesn't better support you and it is definitely not my responsibility nor should be expected of me to make up for your country's flawed system.

 

[Her]

'Tipping culture' in its most famous fashion (how the Americans do it) is simply the product of successful lobbying to pass the problem of paying ones workers onto the consumer, and the morality of that concept for anyone that has ever had to work a job reliant on tipping (which is pretty much every American reading this) is something that is almost pointless to discuss, since anyone who has ever had to work such a job would like 'tipping culture' to follow the apparent European model. It's a preaching to the choir discussion for anyone that doesn't have a fundamental hatred for justly rewarding workers for their work.

 

[gimmepie]

I came here to say the same thing as Adriana but much less eloquently.