Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Canadian and other Foreign visitors to the US, why do you tip less?

Martian · 01-30-2008, 08:45 AM

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First of all, I won't quote relevant sections, as that's quite the dissertation.

But what I'm wondering here is why complain so much about Canadians? Contrary to belief expressed above I'm not about Canadian pride in this thread; I just look at your system and I think it's screwed up. My opinion. On the other hand, there are cheapskate Americans out there as well. Some of your countrymen have admitted to tipping 10% or less in this very thread. Do you really see so many Canadians at your fine dining establishment in Georgia (nearly 1000 miles south of the border) that you feel the need to make the distinction?

For the record, if my server personally went to the liquor store in order to insure that I was able to drink my wine of choice, you can damn well bet that I'd tip more than 20%. That definitely qualifies as 'above and beyond'. On the other hand, like a great many people I do feel the tip should reflect the quality of service. I understand that you need those tips to live, but as I've pointed out above that's a system I don't agree with. If you don't agree with it either it's up to you to be the instrument of change. However, if you do agree with it (as seems to be the case), isn't it a situation of taking the good with the bad? If you would prefer that the bulk of your pay come through optional gratuities based on the premise that you can do better that way then if you were paid a proper wage, then it would seem only natural to me to expect that some of your patrons are going to abuse the system by paying less than you feel you're entitled to, or maybe even not paying at all. You can't have it both ways; if you're content to work for a slave wage and subsist on handouts, you have to accept that those handouts may not be what you expected. If you're not able to do that, maybe the current system doesn't suit you as well as you thought it did.

In other words, what the hell are you complaining about?

01-30-2008, 08:45 AM	#153 (permalink)
Martian Young Crumudgeon Location: Canada	host. First of all, I won't quote relevant sections, as that's quite the dissertation. But what I'm wondering here is why complain so much about Canadians? Contrary to belief expressed above I'm not about Canadian pride in this thread; I just look at your system and I think it's screwed up. My opinion. On the other hand, there are cheapskate Americans out there as well. Some of your countrymen have admitted to tipping 10% or less in this very thread. Do you really see so many Canadians at your fine dining establishment in Georgia (nearly 1000 miles south of the border) that you feel the need to make the distinction? For the record, if my server personally went to the liquor store in order to insure that I was able to drink my wine of choice, you can damn well bet that I'd tip more than 20%. That definitely qualifies as 'above and beyond'. On the other hand, like a great many people I do feel the tip should reflect the quality of service. I understand that you need those tips to live, but as I've pointed out above that's a system I don't agree with. If you don't agree with it either it's up to you to be the instrument of change. However, if you do agree with it (as seems to be the case), isn't it a situation of taking the good with the bad? If you would prefer that the bulk of your pay come through optional gratuities based on the premise that you can do better that way then if you were paid a proper wage, then it would seem only natural to me to expect that some of your patrons are going to abuse the system by paying less than you feel you're entitled to, or maybe even not paying at all. You can't have it both ways; if you're content to work for a slave wage and subsist on handouts, you have to accept that those handouts may not be what you expected. If you're not able to do that, maybe the current system doesn't suit you as well as you thought it did. In other words, what the hell are you complaining about? __________________ I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said - Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame