While having drinks one night along Rue Cler, we overheard a waiter telling his dinner customers when asked about tipping that tips make up a majority of the waiter's salary. I wonder.....have things changed? I know it's nice to leave a couple Euro but is tipping the norm now? Just wondering......
Posted by
Paris
7304 posts
No, things haven't changed... I am assuming the conversation was in English, with tourists? Many waiters are trying to get more tips from people who come from tipping cultures.
Posted by
Loire Valley
824 posts
He's in rue Cler, so he's probably telling the truth. Not that he isn't being paid a living wage, but he is being tipped more by tourists than his boss pays him.
No - tipping isn't the norm.
Posted by
Freedonia
16299 posts
Any eating establishment along Rue Cler, aka Rue Rick Steves, is full of people, mostly Americans, toting blue and gold guidebooks. Of course the waiter is going to tell them that. He's trying to make money.
You do know they don't have to take an oath that they won't tell a lie. Actually, it's probably not a lie. He may make more money in tips than in salary and that's not saying he's making less in salary than other waiters. He may make a killing in tips.
Posted by
Chicago
8560 posts
The same thing happens in Italian tourist spots. 20+ years ago I took my elderly mother to Rome and we ate one evening at one of those outdoor places by the Pantheon i.e. tourist central. It was worth it for the stunning location. Terrible service (e.g. never brought the cheese for my mother's pasta, I had to go fetch it myself) etc etc. The bill then was pumped -- we had one pizza, one pasta, split a salad and had a half bottle of wine. We were billed for 2 pizza, 2 pasta, two salads and a large bottle of wine. They assumed two old ladies would be helpless to theft I guess. When I corrected the bill it was all 'oh so sorry, terrible mistake'. And this was capped with 'tips are not included.'
Any waiter who discusses tipping with the table in a non-tipping culture is trying to hose his customers.
Posted by
Paris
10212 posts
Oh WOW. With a husband who works in the restaurant industry across town, I can assure you that that is absolutely not true.
(Unless as somebody earlier mentioned literally this guy gets more tips at his job than his boss pays him, but that is absolutely not normal for France.
Posted by
OP
Gulf Coast, usa
1191 posts
We thought as much. We were in the area and popped in for a glass of wine. The place was packed, and he was running his feet off. Certainly can appreciate how busy they can be. It just seemed "off" but you all are right - probably the location of the restaurant.
Posted by
Chicago
8560 posts
the custom when getting coffee or drinks is to leave a couple of coins from the change -- maybe 50 cents as a tip. WE had a particularly great waiter last night who also quickly boxed up our leftovers and we left a couple Euros -- but the %tips of the US are not appropriate here.