Comment about tipping

Susan, I can't answer your question about Galway, but I can tell you about two incidents in Switzerland. On our first night in Switzerland, in St. Gallen, when we asked if service was included , the waitress was in the middle of telling us "no", when the owner came running over to tell us "yes". Second, we did have the same experience as you in a RS restaurant in Murren, where the waiter pointed to the line on the cc receipt and told us it wasn't included. Although it was included everywhere else, we were stupid enough to leave a tip. BTW, the restaurant wasn't very good. If you find out you were milked for an extra tip, I hope you put it on Trip Advisor, so future customers can enjoy their meal and be forewarned.

With the chip & pin card payment system, it is common in restaurants for you to be given the choice on whether to add a tip to the amount being charged for the meal. It is not compulsory, and some people prefer to tip in cash, as that it way it may go completely to a particular individual. In many restaurants, it s specifically stated that all tips are distributed among all the staff working a particular shift. Some people never tip. Tipping 15-20 percent would be thought excessive in the U.K., and I doubt if it is different in Ireland. 10% is the standard amount, assuming that the standard of service was acceptable. Some restaurants add a service charge of 10% or 12.5%, in which case no tip is required. Never tip in a bar or pub.

So Bob is saying that tipping is expected and added later in Great Britain and Ireland, as in the US, unlike in France and Switzerland where it is included. There is a link to a tipping guide someone which hopefully someone will bring up.

While we don't eat at upscale restaurants, we have always been told that in Ireland, tips are not expected. In fact, we were once followed out of a restaurant by a server trying to return the money that we "forgot" on the table. I have had the tip line on a receipt pointed out to me here in the US, in case I want to add a tip to the charge, but I have often left a tip on the table instead, and leave that line blank. If I were in Ireland and had the line pointed out to me, I would not necessarily feel compelled to add something there, since in four trips now, we were told that it wasn't expected.

The server told you that because the tip cannot be added in after the card has been run through the machine, like you use to be able to do in former times. It wasn't a beg for tips. They wanted to save you the hassle of trying to find some change if you didn't have it. For those of you who believe that a Service Charge on your bill is a replacement for a tip, or that the server receives this money, you are mistaken. The Service Charge goes to the restaurant. They use this to help pay for employee insurance, their vacations, their sick-pay, etc. It never goes to the servers or bartenders, or cooks. When you tip your server, they may also be tipping out a certain percent to the kitchen staff or the bartender. Does one have to tip? No, you don't, especially if the service was crappy. But if your service was great, then at least a 5-10 % tip is very welcome, especially in large cities, where prices are higher. One doesn't usually leave it on the table either. The tip is given while the server is making change for you when you pay your bill. Having worked in the restaurant industry here, I do like to offer correct information about things like tipping. Rick has it quite wrong in his books. He probably asked the owner of some family run restaurant in a small town, where things certainly aren't the same as a professional place in a big city. They are nothing alike. I often hear the comment that wait staff is paid a "living wage", so you don't have to tip them. What do you imagine this to be? 5 € an hour, 10 €, or 20 €? What could you live on per hour? Rounding up is also recommended, and often this is ok, but if your bill is 99 €, you certainly would want to tip more than 1 €.

What jo said about the tips having to be added before card is put through is correct, most machines do not have a user add tip option. However Susan as far as I am concerned if you tipped 20% you grossly overtipped, and I am surprised you didn't know that since you had a RS book which explains that in most places in Europe tipping is just not that extravagant. 10% would have been ample for good service only. Tipping 5-10% is more the norm in nice restaurants.

Jo: since, "Rick has it quite wrong in his books" would you mind comparing his advice with what you believe to be true and offering all to us?

Bets, As a Swiss, I am really embarrassed that they made you tip. Of course the tip is included in Switzerland. It is common courtesy to leave a few Francs or some spare change but it is absolutely not required.

Thanks to everyone for their responses. Very helpful. I agree with the post stating that if "Rick has it all wrong" updated guidelines would be helpful. And, yes, after the fact, we knew the tip we left was excessive. At least we can hope our waiter was able to put it to good use. We weren't trying to show off or insult anyone.

In general I'd say tipping American Style is not expected in Europe, but it is common practice in most countries to at least round the amount, say from 46 to 50 and so on.... About 10% in other words.

Tipping 20% is excessively. A key factor many people ignore is that the base salary for waiters in Europe is much higher than in US, for most of it. Where some moderate tipping (below 10%) has a place, it can increasingly by done by entering the amount on the credit card machine after or before the password. This is what they were probably trying to explain, more than to "demand" a tip. Actually, even in places where there are some tipping, it goes nowhere near the practice in most US restaurants where you are just expected to pay 10-15% regardless of whether you really liked the service, and 20% for a "I'm pleased" scenario.

It may be the policy of the restaurant to encourage tipping by card rather than by cash. In the UK staff must be paid the minimum wage and money from tips and service charges cannot be used as part of this. By a code of practice the restaurant will indicate how tips and service charges are directed, and if there is any deduction made by the restaurant. This is in general in small print on the menu. An example of this is at http://www.caferouge.co.uk/service-charge (not a restaurant recommendation ...). Some have been campaigning for many years in the UK to make prices required to be service inclusive, as is the case in most other countries in Europe. This is resisted for many reasons, but the prime one at the moment seems to be that discretionary service and tips are not subject to VAT.

In Germany, the basic tarif pay for wait staff that have at least some training is about 9.69 € per hour, gross pay. Subtract their health insurance contribution, the pension contribution and the taxes and a single person with no dependents, will bring home half of that. So, probably less than 5 euro per hour, or about 800 euro per month. So, yes, this is more than in the US, but they still do depend on tips, which they also have to declare for tax purposes. I have yet to meet a server who was insulted by a high tip. Why would they? I have seen them insulted with a 1 euro tip for a bill of 99 euro though.

Jo, that's almost less than in the US. They don't get benefits (but many qualify for Medicaid and other programs, esp if they have families) at most restaurants, but for example, in WA the minimum wage is 9.04 an hour (and servers get FULL minimum wage) plus tips (standard around here is almost always 20%). Most servers I know walk out with a couple hundred on a good night. The people who really get hit are the other staff (dishwashers and cooks) who don't get tipped.

Well, they don't get full minimum wage in Iowa...they get $4.35 per hour. Some of the best tipped employees working in high-end restaurants anywhere in the country can make decent money, but when you consider the broad range of waitresses/waiters working across the huge expanse of restaurants in any given city in the U.S., it's hardly a wage anyone could live on. I've been educated by others and now try to tip very well when the service is good. I used to tip next to nothing for fair or below service, but again, my favorite dining partner has opened my eyes to the plight of the typical wait person, so now I tip a little bit better, even when the service is uneven. It's no skin off my back to try and help someone else who really does have a crappy job and makes almost nothing. I'm doing well and can afford it. But I admit, I still hate it when I end up with a waiter like that guy at Chotchkie's from the movie Office Space. I'm really not looking for a wait person to be my friend when dining out.

Servers don't get full minimum wage ($8.75) in Illinois, either. Most that I know of (full service pizza/family dining restaurants) get between $4.25-$5.50, and they do depend on their tips. And I know it's hard work, and they can have killer schedules. Having "done my time" years ago (and having kids that have done the same) I'm much more conscious of leaving a good tip.

How many servers in American who make the equivelent of 800 euros a month even HAVE medical insurance,, I bet its like almost none! So they have to pay for their own medical insurance or care, and I bet it would be alot more then the deduction the German servers pay. While people in higher paying or corporate /business jobs may have medical insurance included as a bonus, we are talking about servers, what I lump in with the "working poor" of American who cannot afford private medical insurance, and yet, do not quailify for medicare. So, I think its still a way better deal being a server in Germany( and alot of other western Europeon countries) then the States.
PS In Germany post secondary education is ALOT cheaper, or may be free , so nothing like the kids who have to work to pay for expensive educations if their parents can afford to pay for them. A kid working to pay their way through school in America has a tough row to hoe and needs every penny of their tips.

Jo's corrections to Rick's advice would be appreciated given her prior comment that he has it "quite wrong."

While this thread is waivering off topic...I'll add to the waiver by just adding: Technically all waitstaff in the US make minimum wage. The lower base rate is allowed only if tips make up the difference between the base and the minimum wage rate. Though this may certainly leave the door open for abuse by some on both sides of the equation. My own feelings about tipping in the US aside, the present system is likely to always be around, it is beneficial for both the restaurant and the wairstaff. Bringing this back to topic, a tip in Europe is certainly appreciated, but need not be more than a few coins to round up the bill. The exception would be extraordinary service, where a tip equalling a few percent of the bill or so, should be given directly to the waitstaff with a thank you, rather than left on the table. Unfortunately, in tourist areas, especially with Americans, a hefty tip is almost expected anymore; so that adds a different dynamic to the issue.

Even with a good insurance plan provided by the employer, a typical college-educated, white-collar worker in a big corporation in the U.S. still has to fork out something like $150 per month, a $4000 deductible, and a 15% co-payment to pay for their plan to cover their family. That's easily $6000 - $10,000 per year for most people and we haven't even discussed prescriptions, dental, vision, etc. That's certainly not a bonus. And no way a waitress could do that, not even if her employer offered coverage. Then, consider having two kids who need to attend public university at $25,000 per year or private at $45,000. Your typical American family just can't handle this. They can make it happen, but they're going into big time debt literally for the rest of their lives so their kids can have a better future and realize the American Dream. And this is after they've done all the right things, like having college savings plans in place since birth. If parents simply can't do it, then kids start out in life with a 4 year degree and $200,000 in debt. They'll literally never get out from under that. It's just not right that international corporations are making obscene profits from health care and education at the expense of regular people who are simply trying to make a better life for their families. Definitely, a massive change is in order, but it's never going to happen in this country, ever. Not with Dems or Republicans. Now, if we had the wealth and foresight of Norway, things might be different.

"Unfortunately, in tourist areas, especially with Americans, a hefty tip is almost expected anymore; so that adds a different dynamic to the issue." So the question then is; Are these Americans leaving hefty tips and setting a new standard (or in other words, messing up an otherwise rational tradition) doing so because they simply don't know any better (typical American behavior "A") or because they are self-righteously imposing their own upbringing on another part of the world (typical American behavior "B")? And is it just American tourists? Or do tourists from other corners of the world have their own tipping quirks?

Paul how is the present situation benefitting the waitstaff, I know how it benefits the employers, we ( the dining public) are supplementing the wages they should be paying,, but how does this system benefit your servers.. Its funny how your system is not used in SO MANY other countries and yet your countries servers are not better paid or treated.. perhaps you are wrong.. has that ever occurred to you ( I mean the collective you, as in American) ?

Pat, What is the system in Canada? I thought tipping of wait staff was also customary in Canada.

Pat; Yes, the employer benefits by having a lower committed wage, which means they can have more staff on hand, cut staff if things are slow, etc. Waitstaff benefit in that, many, earn on average more than they can could in other jobs with similar skill sets. Add the not so subtle benefit that earnings are in cash and not neccessarily fully reported for taxation, many prefer the arrangement. As a job, yes, it has it's difficulties (mine does too) but I gather if you were to poll waitstaff and offer a "fair" wage and no tips, most would opt for tips.

Oh yes we tip here, but its not as essential as it is in States( I totally get tipping 20% if a server is making 3 bucks an hour) Wages are still low, its 9 dollars an hour in my province , but better then 3-4$ hr in some states and yes, they still get tipped, but its more like 15% average as opposed to the sometimes 20-25% many Americans are now used to tipping) , and even a server who makes very little money at all can have FREE medical insurance , it just means if you make less then a certain amount|( $22,000) in a year you don't have to pay any medical insurance premuims, and even if you make over 30,000 it still caps out at 64 dollars a month. So a server here has a fighting chance, and as pointed out by Jo a server in Germany has more deductions on their checks, but that includes medical coverage for them also.. a different variation of universal medical coverage for everyone. So though they make 5 euros an hour after deductions, quite a few things are included services for which they are paying taxes on. I hope Americans one day have a similar plan, I know you have a mediaide of some sort, but I also know that many people fall in between qualifiying for that( being on welfare or destitute,) and being able to pay for private( the working poor, they can pay their rent and food, but no extras at all!).

Thankfully ALL Australians are entitled to and receive free Government funded medical/hospital care. They can also receive free dental care.
I am astounded and find it unbelievable that a country like the USA cannot implement a similar free health system for all its citizens.

Not only is health insurance included in these other countries, but I'm sure there are contributions toward retirement and servers get paid vacation days. Way off the OP question now--sorry Susan. The Genie came out of the bottle.

I have enjoyed all the insights on tipping, the rights of workers and health care. Travel opens our minds, hearts and spirits. Carry on!

Since I have been asked to clarify what I wrote about tipping, though one could have just looked it up in their own blue book, here ya go. Quotes from Rick about tipping in Germany:
"At German restaurants a service charge is generally included in the bill, although it is common to round up after a good meal" This tells us that he believes the server is going to get that service charge, which is incorrect. He also writes that "tips are appreciated, if not expected." This is also incorrect. Tips ARE expected, just not in the high percent as what is normal in the US. He needs to talk to some wait staff. Special services Quotes: "I don't tip the maid, but if you do, you can leave 1 euro per overnight at the end of your stay". This is incorrect. Do tip the maid on a daily basis as the housekeeping staff may also switch rooms on a daily basis. 1 euro is a kind of cheap too, considering this person just cleaned your toilet and bathtub. People tip a bartender a dollar for pouring a draft beer, but not a housekeeper? "If I have already paid for a tour, I don't tip extra unless they have really impressed me." The only tour guides I have ever seen holding out their hand for a tip, as Rick quotes, are those who are doing those "free tours". They do depend on your tips, so they can pay the company a fee for each person who began the tour. Easiest, is to just avoid the free tours. It is correct though, to tip a guide who has probably spent years researching their subject, and who has entertained you for a couple of hours.

Why should individuals be in charge of the redistribution of wealth? Jo says to tip the maid because she has cleaned your toilet. (Don't most of us clean our own toilets at home and we make a fuss over cleaning it after one night?) So, when you go to Costco, do you slip a couple of $, €, or £ to the person who comes in to clean the toilet there? Or at the supermarket? Why is the attendant at Costco or the supermarket less worthy than the maid who cleans toilets which have been used by 1 or 2 people for one day? (not counting those places that have a bowl out for tips) (Never seen one of those at the Costco or supermarket which is why I selekted those places. Or what about the football stadium after a match? Do you tip those toilet cleaners? If you tip a taxi driver why don't you tip the bus driver? Is the bus driver doing an easier job? Or of a superior class? Or why don't you tip the train driver? Heck, they've just taken you somewhere at 300 kph safely. Can the taxi driver do that? Why do you tip a person who comes to your table to ask you what you would like to eat, and brings it, and (maybe) collects the dirty dishes to take back, and brings you a coffee and brings you change? But you don't tip the server at McDonalds who has to to ask you what you would like to eat, and brings it, perhaps to your table if you ask for a wrap, and collects the dirty trays, and brings you a coffee and brings you change? And is probably on even more of a low wage? I work very hard at my job and just about make the ends meet. Nobody tips me. I don't expect it. Why should I be expected (with the associated guilt trip) to scatter my hard earned money to everybody who is paid to provide me a service? Pay them a decent wage, with benefits, and forget the tips.

Good points, Nigel!

Agreed good points Nigel.
I also agree that Ricks "tip at the end of stay for hotel maids" is not correct. That only ensures the lady who cleaned your room that particular day benefits, I doubt all maids go to the trouble of finding out who cleaned the rooms on their days off or when they did other sections of hotel and then divide the tip with them. I tip one euro per day per person ( if happy with room cleaning) but I tip each day. Too bad if thats "cheap", I am sure its better then what many others leave in Europe. ( btw on an Hawaii forum apparently tipping less the 5-10 dollars a day to the hotel maid is "cheap") .. when does it end.

When I am in Germany/Austria, I do make it a habit to tip, either round off or add one or two Euro to the total. On the rare, rare occasion where I take a taxi with the fare at, say, 11,20 Euro, I tell the driver, make it 13 Euro. Das stimmt's, esp. if the ride was pleasant, conversational, etc. At a Pension if the proprietor (Inhaberin) is the one cleaning your room, pours your coffee at breakfast, does your sack of laundry, I give a Euro per day. At restaurants where I am a regular customer, (only a couple), I add two Euro to the bill. That's not even 15%, doesn't matter that service in Germany is included. At other places, like a simple restaurant or a Bahnhofsgaststätte (not many of them left), I at least round off or add one Euro, depending. As someone pointed out, this extra tipping may be unnecessary but no waiter/waitress has ever refused it. That's been my experience in Germany exactly.

Fred I didn't think one tipped the owner of a b@b, I sure wouldn't, not a cent, I would only tip if he had an actual worker doing those jobs you described.

Now that I think about it, we had a thread on tipping at B@Bs on here( or was it another forum) I think 95% of people said they didn't tip owners, 3 % said they wanted to bring a personal gift for owner, and 2 % tipped.. to each his own, ( and yes, completely unscientific survey there, but you get my drift. lol )
IF owner went beyond doing what I paid him for ( clean bed , decent breakfast) I would consider leaving some flowers for front desk or maybe even a bottle of wine,, but money , no .

I find it interesting that anyone can say "Rick is wrong" about tipping - not because Rick can't be wrong, but because THERE IS NO WRONG! You want to leave a big tip? Go ahead. You don't want to? Don't. Stop trying to inject any rationality to the system, because there isn't any.

True, regardless of the particular country's custom (service compris) leaving something extra in the form of one or two Euro, either by credit card or cash, at a Pension or restaurant is an individual decision. It's entirely up to you. Of course, in Germany/Austria there is no need to round off if you felt the restaurant service was ordinary, perfunctory, or you just don't want to...just leave it at 11,30 Euro. Tipping where you are a regular customer, say at a Pension, as I listed above, is a way of conveying appreciation to the person running the place. It's not expected. I know what the custom is, they know I know that. It's one's own choice. Now, if the Pension has only one maid and I see her at check out, I give the tip directly to her. That settles it.

I can tell you first hand that if you apply for a waiters job here in Berlin, one of the things the employer will tell you is "In this restaurant/bar/pub you can expect to make 30/40/50 euros in tips per shift." And they say that, because these additional 700 or 1000 euros per month turn the crappy salary they're offering into a somewhat decent one. The notion that tips in Germany are totally superfluous because waiters make a "living wage" is factually incorrect.
German tips are generally lower than American ones and the wage/tips ratio of the total income is different, but very few German waiters would work for their wages alone.

Nigel, bus drivers get paid a salary, as do most other positions you mentioned. Restaurant workers are traditionally paid far less (not as little in Europe as in the US) and receiving tips is part of their income. In the US, restaurant wait staff is paid far less than minimum wage. Keeps people off the public dole. I used to waitress during summers and I always overtip (not that others should), but the "rounding up" is common practice in most places I've been.

Jo said: "I have yet to meet a server who was insulted by a high tip. Why would they?" Fred added: "As someone pointed out, this extra tipping may be unnecessary but no waiter/waitress has ever refused it." I have. In a restaurant in Stuttgart I left about a 15% tip and had the server roll her eyes and brush the bills off the tray, leaving only the coins and then stomp off. A single data point perhaps, but it can happen.

Minimum wage is the about the same here ( British Columbia) for everyone, liquor servers ( thats right , it must be liquor servers, if a waitress works in a place that does not serve alcohol , like say a coffee shop or diner, then they get the normal min. wage) get 9 dollars an hour, any other server or minimum wage earner gets 10.25 an hour. Much better then in the States where the difference between min. wages is huge, plus wages are very low. If paying people 3 or 4 dollars an hour( and min wage in some States like Kansas is only 2.65 dollars an hour, shocking, others range as low as 3 dollars to a hgih of 7.25) and expecting the public to supplement the wages to reach a reasonable level of income, and thats what keeps people "off the dole" then its a sad situation down there.

In the USA, I think the minimum wage should be paid to all, including those who work in the food industry. Minimum wage is not a generous amount to live on. Tips of 10-15% on top of that would be reasonable. I'm told that the servers commonly share their tips with other employees in the restaurant. Managers sometimes take a share, but are not supposed to.

Hi Susan, We normallly do not tip in pubs. Some folks do leave their change on the counter. You will not find many tip jars here as you have in the States. In fact it would be rare to see one. Restaurants - normally a ten percent tip is given unlike your 15-20%. Groups of eight or more will see a service charge on the bill so normally we do not add a further tip. BOGOF (buy one get one free) normally we would tip ten percent of the total bill. It seems to me that unless you asked about a tip the waiter was out of line. They are paid well in Ireland unlike your service personnel. Regards.

Man, I missed what was called on other forums on the internet "tipping wank". Tipping is famously a discussion that gets people riled, even within one culture, but when people from different cultures are talking about it - forget it! I've seen Americans and Canadians come to virtual blows over this subject. All the discussion aside, Jo's attitude makes sense. In a perfect world we'd have everyone who has crappy jobs - and as a former waitress I feel totally OK with calling serving a crappy job - be compensated well for it. We don't live in that world. Think about it: you're spending at least thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars on your European vacation, and yet you're fretting over a few Euro tip for hard working people? Just tip, for god's sake, unless the service is awful. How much you tip and how you do it might depend on where you're at, but there are very few places in the world where it's bad form to tip something.

Also a tip has never been refused, but at a pub we really like (and frequent) here in Stuttgart, we had dinner and a couple drinks. The bill was 45 euro. I had a 50. It made sense to me to just say "funfzig" and be done with it - while I knew it was a high tip for Germany, the service and food were great, we were happy, and I didn't need any more small change rattling around in my pocket. Our waitress/owner said "Seriously?!?" we were like, "uh, yes?" That was awkward. She didn't seem insulted, I just think she thought we got our german numbers wrong and meant to tip less. She might have thought we were kinda stupid. Oh well. I tipped 2 euro the other night for a bar bill that included only two drinks. That was like a 40% tip! But I had a 2 euro coin, love the bar, am a regular, love the service, so why not? No one serving me is getting rich off doing it. If I can afford it, it makes sense to unless you're just throwing 20 euro notes around like a jackass.

James we tip in Canada for the reason it was originally meant, to thank someone for good service or when asking for a special favor beyond job description. You tip in States because if you don't your servers get screwed and can end up making less then 3 bucks an hour. . As I said we have a minimum wage way above what your servers get, and we have universal medical , so even waitresses who make less then 20,000 a year can have medical, free , at that. Its just better to live poor in Canada then poor in States James , lucky us, poor you.

I had to respond. The federal minimum wage is now about $7.25 an hour, hardly enough to live on I agree. However, you need to check the facts. If a server in say Kansas is making $2.50 per hour, the employer is by law responsible to see that that worker, if they are not getting enough in tips to meet that, the employer has to make up the difference. This law applies to servers who depend on tips.

For the record, the minimum wage in Montana is $7.65/hour currently, and $7.80/hour the first of the year. Also, as great as the health care system is in Canada, what explains the utilization of medical services in our area by Canadians apart from emergencies while being tourists?

Actually I looked up minimum wage in the States, it is different in every state, while the HIGHEST was 7.25 many states have lower. And there is no employer making up the difference, that is a fantasy. A server who does not make up to that grand amount is going to get fired quickly, for one of two reasons. either its not busy enough for them to get enough business to get enough tips, or they suck, in neither case is an employer going to make it up to them. Gee Bruce, don't know, why do you guys come up here for drugs and flu shots?

Back in the 1860's, when Mark Twain was writing about cultural differences between Americans and Europeans, he noted that Americans tended to tip a lot more. So, we honor our national heritage when we tip that 20%. Indeed, if we were to tip less we would risk becoming "inauthentic."

Let's clarify U.S. law in regard to servers by going to the source: the Department of Labor. The federal minimum wage is $7.25/hr. However, tipped employees, deemed those who make more than $30/month in tips, can be paid $2.13/hour. If the tipped employee does not make enough in tips to reach $7.25/hr, the employer must make up the difference. That is the absolute minimum. States can make these rates higher. Some allow a lower rate for tipped employees, some don't. The highest minimum wage with no distinction is in the state of Washington where it's $9.08. If you want to find out what the rules are in each state, go to this chart: http://www.dol.gov/whd/state/tipped.htm#.UIVc5sXA87Q If you want to see what the federal law is in regards to minimum wage and tipped employees is, to to this site: http://www.dol.gov/elaws/faq/esa/flsa/002.htm Now we can get back to arguing about how much to tip in Europe.

Frank you said that 7:25 is the absolute minimum Federal min wage, but then you say "some states can allow lower",,, that is a bit confusing. It seems like if a State can set a lower min then the Fed min wage is a peice of paper?

I seriously doubt any Canadian would plan a trip to Glacier only because of the added incentive of obtaining medical treatment in Whitefish while on vacation. Despite what Mr. Romney's TV ads may claim, I can assure you that medical care in Canada is on par with medical care in the U.S. And if you require treatment while on vacation here or there, I'm pretty sure you would be okay either way. People aren't leaving Calgary for treatment in Whitefish...it just doesn't happen.

Susan, We were asked that once in Ireland, maybe London?. I can't recall. Anyway, the cashier asked if we "wished" to key in any gratuity for our waiter on our card. We said no, we had given him his tip directly. Could that have been it? Anyway, here we round up to the euro on food on small checks and around ten to 12 percent on large checks. Don't tip for drinks at pubs or bars. Sometimes we give an additional gratuity for very exceptional service, or if we asked the person a lot of questions about the area, and got a lot of information, which wasted their time. If we hold a table for a long, long time when it's super busy. Sometimes if we just liked the person's attitude, or abilities. Tipping is up to us, not any cultural or unwritten rules. And Pat, what Frank was saying, was that some states can pay you less than the $7.25 but only in a position where tips bring it up to that amount. If you don't make enough tips per hour to make $7.25 average, the employer has to make up the difference. Usually called "Right to Work States."

"People aren't leaving Calgary for treatment in Whitefish...it just doesn't happen." Well, the marketing folks at the two local hospitals offer a contrasting view. Oh, and the cost of various goods and services on this side of the border in some cases (auto service/sales, electronics, food) are quite favorable for the Canadians which translates into a lower cost of living for folks living here. One big box store in Bellingham is so busy that locals advocate special hours for themselves. Not a problem here though, and we love our good friends....so come play and shop.

Again, thank you everyone for all the insight (even the pros and cons of US health care vs Canada's :) We could have misunderstood our waiter's intentions when asking us to enter the gratuity. Like someone said, when you are spending thousands on a vacation, it's crazy to resent giving a waiter somewhere a 20 percent tip. We had a great meal in a wonderful restaurant, and the service was good. I am now better prepared on the tipping front when we take our next overseas trip.

Pat....what Crash said. Tipped employees can be paid less.

Sorry, Bruce, but it's a myth that Canadians come in droves to the U.S. for health care when you evaluate the facts: 99.39% of Canadians do not come to the U.S. for elective health care according to the professional journal, Health Affairs. And most of the agreements you're talking about are more about efficiency and capacity than any serious deficiency in Canada's system. Of course, you can find one or two rich people who come to the U.S. for their liver transplants, but that's the exception. Their system isn't perfect, but neither is ours.

Tipping in Europe can be a bit nerve-wracking, especially for an American used to tipping 20% or $1/drink. I'll still tip like that when I return, but here, I'll typically round up or go 10-15%, whichever is greater. It's part of the cost of dining out. In the States especially, the cost of the service broken out from the cost of the meal. Like it or not, that's what it is. If it really sticks in anyone's craw to have to tip, there's always the option of carrying around sandwich fixin's and a bottle of Sprite. It's a guaranteed tip-free meal.

I'm always interested in the US healthcare debate, because we happened to be on a 6 week trip through the US using Amtrack during the failed Clinton attempt at reforming healthcare. Each night for dinner on board the train the steward tried to place us with people we had not met before and so we got many contrasting opinions on the issue. I must say travelling by Amtrack was a great way to meet local people and spend a while getting to know them. I'll keep my views on your healthcare system for some other time :-)

Gee Chris, thats not a "guranteed tip free meal" unless you made it at home and bought the drink the grocers, self serve coffee/sandwich type bars are all starting to put out tip jars by the till. James, do some math, 15 dollars for a 80 dollar meal is very generous, no one would insist you take some back, but you could leave 12 dollars and they would think you did just fine by them. Normal is about 15% here. I think tipping the way you suggest might be considered a tad cheap on your side of the line though, 10 dollars for an 80 dollar meal.. is less then 15%,, is that normal in States?

Over tipping can be a problem in some countries. For example for cabs, Americans are known to be generous and tip well even if not required. The locals cannot afford to tip as generously. As a consequence, cab drivers sometimes will only service the "generous" American tourists leaving the locals stranded.

I've known more Americans who have gone to Canada for medical care than Canadians who have come to the US for medical care. In fact, the latter is probably pretty close to zero. Canada's health care system isn't perfect (Canadian relatives who have worked in the health care field there have told me so), but it's far better than ours. As to tipping, there's no rationality to the system. What Nigel said earlier makes sense, but logic has nothing to do with it. It is what it has been for years.

I must be considered one cheap bstrd in Europe. I NEVER over tip. On the contrary, they're lucky if I leave above 10%. Maybe I'm mistaken for a Canadian? LOL As an American married to a Canadian, here are my observations on the US/Canada tips/healthcare debate going on here. 1) Canadians are NOT known for being generous tippers in the US. As someone who worked in a restaurant to pay her way through college, nothing (and I mean nothing) drew groans like a table of Canadians/Europeans. 2) Canadian healthcare is NOT perfect. My husband's godmother, mother and father have all travelled to the US to get operations done to avoid waiting lines. That being said, I have heard (don't know any personally though) of Americans who have travelled North for meds and flu shots. Okay, you all can go back to killing one another. LOL

Kathleen, there are long waits for some non emergency surgeries,, but anything important is done immediatly, and for free.. regardless of coverage. My mother was medi-vaced to the mainland for her heart surgery, and that was her 3rd one. We have heart surgery here of course, but she had highly unique and complicated needs, so was sent to top heart hospital in province. I also have had my surgeries performed in a timely manner , for what they were. But, you are correct, people who need things like their knees done do wait a long time , as long as a year I have heard. Point is its never ever a question of what coverage you have, what insurance plan, how much money you have, its always based solely on medical need. In France my godfather has a nurse come to the house DAILY to take his blood ( hes undergoing chemo for cancer) and check a mainline he has in ,, which I was really surprised with, he still goes out and drives to bakery for bread each day, and lab is only 10 minutes away, but the nurse comes every morning anyways,, even here in Canada if you are still capable of going out then there are no house calls.. I was very impressed( with the care in france)