New tipping guidelines?

In Austria, "rounding up" is not always quite enough, and it is not new. I have always heard 10% or a bit less as a guideline.
In France, I have seen a trend of (1) payment terminal with tip options and (2) waiters asking Americans for tips in touristy places. It is perfectly acceptable to refuse.
Not sure about Germany.

anybody asks me for a tip gets none.

I've just got back from Vienna, and no-one specifically asked for a tip prior to payment, but I did add 10% or so to the bill (by telling the waiter the amount I was going to pay when they presented the bill), which seemed well received. In Paris earlier in the year I certainly was never asked. But maybe they know Australians aren't big tippers as a rule :)

Here's a new one...I recently ordered a small electronic part from a small firm in the U. K. I ordered it on their website. Upon checking out, they actually had an area that asked if I would like to leave a tip for the employees?

No thank you.

This entire tipping thing has become insidious. Tip if you're inclined, walk away if you're not.

I think the new tipping should be no tip. Let’s start a movement. Last nights news here in Colorado says that tipped employee minimum wage will now go to $15.27 an hour. That seems to me to be a good amount.
There are no guidelines to tipping. That is part of the problem, especially across the tipping cultures around the world.
In Japan a tip could be considered an insult, yet those used to tipping might still do it, as heard here often.

When someone asks for a tip, they get nothing from us. We had that happen in Oslo 8 years ago. It caught me by surprise, but the waiter got nothing extra.

You're eating in the wrong places.

But yes, a small tip, something under 10%, is probably more common in Germany and Austria, not so much in France. But then, in Germany, most locals are paying in cash, so they either leave some or not, if using a card, most places would need to add a tip in somehow, usually (though I am sure that is changing) there is not a tip option on the terminal.

Is "saw you coming" an expression in American English?

anybody asks me for a tip gets none.

What Nigel said. If they ask, either my husband or I will go to Google Maps and leave a review that details what we thought of the meal, the restaurant, and the service and mention that we were asked to tip. That has gotten the owner’s attention and a response more than once, apologizing for the employee’s rudeness.

I noticed on our recent London trip that all the restaurants added a discretionary 12.5% service charge to the bill. Previously, that was never the case.

Restaurants where American tourists go now have these payment terminals with tip options to make you believe that tipping applies in the same way as in the US.

In France, in restaurants or bars where a service is charged, all documents (prices, menus, etc.) must mention the words “service compris" (service included), followed by the percentage applied.

Tipping is always optional and left to the customer's discretion.

No one can force you to pay a tip.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I laugh because people spend $20,000 on a European holiday and worry about $5 at dinner.

RS published this as far back as 2014 and not much has changed. He is still about 70% correct: https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/money/tipping-in-europe

And, NO, in "Europe" they dont pay wait staff a living wage; unless you accept that in the US we also do. The statement is too simplistic to have any meaning.

I noticed on our recent London trip that all the restaurants added a discretionary 12.5% service charge to the bill. Previously, that was never the case.

I have found that common since before the pandemic, so at least 4-5 years. But it was not all restaurants, initially the more trendy ones, and only 10%. I also notice the practice has become more common outside of London, in what I would consider tourist destinations. This year, saw it in Bristol, Portsmouth, and touristy spots in Cornwall, but not all places in each of though.

jamieelsabio, I saw that also, of course, on our London trip - but didn’t know it wasn’t around previously since it was my first extended London trip.

This year, I have been in Dubai, Andalucia, Budapest, Albania, northern Greece, Dresden, Krakow, Montenegro, Bosnia, Serbia, Austria, Lviv, and London over 23 weeks and have not been asked for a tip once. Some places included a service charge, some not; some could add a tip to the machine and some not; everyone said thank you for whatever amount I left (on a machine or cash); and a couple of times I was telling them to charge an amount over my cost and they informed me that the service charge was already included (to keep me from paying more). Maybe I look like a poor American, not a rich one…..

TTM I have been in Budapest, Albania, Greece, Germany, Montenegro, Bosnia, Serbia, Austria, Ukraine, UK and about a two dozen other countries over 43 years and have not been asked for a tip once. Some places included a service charge, some not; some could add a tip to the machine and some not; everyone said thank you for whatever amount I left (on a machine or cash); and a couple of times I was telling them to charge an amount over my cost and they informed me that the service charge was already included (to keep me from paying more). Maybe I look like a poor American, not a rich one…..

Re: being asked "almost every meal...by the waiter to leave a tip"

I spent a total of 9 weeks this summer in Europe, ie, in Germany, France and Austria (only Vienna), in tourist frequented cities and towns (Munich, Berlin, Paris ) and those totally not visited by foreign tourists, such as in France....Arras, Soissons, Maubeuge, Bar-le-Duc, Metz, Amiens, Albert/Somme, Chateau-Thierry

Neither in so-called tourist restaurants nor in those only frequented by locals was I ever asked by the waiter nor anyone else to leave a tip. Never happened. Never encountered any such question by the wait staff

Regardless, I left a tip anyway, as always, either in cash or on the credit card. "They" were quite aware I was a visitor as I have tourist written all over me, (my halting French is a dead give-away) , not interested in "blending" in.

I wonder how many of the restaurants where waiters asked for tips were included in a certain blue and yellow guidebook?

I tend not to review restaurants, and leave the dead center customary tip regardless of quality of service. If it was horrible I'll not tip and speak to management.

Picked up my philosophy on this from watching some rich (like rich rich) and effective business people. When dining they are either working or enjoying themselves. If working then evaluating someone elses service workers is not their job, and if at leisure who wants to work? They don't even think to think about it. In the US 20% tip automatic regardless of performance.

I see a lot of people who seem to like the feeling of a little princely judgment of the server/staff/food. Shall they bestow 15% or 20%? Perhaps 13% and send a little message? Or maybe 22% because Suzy did really quite a fine job?

It feels petty to me. I don't want to take part in some collective project of training someone else's employees via little money nudges. It's delightfully liberating to just decide that "I tip X percent," tip just that, and never think about my little relationship with a server again. Freed my head up while dining out more than I thought it might.

I suggest 2 euro per person. In the US I now leave $4.00 per person, Percentage tipping on the price has become ridiculous. Add additional for wine or if you are running a server back and forth for drinks and other requests. Serving me an entree that costs $36.00 isn't more difficult than an entree that costs $18.00. The only people that can control runaway tipping are customers.

I went to Austria and Germany and was never asked for tip.I did notice that some establishments added gratuity-which is when I didn't tip.

As someone else said, waiters don't always make "a living wage" even in Europe and they are certainly never going to be rich. It's personal but I feel a percentage tip is appropriate unless they've been terrible or ask for tips. I usually just have.one set amount so I don't have to fuss.

If you don't want to tip, don't tip.

Serving me an entree that costs $36.00 isn't more difficult than an
entree that costs $18.00.

But serving an entree is nearly twice as hard in the US?

The big difference between the US and much of Europe is that in much of Europe, the tip is appreciated but not required, and you aren't thought bad of if you tip nothing ..... oh, and in much of Europe, the mandatory tip (service charge) is much more common, whereas in the US, you can still get away with paying nothing if you want.

Please do not confuse a service charge with a tip. The owners get a service charge, the servers get the tip.

I also think there may be some language problems here too. Because so many people are paying with card, the server needs to know if you are including a tip in the charge and they need to know this before, so they can enter the amount. They are NOT asking you for a tip, they are asking if you want it included, since people do not usually leave money on a table. They do not have bussers in any country I have been to. People sit down at tables before they are cleaned and may take any money that is left there, or if you are sitting outside, people may just walk by and take any money left on a table. If you have not included the tip on your card, give the tip in person to the server.

I really hate the "they earn a living wage in Europe" when you have zero idea what each country is paying. The difference in wages for servers in Spain and perhaps Austria, or Denmark, or Switzerland is quite a lot. If you want to know what servers or cooks or housekeepers earn in each country, this information is easily found online.

really hate the "they earn a living wage in Europe" when you have zero
idea what each country is paying. The difference in wages for servers
in Spain and perhaps Austria, or Denmark, or Switzerland is quite a
lot. If you want to know what servers or cooks or housekeepers earn in
each country, this information is easily found online.

Ms Jo, words of wisdom. I have seen no evidence in much of Europe that wait staff lives better than their average counterpart in the US.

As for the service charge, I guess the meaning of that varies by location. I can't tell you how many times in Hungary I have offered a tip to be told by the waiter it's not necessary because there is a service charge in the bill.

As usual this has degenerated to the living wage discussion being discussed by a large majority of people who know nothing about wages in the individual countries or the array of social system benefits people are entitled to at various earning levels in the different countries. It's very different from the States.

Bets, it was mentioned 4 out of 25 posts and they all agreed with what you just said.

In the US, being asked to leave a tip is not considered appropriate. But, you are not in the US. Americans have a reputation for generosity in regards to tipping. So I don't find it all that disturbing or something to be upset by that servers would help facilitate the ability for Americans to display their generosity, at least to those who wish to. Personally, I will do my homework on each country I visit to determine how locals tip. And then if tipping is considered okay in that country, I would not necessarily tip the same as a local, since I am not a local. But most likely adjust the amount to be something a bit more. That way I feel that I would respect the culture but at the same time be true to the fact that I am an American visiting another country.

Regardless, I find it best when paying to tell the wait staff exactly in France or Germany and Austria in French ( I have to think fast to manage this) / German the amount I intend to pay with the tip included, say if it's 21, 36 Euro , then I say 23 Euro or even 24 Euro, be it by credit card ( the tap function), or in Austria / Germany when given a choice, plain cash.

I think it maybe came up in previous thread about tipping, but there's some changes in employment legislation coming up in 2024 in the UK. It's going to be mandatory for 100% of discretionary service charges to be paid to staff. How the industry handles this remains to be seen. The 12.5% that is common may disappear.

Here's an article explaining it, albeit from a lawyer serving the hospitality sector.

https://www.twobirds.com/en/insights/2023/uk/the-new-tips-act-what-does-this-mean-for-your-business

A friend of mine has worked for two fine dining establishments in central London and both ran a tronc for tips. I think that is common in well managed places, particularly those that are organised according to the classical French templates for front and back of house.

What is a tronc for tips?

What is a tronc for tips?

A “tronc” is the total amount of tips that will be shared among restaurant staff.
A member of staff is responsible for sharing the tronc equitably or according to predefined rules, he is called the “tronc master”

In the US percentage tipping just has to end. Each of us can determine what a flat rate tip amount is fair in our own opinion. I actually believe a server in a diner works twice as hard as a server in a fine dining establishment. Just watch the effort sometime of both servers.

Flat rate tipping is the solution. I think you need to weigh factors like, how long have I been occupying this table, how much of a bother have I been to the server; did I ask them to run around getting me special items or extras? Did I order many drinks, wine opening, etc. The cost of the meal is insignificant to the service effort.

It is an equal effort to serve four cheeseburger platters at $18.00 each ($72.00) as it is to serve four ribeye steaks at $36.00 each ($144.00), yet we tip the server in a casual restaurant by giving them 20% of the burger table or $14.00 and tip the server in the steak restaurant $29.00. There is no way their efforts are that much different. Why should menu prices be the determining factor.

Flat rate tipping is the answer in the US. Percentage tipping, toss it out and start a new trend.

In Europe, I am a guest of that country and I will follow the norms, unless I feel those norms are out of whack like they are here in the US. However, my experience in other countries is that I rarely need additional service. It seems they already know what is needed and it is there on my table or brought without asking. I can't recall the last time I requested anything that was missing from my dining experience except, "more wine, please".

Threadwear, they never bring enough ketchup, especially in Paris.

This is due to stupid US tourists who are ignorant about local customs.

But I like my ketchup