Tipping is out of hand

I'm currently in Spain and over the last two weeks I've not left a tip anywhere and no-one has batted an eyelid. I pay almost exclusively by contactless payment so I'm not even presented with a tip option on the payment machine. It appears that the Spaniards have a similar outlook as I've not observed any tipping other than some loose change left when paying cash.

I've said it here previously that the tipping culture in the US is one of the reasons I have no plans on returning and I know that I'm far from alone in that respect.

Okay, so the perceived function of the tipping culture is your reason to avoid the US. That's travel related.

Your not tipping in Spain is pretty much in keeping with the local culture. Again, good in the forum.

Festering throughout Europe? In some parts of Europe, a lot of Europe, tipping has been around for 100 years or more. Part of forum mission so we can tip appropriately when traveling.

Arguments about living wages in the US or elsewhere are interesting, especially since the truth would surprise you, not part of the forum mission.

I have lived in Germany for over 37 years and have always tipped about 5-10% as do all of my German friends. I have worked in restaurants here and that was a normal tip even 30 years ago. Obviously, if your service is bad or poor, you don't need to tip anything, but to make generalizations that tipping is something new here, is false. It just isn't the huge kind of tipping that happens in the US. I always tip the housekeepers every day in the hotel, a small tip to the taxi driver if they are helpful and friendly, and I tip when I get my hair cut. These are all normal and have been normal here, they are not new.

Please do not start with the "living wage" argument if you do not know what these people make for a wage. If you are interested, Mr. Google can assist you. Each country is different too.

Please do not start with the "living wage" argument if you do not know
what these people make for a wage. If you are interested, Mr. Google
can assist you. Each country is different too.

MsJo, correct and a lot more complicated than the mindless regurgitated supposed conventional wisdom on a lot of subjects.

Too many cultural and factual differences to do a 1 to 1 comparison. Good reason to travel, so you can see the tradeoffs that were made, good and bad, to make the system in another country work. And see how well it works.

I hate this subject on this forum. I've refrained from replying on the multiple threads in the past. I guess I just feel spicy today.

I'm married to a waiter here in the U.S. and so I WILL speak to the living wage issue and do not require your consent to do so. Go ahead and blame your waiter for the tipping issue so you can feel a certain way.

The only reason anyone posts about this topic is to either complain about the literally smallest cost of their trip, or to be judgmental (filtering my profanity).

What else are you trying to accomplish by posting here? To have someone validate you for not tipping? Just tip or don't and move on. Good grief.

While some people have always had an issue against tipping, I think the big issue in the US is that people are being asked to tip in places that don't really deserve tipping. Most understand tipping in sit down restaurants, bars and a few other places but now there are signs or some expectations at places where there is only counter service or fast food stuff. I was in a shopping mall and got a cinnabon and a pop up for a tip was shown and I skipped it. Its stuff like that which annoys some of us.

@MorganMurphy - I'm staying in a Marriott resort on the Costa Del Sol, there are quite a few Americans staying here along with a lot more Europeans. The resort prefers you to make charges to your room so when buying a drink at the bar or buying something from the on site shop you are presented with a receipt to sign which includes a line for a tip. I can guarantee that the American guests will leave a tip even if they've only bought a drink at the bar or a croissant from the shop, the vast majority of Europeans will not leave a tip but the disappointment from the staff is palpable and I can imagine it makes a number of people uncomfortable.

The staff here certainly earn a better wage than others in the service industry and it's above minimum wage, they don't need to make up their wages with tips like their American equivalent do. Americans bringing their generous tipping culture to Europe is creating unfair expectations amongst service staff and consequently an uncomfortable environment for European tourists who do not want to participate in such outlandish practices.

Service staff in Europe are not paid such pitiful wages as they are in the US, no-one should be subjected to a guilt trip to supplement someone's wages in Europe.

This subject should be banned from the forum. LOL. Some on this space have railed against tipping for years. Leave what your want because I will also leave what I want.

No need to ban it. The appropriate way to discuss this subject in a travel forum is to ask, in the country-specific subforum, what the local customs are, so that we can respect our host country by abiding by them. We are not here to discuss tipping trends in the United States or debate the practice of tipping altogether.

It's baffling to see what are supposed to be experienced travelers beginning statements with "In Europe they ..." which will be wrong 99 out of 100 times.

Makes one wonder about the advice in the forum.

The only country I know of is Iceland which tipping is not appropriate. There is so much opinion on tipping I know people who will fight you over the subject pro and con.

Tipping isn't the issue. It is percentage tipping that is just ridiculous and out of control. If I eat a $40 meal I am not adding an additional 20% to pay the wages of the restaurant's employees. Not my responsibility. However, if I ask for additional services, I do feel obligated to pay a little extra for that service.

I have 2 friends who make 55k+ per year as servers in casual restaurants. If that isn't a living wage, then start tipping your kid's teachers as well as servers.

If my bill in the US amounts to $ 40, presumably at a decent restaurant, my tip prior to tax had better be 20% or more, all the more so if I am a "regular" at that place.

In France if the bill is, say 25.65 Euro, paying with the credit card, I tell the staff person at least 27 Euro if not 28. Likewise in Austria and Germany but paying with cash instead, regardless if the credit card option is accepted.

There’s no tip line on French credit card readers, Fred, so the restaurant owner thanks you. The servers, who make the same wage as everyone else in the restaurant, never see what you leave when you tell them to round up. If you want to tip, leave cash. It won’t be declared but that’s a different can of worms.

JC, I agree that it’s unfortunate when a culture exploits its workers, turns them into beggars or aggressors, and then instead hits up the public at every electronic transaction for noblesse oblige. It favors the owner or shareholders, neither employee or customer. That’s assuming the establishment isn’t struggling overall. Where I live, the price you see is the price you pay. I find being cornered very disagreeable and it certainly dampens my visits back. I leave 20%.

It got out of hand when it magically changed from ten to fifteen percent.

It got out of hand when it magically changed from ten to fifteen
percent.

It was about 10 years ago when our minimum wage almost doubled, and magically, the tip option went from 15% to 18-20%. Now it's everywhere, the garage door guy charging me $110/hr had a tip option.

But for a European spin, in Sorrento last Spring the expectation for tipping was virtually non existent, but when we got to Rome, it was aggressive if they suspected you of being American.

I try to follow the local norms when traveling. Tipping is definitely out of control in my opinion where I live. I occasionally go to a local bakery for a meetup with friends. I order coffee, I pay, they then hand me a cup to serve myself. The machine is set for 18% as the minimum with a place for a custom tip. It’s not a lot of money but it is irritating. If I’m in a good mood and the line short, I’ll throw some change in the tip jar.

This is why it is easier to pay with cash. No automatic tips.

Tipping where I live and where I travel isn't at all out of control ..... because as a voluntary act, I am in complete control. Of course that only matters brcause my behavior is contingent on my beliefs, not the social insecurities of others. I do try and conform to local custom and that requires tipping in about half of Europe.

If I am exceedingly well taken care of, the tip can exceed the local custom and be more akin to the US norm. I figure if I should be understanding of other cultural norms, like the Indian woman in the Sari on the San Antonio, TX Riverwalk, then the guy 2 tables over from me in Hungary can mind his own business when I leave 5000ft for something he would leave 0ft for. Not like it has anything to do with his life.

And since I know that these folks DO NOT earn a living wage by any standard of measurmrnt acceptable to an American point of view of what a Living Wage is; well I led a blessed life and my G-d expects that not less than 10% should go to those who are at that momrnt less fortunate.

How dare I give that server money that I did not have to!!! 🤣🤣 Get over it. 🙄

Tipping in the US is the problem. 20-25% guilt tipping has become rampant. Stop complaining and stop tipping or go back to 10%. There is no law that says you have to tip. It is guilt and peer pressure otherwise you would be tipping everybody. Why not tip the cashier at the grocery store? They are standing on their feet ringing up all your items and bagging them. Give them 20% of your grocery ticket. Their job doesn't look all that much fun and I'll bet they make less per hour than a server that gets tips.

Mr E. How can you think this forums information is questionable?? 😂😂😂😂