Confused about tipping in Paris restaurants

I did not ask if the tip was included -- I asked of if service was included, and I said this in French. (I speak French fairly well.)

Again, I so far have not seen a menu, or restaurant bill, that had a service charge itemized, or that said "service non compris".

Frankly,, I assume it is included always as I am sure if it wasn't it would be very well noted. I round up to tip,, except in exceptional situations( a very posh dinner etc)

I was in France this fall and did not get a single receipt that had anything about a service charge anywhere on it. I did not think to look at the menu.

In Germany and Austria, I don't think I have ever received a bill with "Bedienung inbegriffen" or "Service inclusive" written on it. However, the menu always says it.

I attended the recent ETBD travel extravaganza in Edmonds. While there I heard Steve Smith, the co-author of the Paris books, state that a tip should be 5% MAX. Then he went on to give an illustration: on a bill of 18 EU, add 2 EU for a tip. This sounds like 10+% to me. So, I guess between 5-10% would be appropriate. Or just round up the bill to something that seems reasonable. But not 15-20%.

I think Paris resident and blogger David Lebowitz gives very good, clear advice on tipping.
http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives/2007/04/tipping_in_fran_1.html#comment-56213

From the blog:
"in France by law a 15% gratuity is always included in the price wherever you eat or drink. No matter what anyone says, a service charge or tip is always included. Period."

The confusion comes because the wait staff does not get this "service charge". This sum goes to the restaurant who turns around and pays their staff wages, health insurance, vacation time, sick pay, etc.

When you leave a "tip", this goes to the server themselves. So, yes, it is nice to leave a little something, but it certainly does not need to be 15-20% and if the service was poor, I have no qualms leaving nothing.

Jo nailed it. Period. End of discussion. Frame it. Give it to your friends. That's the way it is.

In France, I leave a suro or two. Don't add a tip to credit card. If it is on the credit card it will go to the restaurant, not the waiter.

From Paris, I can add:
- bills with "service charge" itemized are extremely unusual, only very high end places or tourist traps. I really don't understand how that could have made it in the book.
- 5% in small change is the real max I have ever left on the table.
- We usually never leave tips for lunch (just round up to the next euro) unless it's a proper fancy restaurant.
- most tourist traps certainly assume tourists will leave high tips, that's a typical ripoff.

I used to round the bill to the next Euro and then add a Euro, until I told my German host that, and she read me the "riot act". She said in no case should I do more than round it up. Even if the bill were €11,90, I should give no more than €12,-. Understand that the Germans are still smarting from the change from the Mark to the Euro. It used to be they would round up to the nearest Mark. Now, with the Euro, it's like rounding to the nearest even Mark.

OK, so I compromised. I add 50 Cent, then round it up. That way I never "tip" less than 50 Cent.

Once I had dinner in in Rothenburg, on the town square. The waiter recognized my American accent and insisted on speaking English, even though I only responded in German. Maybe he thought he deserved a big tip for speaking English.

Anyway, the bill came to, as I remember, €23,50. I handed him €30 (a twenty and a ten) and said, "Fünf und Zwanzig" (25). €1,50/€23,50 is over 6%! He left, never to be seen again. I had to hunt him down to get my €5 change. Apparently he thought he deserved a 30% tip for annoying me with his English?