Tip or bribe?

Politely!! Not very. I hope you didn't increase your tip.

Having just returned from holiday in India and the mayhem caused by the sudden withdrawal of 1000 and 500 rupee notes I have to say that not being able to tip has been wonderful! At the airport we were only given those notes (two days before their withdrawal)- which we were then mostly unable to spend. So no small change for tipping. Or shopping. The word had obviously got out really quickly as non of us were approached by beggars and there was no hanging around by hotel staff waiting for a tip (although 25% service charge was still added to the bills). And no worry about tipping too much/not enough. Wonderful!

In the UK I don't tip at all if there's a service charge added. I consider that would be tipping twice.

What annoys me is when you have the option to add a tip on the CreditCard payment! I NEVER do that - if we wish to tip we give it to the person concerned or make sure they are aware it is there.
Tipping is not so prevalent here in rural France and the young waiting staff always seem surprised and delighted

Tipping is certainly a minefield. In UK 10% is usual IF the service warrants it, in America 20% is EXPECTED no matter what the service is like, in Australia it is unusual to give a tip and when you do it is received with surprise.

I think the pay is low in the US so tipping is part of their wages , especially for waiting on staff. Don`t understand why you would have to tip at border control though ?

Me neither ('re tip at border control).

I think I've said on here before - in Iceland, the cab driver followed us into our room to return the tip we had just given him for the trip from the airport. It was 1 a.m so we were quite startled about him being so adamant but we soon worked out what he meant, despite the language barrier. That was how we learnt you don't tip in Iceland.

Followed us into our hotel room, that is.

There were two lines to get your exit visa stamped. One was very long - might not be finished that day- and one shorter and faster where a "tip" to the official meant the stamping of the visa only took a minute. There was also a "tip" to get an entry visa to the new country.

That's a bribe in my book...

Gosh Jayanna can you tell us where this happened?

Agreed Grannyknot

When in New York we asked the price of a carriage ride around the park. We were told the price, plus the tip. They are upfront about tipping. I hate tipping at home. i feel awkward tipping my hairdresser, and don't know the amount they expect.

Not till I get home!! I was thinking hurrah for the UK and then I remembered the tip in London, the tip I always feel obliged to give the hairdresser, the booking fee at the local theatre. And I started wondering where the line blurred......

My hairdressers state at the till that they don't take tips.

DH and I always visit hairdressers together. If a junior does the shampoo then they get £1 in their pot. DH always tips his stylist £2 but because my stylist is the salon owner I don't tip him. We always give them a Christmas card with £40 in to go towards their Christmas meal. We have been going to the same place for years so they are almost friends now.. We use minicabs regularly and DH usually tips between £2 and £5 depending on the fare but if we get a bad driver or he does not take the route we ask him to then there is no tip.

I don't agree with tipping unless someone has gone over and above the call of duty.
Why is it that hairdressers are tipped and nurses are not ?
I don't think waiting staff should be tipped, what about the chef in the kitchen and the people who wash up etc.

Why tip when youve already paid for that service! Ive never tipped and never will.

We were in Greece once and were advised by the holiday rep to tip every time we bought a drink/meal etc. My DH duly did so to the chap behind the bar in our hotel. The 'barman' said to my DH 'what is this?' DH said 'it's for you'. The chap replied 'I own this hotel and I don't need money from you'. DH was very embarrassed, it has made him unsure what to do these days.

Welshwife, tipping may not be prevalent in rural France but there are lots of people 'working on the black ' which amounts to the same thing - tax evasion.

I always tip taxi drivers, most of whom are immigrants from the sub-continent, unless they are less than polite or noticeably incompetent. I give my hairdresser a good tip at Christmas time. She makes me look ten years younger, even though it's just temporary. Restaurants? depends on the service and the quality of the food!

what's the difference between tipping, and giving a "xmas box" to the postman, binmen etc. Used to be milkman, paperboy etc, but not now.
I do that here (France) and they always seem surprised and pleased.

It depends on the service in the restaurant if I leave a tip. Always cash, never debit card!
My daughter works in hospitality and their tips are a welcome relief every few months!
If a taxi driver assists me getting the shopping to the door (I'm disabled) I will tip. The ones who dump the bags on the pavement & drive away get short shrift!

Tipping is always confusing I think, I loathe when the person holding the Credit card machine in a restaurant, waits for you to add a tip. I dont tip my hairdresser anymore, but do "round it up" when payimg a taxi driver.

I never ever tip when at home but away here in SE Asia its a different matter. Tipping at the border is $1 and these border guards earn $40 a month. They pay for everything, education, health care, fuel and electric is not cheap. If they try to strike ( as the garment workers did) the army are called out with armed tanks and the police are armed. I have seen it happen. So what is$1 to me after I have paid whatever for my air fare? and its less than a drink.