TACKY TOURIST?

Many would say that tackiness is in the eye of the beholder. True enough, but here are a few thoughts on the tacky tourist when you visit the DR. First of all, bikinis on men and women belong at the beach or pool, not in shops, restaurants or on the main street. There is nothing tackier than the sight of an obese middle-aged man, fat gut hanging over a Speedo, walking down the main street his arm wrapped around a teen-aged Dominican girl. Women should remember, topless bathing is frowned upon and offensive to most Dominicans. When using a motoconcho or regular taxi, no matter how many visits you have made in the past and you think you know the price should be, agree first, it?s tacky to end up arguing about the fare after you have used his services. Although it?s customary for a 10% service charge to be added to restaurant and bar bills, that 10% is divided up amongst the waiter, bartender, cooks and cleaning staff, so it is a nice gesture to leave an extra propina (tip) for the waiter when you leave. It is impolite and tacky to whistle, hiss whistle or snap your fingers for the waiter even if the service is a little slow. Ask permission before you take photos of any locals. If you take a commercial tour, your tour guide should have a tip also. When you holiday is over, even if you are staying at an inclusive resort, be sure to leave extra for the room maid, waiter and bartender. Be sure to hang onto the $10.00U.S. departure tax to pay at the airport. Even though you may be able to wriggle your way out of it with pesos, the country needs American dollars, why not co-operate and finish your visit as a good guest who has shown respect for your hosts. No doubt others have similar suggestions, those are but a few.

good suggestions! I'm sure Roberto has some too. This truely develops good relations between tourists, other foreigners, and the Dominicans, and makes for better tourism industry in the long run. thanks

Yes but there are tips for the locals also. Some of the tourist have to save up a whole year for just one week in the sun. Hence we are not made of money. We try to remenber the small people but our money only goes so far.

Here we go again right wing liberals telling you how to live.If you dont like what you see dont go,try the vatican

Excuse me? An oxymoron?

There are, by definition, no "right-wing liberals...
Just a thought.
Tackiness is offensive to all....

Re: it goes both ways

you are right rum runner. It does go both ways, and the locals need some tips too. I appreciate the people who are on tight budgets and choose the DR to visit, and hope they get a great experience in the country. Unfortunately, they probably don't have internet to see these tips, but if you share some...I'll do my best to pass them on too. so how about changing the name of this thread to....? good relations between Dominicans and foreign guests?

My position on tipping has always been (Unless included in the bill)

Minimum 15% For waitstaff unless they physically hit you, 20-25% if they go out of their way to help

15-20% for taxis

3-4$ per night for chambermaid

Once you have worked in the service industry for any time, you quickly learn.

I reacll many years ago working a part time job on the waterfront in Maine. There is a huge facility (Bath Iron Works) for building and re-fitting ships, so Sailors were common. Being the facility it was, we usually got Frigates and destroyers, very young sailors.

They would drink .95 16 oz drafts all night and not leave even the nickle for the waitress. one night, I had only a group of 10 sailors in the bar, swilling beer all night. My waitress was busting her tail hauling trays of 10 16oz beers and not making a cent. I wasn't making anything at the bar, but I wasn't doing anything other than pouring the beer. I told the waitress to sit down and have a drink, they can come to the bar if thery want a beer. The sailors yelled for the waitress and I told them she was off duty. They asked why and I told them I couldn't afford to lose a good employee due to cheap pricks like you.

Instead of getting mad (I miss all the fun) they were embarrased and found $20.00 amongst themselves for herand she went back on duty.

If you can't afford to tip your servers, don't eat or drink out

When I go to the DR, usually with my wife and son, we always see fat middle aged men with young Dominican women and fat middle aged women with young Dominican men. They usually are very happy looking and seem to enjoy each others company. Life is very short and I cannot imagine what is wrong with a little pleasure for a few days. It just makes me feel happy to see people enjoy themselves.

Tips.....I believe that people working for tips in the US or in the DR or anyplace else should be tipped for doing a good job. The tip being proportional to the good job.

To snap the fingers or whistle to get the waiters attention is something that I learned to do in the DR from the Dominican men that do it a lot. I never sensed that it bothered the waiter in the least. They seem to see humor in it.

Fat hanging over a speedo. Hmmmmm, maybe you should stick to watching Baywatch.

I agree that the Vatican City would be a good option for people who don't want to visit reality and who would like everyone else to conform to their sense of right and wrong.

Topless bathing, my my, how touchy.

i don't understand your point. All my message was trying to convey was that visiters should respect the customs of the country they visit. To me that is only common sense.

Re: Excuse me? An oxymoron?

Thanks Hillbilly. why do some people have a problem with good manners?

its not a matter of what offends me thank you, it is a matter of what offends my hosts. As far as snapping fingers and whistling, believe me it is offensive to wait staff.

I learned years ago that in order to get the attention of wait staff in a restaurant, bar, disco, etc in the DR you clap you hands together twice, and very loudly. Is this what you refer to as offensive? Then why does everyone do it as if it were an accepted practice? True enough, I'd never do it anywhere but the DR, but I thought that's what you were supposed to do in order to get their attention...??? As far as whistling or snapping fingers, I've never seen anyone do that.

i'll tell you what offends me!i allways seem to pay more then Dominicans because i am a GRINGO.

Sarah, The practice of clapping your hands to get the attention of a waiter is all but disappeared as far as I can deduce. When I starting livng in the DR in 1987, you saw it at some of the bars and discos, and some restaurants. They were ususally not the nicer places. Now my Dominican friends and family tell me that clapping like that is a sign of a person "sin cultura" and you rarely see it happen anymore. Tom F.

I didn't see people clapping their hands for a waiter in a pub, restaurant ore disco whe visited. Only in the casino's from the hotels in SD the people who where working at the tables did it if they wanted a waiter's attention to get a drink for one of their guests at the table.
For me myself I have learned that, if you are correct to a waiter and give them a good but normal tip when you order your first drink, they will watch you to see if your glass is empty and come to serve if you want something else.

Have a nice day,
Henry

Put it this way.....If you dont like it done to you. Why do it to others. Simple as that. I'm pretty sure if someone snapped or clapped their hand for your attention, you would not like it.

Gee, think about whatyou do. You know you would not like that done to you.

Have to agree with you, specially

when you say that it was done in *some* bars or restaurants. Somebody must have started the trend somewhere for good fun, I guess.

Regards,
Natasha

When my wife and I go to the DR,it is to see her family,and we always stay at their place.We pay for all the food, beer and gas while we are there,which I feel this is less than fare as they open their home to us and pretty much put their life on hold while we are there.I would like to do more and we do by sending what we can when we can.I come from a tourist area so I know how angery the locals can get from being treated poorly and looked down at,so I treat the people of the DR with respect,they are the people we are there to visit with and enjoy their company, not my servants.Nati is always on me becaues I go walking by myself and talk to any one and her family lives in a pretty bad neighborhood.But you cann't get to know the people if you don't.As far as tips and gifts we save money for just that when we are planning our trip.

That's what I've noticed too this bad practice of clapping hands is not seen a lot anymore