- Thread starter rey
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Tipping etiquette in Santo Domingo
years ago, while attending a large convention at a well-known casino with a large group of businessmen, we were doing what guys do. Gambling and having free cocktails. We worked the cocktail waitress hard, ordering specialty drinks. One man in the group was singled out for not tipping and being rude to the waitress who was bringing us complimentary drinks. Guess who got the cold shoulder along with his product. He was uninvited to every event thereafter.
Yes, I do think that if you add 30% on top of the 10% tip which is added by law, this is too much. It encourages businesses to underpay their staff and encourages staff to give bad service to someone who chooses not to tip them. I would prefer to abolish the 10% legal service charge, it causes no end of problems in hospitality businesses, it is mentioned at least once a day, everyone thinks everyone else is stealing from them. And I would prefer not to work with any tips at all and just pay staff fairly. I don't get on a plane and tip the cabin crew or the pilot. I don't tip the lady at the bank who just sorted out a big problem for me, why on earth should I tip someone who brings my lunch?
I think a lot of your posts talk about punishing people who don't tip, like it's acceptable for staff to provide atrocious service if someone doesn't tip. I've worked in hospitality many many years, and I always stress to my staff that if I ever see them pushing for a tip, I will introduce a policy of zero tips. If someone wants to pay the price on the menu, plus the 10% legal tip, and not leave anything extra then as far as I'm concerned that's fine. And by the way the organisation that I work in is one of the highest rated in the city in terms of service.
We used to have a guy who came in and each time he came, he tipped all the staff US$ 100 each. And eventually I had to ask him to stop doing it, as whenever he came the service for all other customers became non-existent, every single member of staff was running around him. And it became like they thought that if someone didn't give them US$ 100 then they didn't need to do their jobs. It just made things a lot worse and caused a lot of problems. Eventually he stopped coming and I for one was really pleased.
I will just say that we are completely opposite on the issue. Rewarding for good service is a time-tested tradition. People who justify not tipping have a nick name, tightwad or cheapskate!
No one should be made to feel that tipping is wrong and causes harm to businesses. I know a number of people in the service industry who depend on tips. Tipping has been around a long time. If someone wants to show their appreciation for good service with a tip, what is the problem? Both my father and father in-law who own/owned very successful businesses have always been thankful for patrons who tipped workers, and just so there are no questions, they do/did pay their employees well. And as someone who worked in the airline industry you would be surprised just how many people tried to tip us. IMO there is no right or wrong, it is just an individual decision.
While I agree that servers should be paid a fair wage and not have their living dependent upon discretionary tips, I cannot protest the system and punish the person who served me by not tipping so I will continue to tip my servers 10% additional.
As it's commonly said, if you can't afford to tip, don't go out to eat.
As it's commonly said, if you can't afford to tip, don't go out to eat.
I dont eat out in the DR, well I do but not fine dinning ( we can probably use our fingers to count fine dining venues, but thats another topic ).
However what I can say is that I agree with MariaRubia that the quality of service must be top-notch, as the staff do not know if they will be tipped until the end ( and how much ).
But I also agree with Big that a tip is mandatory....... especially if you want to be a patron at that place again.
Anybody who does not leave 10%--at least-- for their waiter wont be getting a table again anytime soon, guaranteed.
However what I can say is that I agree with MariaRubia that the quality of service must be top-notch, as the staff do not know if they will be tipped until the end ( and how much ).
But I also agree with Big that a tip is mandatory....... especially if you want to be a patron at that place again.
Anybody who does not leave 10%--at least-- for their waiter wont be getting a table again anytime soon, guaranteed.
True. You have to adapt to the system here and they depend on tips. I come from a country were people don’t tip much because there is a relatively high minimum wage. Then we travel abroad and don’t always understand that we have to tip.
Different countries have different tipping cultures. In know that in the USA people regularly give big tips but in England, where I come from, you never tip in a pub (bar) and nobody calls you a cheapskate. You generally get good service because the bar staff are paid decent wages. I don't think Dominicans tipped much before the tourists from USA came but I believe the wealthier people do.
Well, yeah but in a pub you have to pick up your drinks at the bar, AND pay for them there and then ( unless you a regular )..... so yeah, no tip or a small tip.
But in a sit-down restaurant in GB, you are expected to tip, at least that is my experience.
In the UK if there is a service charge added most people don't tip anything extra. Giving big tips on top of service charges is pretty much exclusively American IMO.
I thought they tipped more in the UK but that’s how it is in Denmark. I would agree it’s an American thing. Here in the DR it’s a nice thing to do.
Maybe that in the UK people generally don’t tip because they know the servers are paid reasonably whereas in the DR most people don’t have the money to pay tips. Although I do think Dominicans pay tips. Many tourists pay tips especially Americans.
No, in the UK you don't tip on top if there is a service charge on the bill. Here it seems to be expected.
Agree. For this American, it's ingrained. I can't not tip.
Well I for one don't think there is a difference. I manage staff in hospitality and I explain to them that the 10% is their tip and it is split fairly between them. They cannot and must not expect anything extra they have had their tip.
But quite a lot or this forum are saying that they tip heavily on top of the bill. And I think we agree to disagree on whether this is right or not. I just reiterate that as someone who works in the sector I don't think it is helpful to leave big tips in the long run it causes more problems than it solves.
Reading between the lines...... these 'tippers' are hoping for preferential treatment on future visits...... perhaps not all, but some are