tipping in the DR

mountainannie

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Dec 11, 2003
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elizabetheames.blogspot.com
Is this really true that Dominicans and Europeans do not tip?

I am talking of restuarants where you are sitting at a table -- paying $1000 or more?

I do not tip if I am in a comedor---

but a restaurant? REALLY?

Dominicans do not tip above the 10% included in the bill?}

When do you tip in the DR and how much?
 

waytogo

Moderator - North Coast Forum
Apr 3, 2009
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Santiago DR
Is this really true that Dominicans and Europeans do not tip?

I am talking of restuarants where you are sitting at a table -- paying $1000 or more?

I do not tip if I am in a comedor---

but a restaurant? REALLY?

Dominicans do not tip above the 10% included in the bill?}

When do you tip in the DR and how much?

I was told that the 10% on your bill was for the kitchen help only and the servers get whatever extra you feel like giving. I don't know how true this is, but that is what I was told.....

B in Santiago
 

AlterEgo

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Jan 9, 2009
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Annie, my husband and his brothers always tip when we go out. Usually 10% over the 10% that's included. Sometimes they over tip, IMO. Even tip when we eat on the beach - generally speaking if they serve us the food he tips. If he goes to a take out place, no tipping.

If you ask me, the waiter probably gets little or none of the 10% that's on the check.

If we go to a hotel, he leaves a tip for the maid. So does his brother that we travel with [I know this because when we went to Montecristi we rented a 2 bedroom suite].

Before someone says it's because he's lived in the US for 35 years, none of his brothers has ever lived in the US.

AE
 

zoelouise

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Oct 15, 2010
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When im there if i go to a restaurant i always leave a tip and im european.We went to Pizza Hut (not really a restaurant) and we took 7 of the guys who work at the hotel we stay at and we left them a 500 pesos tip
 

ffritz

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Feb 7, 2008
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I run a bar

In general Europeans & Dominicans are lousy tippers. North Americans are good tippers.

I generally point out to my customers that my staff live on tips - if we were to pay them what they deserve, everything would cost half as much again! .... & we would have no customers because everybody believes this island is cheap
 

zoelouise

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Oct 15, 2010
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I wish it was cheap! I managed to spend 500 english pounds in 2 weeks.

Ffritz where is your bar?
 

greydread

Platinum
Jan 3, 2007
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Not only do I tip, but...

I will gifts for the hotel staff but only servers, drivers and housekeepers get money. I generally tip $5 per day for the housekeepers no matter what country I'm in. I never have problem getting extra towels, the only facecloth on the property or late service when required.

I once broke a zipper on my pants while staying at the Acuarium. The housekeeper took it to a taylor and had another, better quality zipper professionally installed and only asked for 100RD. It's the little things...the hotel taxi guy only asks for 800RD to the airport or to Boca Chica because he knows I'll give him 1200RD. I've known these people for years and I hope they don't think any less of me for it.
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
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We (a Dominican-Euro/Brit couple) always tip at least 10% over the total, both here and when back in Europe/the UK. In the very rare cases where service and/or food has been atrocious we might leave a bit less.
 

Megoreilly

New member
Oct 14, 2009
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Tips in the DR

Ok, let's see. These very poor people make an average of 280 US dollars A MONTH, which is the minimum wage. If you have any sort of heart, any sense of how blessed we are to lounge in this island paradise while the suffering of the people is so terrible (visit a barrio next time to see how your waiters and waitresses live), then leave a damn dollar or two. The 10% does go to the house (whether that is fair or not), so have a heart and leave what you can if the service is good. Let's not take advantage of some of the poorest people in the world.
 

hammerdown

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Apr 29, 2005
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I have worked in the tourism industry for 6+ yrs and the best tippers are the Americans, followed by Dutch or English.....the worst are French Canadians, followed by French from France, followed by Canadians, and then Eastern Europeans....this is in general, and doesn't single any one person out, just a generalization .....
 
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woofsback

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Dec 20, 2009
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i remember my mother coming home from workin all night in donut shops or restaurants and the happiness when she got tips was a great! feeling..

the one statement that stuck out most
was the time she said
"now i can get bread, and milk"
 

blackrainbow

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Dec 26, 2009
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i work in a nice restaurant on the quayside in england, bournemouth. Lovely area, lovely beaches and **** to do.

Cut to the chase, on a good week, i would walk away with an extra monkey! ( not sosuan style) jokes just jokes, i aint a sosua hater.

anyway back on topic:

?500 a week for extra tips is amazing. and love it. but winter is finally fading in...so therefore get more rubbish, cause no tourists around, probably about 90% of guests/clients/customers are tourists.

Now not everybody leaves a tip, and the ones that leave shyest tips nowadays are americans/canadians.

best tippers europeans by far, but we learnt it from america.

although in england your allowed to force a 10% bill on a somebodys bill if they have made a reserrvation/special requirements etc, the restaurant i work in doesnt.

not everybody tips and not everybody is required to pay 10% .

End note:

Tips are for extremely good service.

Blackrainbow
 

Afgan

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Mar 29, 2009
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End note:

Tips are for extremely good service.

Blackrainbow

A very good point, Blackrainbow!
I fully agree. I always tip myself because being from a poor family I compassion with poor honest guys. But I have a kinda issue with Sosua business owners who force local waiters to work for free - like slaves, making them literaly beggars, whose bread depends on a good heart and mood of the eater. It is disgrace and humiliation for workers. While owners enjoy the life in the chair with coffee or beer taking an afternoon nap. Expecting the customers to pay their waiters, cooks, cleaners, etc. Something is not right here.
I may be wrong. But I see the problem lies not with greedy nontipping tourists, but with smth else.

Nothing personal, just an observation.
 

Anastacio

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Feb 22, 2010
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You're all off and on frinkin vacation again, Nessus, does anyone actually live a real life here? We don't live in hotels, tip 500 pesos for a frinkin pizza hut service, Christ I'm losing faith in DR1 reality here, first AK47 or who ever the guy is now everyone is on a ........... Never mind.
Do any of you go out with average every day low go middle class Dominicans!!!
Doesn't sound like it!
 

Celt202

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May 22, 2004
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85.67% accurate; +/- 2.5% error factor

What's the difference between a canoe and a European?




A canoe tips.

:laugh: