most will realize that it is kinda standard to tip for food services in america in the 15% range. Of course it being an individual thing..but it is common. Now in the DR I have continued the same, and with smaller bills much more being very common. My questions stems from remarks form my dominican friends who say i have tipped way out of line, when even only tipping 15%. I am not trying to boats or anything, just get a good idea of what is accepted. I feel that for the low prices for most places i go, that tipping in the 20% or more range assures that the wait staff is quick to respond to my needs and wants. I can buy a rounds of drinks for maybe 500 pesos, and tip 100 pesos, and it really is nothing in terms of finances to me, but it opens eyes with my companions....like it is something that needs not even be done. Any feedback????...bob
- Thread starter laurapasinifan
- Start date
thoughts on tipping in the DR
Oh yeah, tipping 20% will get you noticed and fist full of business cards from taxi drivers, Dominican restaurants to me offer the best of service, here and abroad. If I order a beer, not only will I get a napkin wrapped on top and the middle of the bottle, but they will pour it and refill it when it gets low. Ha, try that in an american bar.
laurapasinifan said:
tipping is mostly customary like you said in us. In dr it's not. I tip when i go to restaurants if service was good. If not, then i leave a little bit.
There is usually 10% tip included in the bill which goes into a pool split by bartenders, waiters and (sometimes) cooks, or sometimes just the owner takes it.
People then usually tip a little which would make approx 15% together with the 10% already in the bill.
People then usually tip a little which would make approx 15% together with the 10% already in the bill.
Conchman is right as usual. 10%is included on your bill and is supposed to be pooled and paid to the staff. In many many cases it is not.
Tipping 20% on top of this makes you a target of everyone looking for propinas (tips)
What I normally do is give 10% in cash to the waiter/waitress.
Tipping 20% on top of this makes you a target of everyone looking for propinas (tips)
What I normally do is give 10% in cash to the waiter/waitress.
I like to tip often and generously.
I expressed my view on tipping here and ended up exchanging pleasantries with a major jackass.
http://debsdrtravels.proboards47.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=1119008097&page=1
I expressed my view on tipping here and ended up exchanging pleasantries with a major jackass.
http://debsdrtravels.proboards47.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=1119008097&page=1
Search and search some more!!
This topic have been debated, here, many times over. But...
When it comes to tipping, people are never happy unless you overtip. If they do a good job, they want to be tipped. If they do a lousy job, they still want to be tipped.
Just use your imagination:
If your bill is 100 pesos, tip 10 or 15 pesos. If your bill is 200 pesos, tip 20 or 30 pesos.
If you don't want to tip on the 10 or 15% scale, then tip whichever way you want!. Trust me, whether you tip low or high, your tip will not be returned to you!!.
One thing: ALWAYS try to tip your waiter/waitress in person!!. Why, read on:
Once I was at a restaurant and I left the tip on the table. On my way out, I saw the waiter that had take care of us cleaning a table by the entrance. I mentioned to him that I had left his tip on the tabe 10 seconds earlier. He said that the money was probably gone alread. I went back to the table with him and it just happened that another waiter saw the money and took it. He said that all waiters/waitresses do the same. We spoke to the other waiter and he said that he did not take it but that since he did not liked to be accused, that he was going to give the same amount back (yea right, ladron!!).
Bottom line, tip whatever you want but give it to the waiter/waitress personally. Plain and simple!!.
Man, I can not believe that I posted on yet another "tipping" thread. Schit, I need to get me a life!!!.
This topic have been debated, here, many times over. But...
When it comes to tipping, people are never happy unless you overtip. If they do a good job, they want to be tipped. If they do a lousy job, they still want to be tipped.
Just use your imagination:
If your bill is 100 pesos, tip 10 or 15 pesos. If your bill is 200 pesos, tip 20 or 30 pesos.
If you don't want to tip on the 10 or 15% scale, then tip whichever way you want!. Trust me, whether you tip low or high, your tip will not be returned to you!!.
One thing: ALWAYS try to tip your waiter/waitress in person!!. Why, read on:
Once I was at a restaurant and I left the tip on the table. On my way out, I saw the waiter that had take care of us cleaning a table by the entrance. I mentioned to him that I had left his tip on the tabe 10 seconds earlier. He said that the money was probably gone alread. I went back to the table with him and it just happened that another waiter saw the money and took it. He said that all waiters/waitresses do the same. We spoke to the other waiter and he said that he did not take it but that since he did not liked to be accused, that he was going to give the same amount back (yea right, ladron!!).
Bottom line, tip whatever you want but give it to the waiter/waitress personally. Plain and simple!!.
Man, I can not believe that I posted on yet another "tipping" thread. Schit, I need to get me a life!!!.
Another reason as Conchman stated is that sometimes the owner just takes it.miguel said:
I was at the Chinese restaurant near the ball park in Puerto Plata when my friend told me to discreetly give a tip to the waiter or he would not get any of it.
I left some with the bill but most of it went straight to the waiter.
This was done very discreetly as the owner was watching like a hawk.
All the places that I have been to, with Rockys being the lone exception, my experience has been that tipping will never guarantee you better service. The waiters never say thank you(not that I expect anyone to kiss my behind, but a smile and a "Gracias" would do) and strangely enough when I appear at the same places later in my trip the food and the service seem to take a serious noesdive.
Why this is I don't know. And I always keep quiet and never complain about the food or service, even when it was called for.
Why this is I don't know. And I always keep quiet and never complain about the food or service, even when it was called for.
well its the nature of the forum beast that subjects get rehashed over and over...each time new people find the site , you are going to be subject to repeated questions. Just for fun I went ahead and did a search on "tipping"...none of the threads even had the word tipping in them and even in reading some of them, I realized that ONE post with the word "tip"in it, was all that was needed, to make that thread the subject of "tipping"...it could even have been to say he tipped his hat to her as she left!!!!!!!!!!!......suffice to say, get used to repeated questions because searching isnt always the answer. My question really wasnt wether I wanted to tip or not, just what is the DOMINICAN view of tipping. The information that tips are stolen or misdirected, if of use for sure. I all cases except the tips i left on the Cabanas beds for the people who clean the rooms afterwards, were given specifically to the person who waited on me....It funny that i havent noticed being bombared at all form other who may have noticed my tipping. I go out a lot and this year have made three trips, already so far. Maybe I am being lucky. anyone who would ask for a tip , or expect one , would have to be in a position of providing me a service that required payment on my parts for food or drinks. Because i dont take taxis or busses, I carry my own luggage. the only other tips i can remember was a guy who wanted to help me put new windsheild wipers on my rental car, and the bellboys at the resorts i have stayed at. Funny thing about the guy who wanted to help me with the wipers...now if anyone here has ever replaced them, they are mindlessly simple these days.....USUALLY!...I did a new set on my truck at home only 2 weeks ago and it took 30 seconds for BOTH!. well these didnt fit ! they were just made out of tolerance i guess...so for the drivers side we managed with the use of some rocks to get the parts together!!!!! and then the passenger side was never gonna fit, so we took parts from the old one to make the new one fit.. thus he certainly earned his tip..100 pesos... the wipers only cost 300 pesos!!!!!!! he seemed very happy!....sorry if that was boring......bob
You are right, but...
Btw, when I did a rearch on "tipping", 150 threads came up.
Btw # 2, when I did a search for "restaurant tipping", 31 threads came up(including yours).
Actually, there's a post by DR1 owner (Dolores, post # 26)on a thread on the Living Forum, tittled "Just out of curiosity, who are the biggest spenders when here on holiday" that says all you need to know about restautant tipping in the DR.
But you are right, it's better to ask than to search. I have been guilty of such myself!.
Also, I tip according to the service that I get. If I get a lousy service, I tip from 3 to 5%. If I get a good service, I tip from 10 to 15. If I get a great service, I tip from 20 to whatever I want.
You are 100% correct. New members means asking the same questions. It's not like they were here when it was posted the first time, right?. I did the same when I was a newbie. When they told me to search, I did and now I try my best not to ask about something until I do a little search.laurapasinifan said:
Btw, when I did a rearch on "tipping", 150 threads came up.
Btw # 2, when I did a search for "restaurant tipping", 31 threads came up(including yours).
Actually, there's a post by DR1 owner (Dolores, post # 26)on a thread on the Living Forum, tittled "Just out of curiosity, who are the biggest spenders when here on holiday" that says all you need to know about restautant tipping in the DR.
But you are right, it's better to ask than to search. I have been guilty of such myself!.
Also, I tip according to the service that I get. If I get a lousy service, I tip from 3 to 5%. If I get a good service, I tip from 10 to 15. If I get a great service, I tip from 20 to whatever I want.