What is it w/ tipping in this country? Most restaurants that you go to have a service charge included, but I doubt seriously if the waiters and waitresses are seeing any of that money. So, where does that leave a person when it comes to giving a tip?
Do most ppl not tip in restaurants? How about your hair dresser? What about at hotels?
I know that my husband doesn't like to tip in most cases. Coming from the States where tipping is required, I usually cringe when he refuses to leave anything after a good meal.
In many restaurants in the States, you'll have the wait staff actually come after you if you don't leave a tip. I've known ppl to scream at their customers for not giving at least 15%, and you'd never think of not tipping your hairdresser, unless they were the owner of the salon, but, even still, I've always felt weird about not tipping - even if they're the owner.
My hair stylist, Kristin, worked at a place in Dallas; she wasn't the owner, but she rented out the space she had in the place, which is considered to be pretty much the same. I spent over $100 most times - if I dyed my hair - and I always left a tip. Thankfully those hair days are over and I'm not paying anywhere near that now, but I still feel odd if I leave and don't tip. I even feel bad if I don't tip the shampoo girl... seeing that she gives fabulous scalp massages every time she puts the conditioner on my hair. I'd actually love to hire someone like that to be my personal scalp masseuse.
Now... let's say you do tip... do you tip a standard percentage or just whatever you feel like? In most places back home, if you leave anything under 20%, you're considered stingy. I've known ppl to leave a few cents, and I mean pennies, after a meal.. but the service was terrible and the place wasn't a big place or anything... but even still, I think I'd rather leave nothing than leave a few pennies.
A few restaurants that we go to on a regular basis even charges a service charge if we pick up the meal and go, which I think is strange and not really fair. Hashim has complained and one place close to us doesn't do it anymore, but if we sit down inside, we get the charge. I don't agree w/ service charges. I can understand if you have a huge party, but if it's only you and your husband, why the service charge?
And w/ the rise in food prices at restaurants after the Ramadan holiday, I'm starting to think like my husband... maybe it's better to save that extra cash. I guess that's why us Americans are always hard up for cash... we're too busy tipping all of our money away!
