Hey Folks!
I’ve been living abroad for over half my life in a country where tipping is not the norm. At most you would round up. 19€ bill? Here’s a 20, keep this change.
Going to the US soon to visit family and the whole idea of tipping makes me nervous. It seems there’s a lot of discussion about getting rid of tipping, but I don’t know how much has changed in this regard.
The system seems ridiculously unfair, and that extra expense in a country where everything is already so expensive really makes a difference.
So will AITA if I don’t tip? Is it really my personal responsibility to make sure my server is paid enough?
Yes. You are expected to tip waiters, hotel housekeeping (usually a few dollars a night left in the room after your stay), taxi drivers, valet, delivery drivers, and bellhops. You would also tip hairdressers/barbers, event planners, movers, and some other personal service people (less common to use these people on vacation). The “standard” tip is 20% for good service. If they were outstanding you could tip more, if they are bad you could tip less. In the US there is a lot of political lobbying against paying tipped positions more so your tip is a significant part of their salary. If you tip in cash it makes people extra happy because they get that money directly rather than waiting for credit cards and their employer to cut the check. You do not have to tip plumbers, electricians, trash collectors, gas station attendants (if in NJ where we have those), cashiers, and fast food workers.