Monday, November 23, 2009

Tips

If you go to eat in a restaurant (**haha**, my mumcee pronounces the word in French but with the Yoruba tone), in Yankee, you are expected to tip the waiter. That is to my knowledge.

I know not everyone will tip like a Johnny Depp, who tipped a waiter $4000.

If you tip at all, my point in question lies somewhere there. How much? Most restaurants recommend 15%, where I reside. When I'm in a restaurant with poor service, I'm like 'say who die?!?' Reason is that I'm a middle class student, I can't be tipping $3 for every $15 or so meal, every time. During breaks, I eat out a lot. In fact, I love to eat dishes, from different places. Any Sushi, Panini or Pad Thai grubbies in blogsville? Related randomisity, I organized a Food fair for the Intl Stud Assoc at my school, last Sat. So much food, from different parts of the world, was too busy to sample much tho.

Back to my tipping story, I pay for my eat-outs myself, most times. This one time, I went out with 4 other friends and we were billed ensemble. The waitress did not even ask if we wanted to pay separately. Anyway, you will not believe she indirectly told us to do the maths ie. calculate whose food costs so so and so. Escusez-moi? I expected her to apologise for not asking how we wanted to be billed and offer to sort out the bill. I was pissed seriously. And I bet she still expected to be tipped. After eating with delight, we started using the calculator in our phones to divide tax and ish. Trust American students, every man for his bill.

Another situation, that a friend told me about, was when she ate at a Thai restaurant and forgot to tip. One of the waitresses caught up with her and her friends to remind them to do so, out side the restaurant. Last time, I checked, tipping was recommended and not necessary. Am I right?

Maybe it is the Nigerian mentality in me but I think it is up to these restaurants to pay their workers well and not make customers feel guilty for not tipping. In Naija restaurants, with comparable standards, tipping is not a must but for sure, customers leave their bill payment balances(change) for the waiters, according to their own judgment.

One time, a friend decided to have a to-go at some place because she did not want to feel guilty for not tipping the waiter, if she ate in there.

Case in a nutshell, I'm just a middle class student, who likes to eat. I don't want any waiter to think that I'm miserly cos don't tip generously. I try.

PS: I am not referring to 5-star restaurants.

21 comments:

Nice Anon said...

make e no be like the tip wey I go tip on Saturday with a heavy heart. I don calculate how much I go give until this babe add more to am. I no fit refuse because I was already put on the spot. Sotey I no kon enjoy the take out again sef as i dey think about money wey I don budget for something else wey I give them. lol

Myne said...

I read of a group that the bar they ate out at called the police on them cos they refused to tip due to bad service. I was like WTH? So you have to check that the tip is not inbuilt already or you have to pay 18% whether service is bad or worse...

AliceDCL said...

At leats one advantage to being in Niaja

TayneMent said...

Nna, that tipping thing sef. I tip as my spirit moves me and usually for my whole bill to be rounded up even. I hear there is a tipping guide card that you can carry around and it tells you how much to tip based on your meal.

Lady X said...

LOL!!! So it's now by force to give a tip? Isn't that why they have that service charge thing? That is an outrage. I tip when I feel like it. And no one can make me!!!

leggy said...

tipping plain pisses me off, i especially hate it when someone reminds me to tip, i already bought the food why tip?

Anonymous said...

I read about that story too about being arrested for not tipping. They need to just forget the 'tipping' part and make 'service' part of the bill. This is getting out of hand.

Miss Natural said...

lol i hate tipping. thank God its not compulsory in england. i experienced that tipping thing in america, i mean i am a student oh, but that doesnt work lol. plus ur mail is coming

dana said...

I totally agree w u on that. i dont belive it mandatory that i tip the waiter. it should be voluntary....but in america it a big deal. in some restaurant they actually add the tip to ur bill...which i think is messed up and unfair!

Fabulo-la said...

ahn ahn..shey none of u av worked as a server before ni? Janitors get paid v=better than these pple. It is not by force to tip, bt rmba that most of the monet these pple make is from tips..esp at low start restutants. Think abt that next time u go out to eat.
#justsaying

Princess X said...

What? 15% charge?!! I didn't know anyone did that...

I'd only tip if I deem fit o, not because you expect it (and dammit, you won't get it if you just messed up my dining experience!)

LOL at that silly waitress!

Rene said...

d tip think depends on how much i have dt i dnt kw wot 2 do with it...i think i kinda tip erry1 except d delivery guys

chayomao said...

15% change? that one na tax?

I tip as i feel.
Person suppose size how much im get b4 tipping.
Where is it in the world, that is a crime to tip? i should move there.

Repressed One said...

Hia! like you said it's supposed to be a recommendation oh but it has become a way of life and any one who doesn't tip is suddenly a 'bad' person.

They work for the restaurant so why can't they pay them accordingly? Not only do i have to budget for my food...i suppose figure in tip too?

In fact now everyone expects you to tip. U go to nail shop and they look at you crazy cos u don't tip...see wahala

That said...i always tip when i eat out but i tip what i feel like.

Azazel said...

Mehn lol they arrested a couple in yankee who wouldn't tip. Tippin is serious business o.

Yankeenaijababe said...

Normally I tip 15% to 20% if the service is great, luckily for me, my hubby always take care of the tipping, so I never get to worry about it. If the waitress or waiter is sexy, tip more.lol Just my own opinion.lol

Sadly many Nigerians don't tip, due to the way they were raised. For real!

Yankeenaijababe said...

How you de girl? Thanks for always checking up on my blog. Keep up the good work here, love it.

Original Mgbeke said...

I tend to be an over generous tipper by default.

Yinkuslolo said...

@YNC I dey my dear. i dey. u know how college finals time is, shoving thru the craze and fun.

Anonymous said...

How beautiful it is one is made to feel guilty for not taking the bait doing the recommended tipping.

Anoda Phase said...

I have neva thot tipping was compulsory...it usually depends on the service I get...good service=tip, bad service=no tip...besides many restaurants have an inlusive service charge...how's that different to the tip? forgive my ignorance but me thinks they r 1 and same...