Christmas–or other holiday, or just annual or periodical–gifts aren’t really the same thing as tips, which are offered in conjunction with the performance of a specific service at that moment.
But I’m generally in favor of both.
If I found the service to be “overbearing,” that would mean it was less than ideal service and therefore would not merit so much of a tip.
The only tip-related practice that I find intolerable, and will avoid at all costs, is the one that, I suppose, Novelty Bobble would appreciate: when a “tip” of a fixed percentage is automatically added to the bill before the customer even sees it. Forget that. Tips are for quality of service, and nobody but me is going to place a value on the service I receive.
I only tip the people who rely on tips for pay… not because I’m a cheapskate, but because I’m fucking poor. I would be putting cash into the hands of everyone who regularly performed services for me if:
A.) I was rich.
B.) I was in the mafia.
The only time I see that happen is in some restaurants, where an automatic 18% tip will be added to parties of a minimum size (usually six or more). Now, while this is less than ideal, it’s one of the few ways to prevent waitstaff from being completely screwed out of an expected part of their income, from people like those who pop up in these threads, who don’t understand how to live in society. Note that I have *never *heard of a case where someone received poor service and was not able to change the value of (or completely remove) that “mandatory” tip after talking to a manager or supervisor.
I saw a few places in South Beach and one or two in Vegas that slapped on an automatic tip on all parties regardless of size. the waitress at one place informed me rather diplomatically that they had to because some visitors from abroad tended to stiff the staff. If you complained, you were certainly entitled to have some of it taken off.
And I love visiting your so-called non-tipping society because the wait staff and hair stylists seem absolutely overjoyed when I leave the change (usually 10-20 baht) on the table instead of taking it with me.
Those cabbies on the other hand are starting to expect that us westerners are going to tip. I usually end up rounding up to the nearest 10.
So you’re the reason my pizza is always late!
When I delivered pizza, everyone knew who tipped well and who didn’t tip and on a busy night, when we were delivering 5+ orders on a run, the deliveries were dropped off in the order of who tipped the best.
The harm is that you are expecting something without actually telling the person. If they don’t respond properly to your expectation, you get miffed. But you have no right to be miffed for what you didn’t ask for. You’re creating bad feelings in yourself.
Furthermore, notice how oft tipped people now get lower wages? Yip, that’s because of the tipping system. Before people had to pay enough for you to get payed enough to live on. Now they don’t. Before, you didn’t have to worry about non-tippers, now you do. Again, you’re life is net unhappier because of the system in place.
The only people who come out on top are the people who don’t tip, or do so rarely. They’re the only ones who are actually financially better off. I think the entire system was created by these people to get lower prices on the menu. They have everyone else subsidize them. Those media stories about people being kicked out: Yeah, they’re rare. That crap about people spitting or otherwise ruining your food–likewise rare. Most of the time non-tippers get by just fine. And leaving the tippers to make up the difference.
I’ve seen small-print menu notes warning of an automatic 20% for a party of five or more. At least they gave a warning. I’m been told some folks’ first notice was on the credit receipt, after the card was swiped.
I personally often tip more than 20% (for excellent service, of course–especially at cheaper places where 20% of the bill isn’t much, and the waitress probably could use it).
Groups I’ve been in may tip better still, given the dynamic of everybody throwing a bunch of money on the table and not worrying much about precise shares. (I do understand that this dynamic, which is part of what we like to call “having a good time with friends at a good restaurant,” is mysterious to some.)
That may well be true… but wouldn’t it be equally true (for “those” people) in groups smaller than five/six?
So you never say or do anything for anyone else that they haven’t specifically asked you for? :rolleyes:
There are more ways to be “on top” than financially.
Yes, it would, but people really hate the idea of mandatory tips. So, my WAG is that they let it slide in smaller parties, where the waitstaff can more afford to lose the income.
Yes, those are the tipping exceptions here. Rounding up to the next 10 for taxis, or the next 100 if it’s to the airport. (But never FROM the airport if it’s a public taxi, because you’re already paying a 50-baht surcharge.) And at smaller eateries, the kind that give you your change on a steel platter, it’s common to leave the coins, because doing otherwise means you’re such a money-grubber that you have to pick up every last baht. (Larger places that charge a service fee should never be tipped.) If they hand the change to you, it is customary not to leave anything. Many of the bars have started giving 50 baht or more of the change back in coins in hopes you’ll leave it all as a tip. I never pay those places a second visit.
If you can understand enough Thai, you soon hear that their “overjoy” is often derisive laughter at the stupid foreigner who is so much of a wastrel with his money. 
I wouldn’t tip the teacher, I’m suprised giving them gifts is allowed.
Some people have commented the amount you tip your paperboy was too much for x-mas. I had a route back in the late 80’s when I was a kid. A average x-mas tip back then was $20 some customers would give me a little moe. I think $50 is a pretty nice tip for him at x-mas, he’ll never miss your house.