Interesting article on U.S. Tipping

[brsnow]

Yep, no argument there, and just for the avoidance of doubt, I wasn't "taking sides" earlier. However, as a general rule I suspect the behaviours @Cheizz described will be more likely to make a "European" uneasy than an "American". The stereotype of the surly French waiter is there for a reason

Some cultures are more tolerant of others no doubt.

 

[Centrals]

The dm/guide in SE Asia love American and Japanese divers because they are usually very generous.

 

[Jcp2]

Or... The 'European' system works great, and in the US, Americans do think their system works. This goes for tipping, politics, democracy, anything really. The question is: what do you value more. Here in Europe that is job security, health (insurance), some private time, work-life balance... And still we can make enough money to live a life and do nice things. Maybe in the US, other things are valued.

It’s hard to say what European life would be like now if America adopted European values. Certainly we would be spending less on defense and more on healthcare, but then the converse would be true for Europe. We might even reduce our nuclear weapon stockpile and withdraw to our own hemisphere, making NATO defunct.

 

[Lorenzoid]

It is interesting how this "American" habit has travelled to other cultures.

Here in Canada, where tipping is also common, the first thing the credit card machines in restaurants and bars ask is "how much tip?". Many provide multiple single button suggestions - I once saw 20% as the smallest suggestion going up to 50%. Sneaky...

On a recent trip to Germany only a very few restaurants (2 of 20?) pointed out that "the tip was not included", but then provided a machine with no option to add a tip. I am sure they will learn....

Talking about "sneaky," I recently double-tipped while at an overpriced airport restaurant on my last dive trip. The place no longer used paper receipts and required me to scan a QR code and then enter my tip on the tiny screen of my phone, where it apparently noted in print too tiny for me to read it that a 20% service charge was already included and in larger print offered me the option to add 15%, 20% or whatever. I ended up tipping 20% twice. I hate tipping.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Do you anti-tippers stiff your dive crews as well? I see the benefit of being shown areas their standard divers don’t see, better care for my five equipment. Happy they fawn over us because we show appreciation for their skill and service. In the restaurant realm you are tipping for a dining experience.

I tip per the local custom, whatever it may be. That aside, what are "standard divers"? Could the dive op not simply offer, for a defined price, the option of a guide who shows divers cool stuff underwater? Why does the price I pay not already reflect my appreciation for their skill and service? In the restaurant realm, I do not want a "dining experience" or to be fawned over or have my water glass endlessly refilled every time I take a sip. Rather, I want my order to be taken, the food to be delivered in a reasonable amount of time under the circumstances, and so forth. I don't need or wish to be treated any better than the next customer. I am not special.

 

[Lorenzoid]

I am planning a liveaboard trip to Egypt. I research the country that I will be visiting and their customs. As it seems to be customary in Egypt to tip the crew of the liveaboard, I reserve a part of my budget for that.
Tipping isn't in my system, or in my country's DNA. But if I go somewhere else, I will do my best to fit into the customs over there, even if just for a week. It's a matter of respect, I think. It's like making sure you cover your shoulders and knees when visiting the Vatican.

Egypt is a great example of how tipping customs vary around the world. In your research you probably read of "baksheesh." I'm no expert on Egyptian culture, but as I understand it, and from my couple of trips there, there appears to be a culture of handing out small amounts of money to everyone who does the smallest extra service for you. It greases the wheels of the entire service economy. It's not exactly like "tipping" as we know it.

 

[brsnow]

I tip per the local custom, whatever it may be. That aside, what are "standard divers"? Could the dive op not simply offer, for a defined price, the option of a guide who shows divers cool stuff underwater? Why does the price I pay not already reflect my appreciation for their skill and service? In the restaurant realm, I do not want a "dining experience" or to be fawned over or have my water glass endlessly refilled every time I take a sip. Rather, I want my order to be taken, the food to be delivered in a reasonable amount of time under the circumstances, and so forth. I don't need or wish to be treated any better than the next customer. I am not special.

When I go out to eat I appreciate a server who under stands the wine list, can suggest pairings, under stands the timeline of food and courses coming out, it is an art form. I think it is worth showing gratuity. For diving, I like getting access to dives that an op typically wouldn’t take clients. Fishing is the same, not everyone gets to see the same spots.

 

[Angelo Farina]

In Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, and most Scandinavian countries, tipping is extra, only if the service is extraordinary. Machines that are used reflect that.
In Italy for example (and some other Mediterranean countries too), tipping is more common. And there often is a service fee ('coperto') of 1 or 2 euro/person when you sit down. It literally covers some extra service that is needed if people use a table.
Standing in a bar, an espresso is 1 euro. Sit down inside and you pay 1.50 for it. Sit outside and it will be 2 euro. More steps to take - higher price.

Well, actually here in Italy the situation is quite mixed. Although in some touristic cities, where US tourists are frequent, tipping is well diffused (but never mandatory), in most of Italy which is outside the touristic circuit tipping is quite badly perceived.
Instead often the opposite occurs: the restaurant owner offers you some alcoholic drink AFTER paying the bill (with no tips). In other cases, they hand you the bill and then ask for some money LESS than what is the regular price, so you get some discount.
A particular case is the places where workers eat. in Italy when a worker is sent "in mission", the cost of the lunch will be reimbursed by the employer, by presenting the "fiscal bill". So it is quite common to ask for a bill at the maximum expense allowed for the lunch (say, 30 euros), even if you did eat for just half. This is a fraud of course, but in many places it is common to get a bill showing an higher amount than what you actually paid.
This habit becomes a big problem for Italian workers sent in mission into the US or other countries where tipping is mandatory. The tip, even if reported on the bill or on the receipt of the credit card machine, is NOT reimbursed by the employer. Never! So the worker is actually paying the tip on his own pocket, and this is unfair, of course. Furthermore, any attempt to compensate this by asking for an inflated bill usually fails, as restaurants in US and similar countries are not prepared to this request (except some Italian restaurants, the few really run by Italian owners, of course).
In the worst case, the restaurant is not even equipped of a machine capable of emitting "fiscal bills", so the Italian worker in mission risks to not being refunded at all. And here I talk for personal experience, I was refused reimbursement for a lot of lunches and dinners, and almost always for breakfast (here in Italy breakfast is not considered a lunch, it usually costs around 2- 2.5 euros max, and no one asks reimbursement for it).
So, when travelling to US for work, I definitely search for hotels where breakfast is included, and for restaurants with "no tips" policy, providing regular fiscal bills.

 

[Lorenzoid]

When I go out to eat I appreciate a server who under stands the wine list, can suggest pairings, under stands the timeline of food and courses coming out, it is an art form. I think it is worth showing gratuity. For diving, I like getting access to dives that an op typically wouldn’t take clients. Fishing is the same, not everyone gets to see the same spots.

Ah, the wine list. That's why they have sommeliers. Those are people with deep knowledge of wine who are specifically paid to help with things like suggesting pairings. Some restaurants try to keep their prices low and yet encourage their servers to recommend wines with the most minimal of training. That's often not helpful to us. It's the illusion of helpfulness or the illusion of providing extra service, not unlike the stereotypical fawning server I mentioned.

 

[Cheizz]

If I go to a dive operation and pay them to take me (and other people) out on their boat to the nice spots they know... that's the service they offer, isn't it? That's what I expect to get and that's what I am paying them for. Them taking me to the nice spots is part of that deal. No extra tip necessary, IMO. If they help me haul my gear, clean it afterwards, etc.... If that is not in the package I paid for, they can expect a tip. Because it is extra. For me, the amount of 'extra' is reflected in the tip. If the package I purchase includes everything, no doubt the price I pay for that reflects that. In such a case, the extras have to be even more 'extra' to warrant a tip.
If tips are needed for the staff to earn a living, I don't consider that my job. That's the employer's job (as the term suggests).