Tipping explained by Tim Walker (independent.co. uk) (and I thought Id got the hang of it!) A survey reported by the Los Angeles Times last week found that most diners in the United States are now so-called stingy tippers. British readers accustomed to a discretionary 12.5 per cent at Pizza Express may be shocked to learn that a stingy tip, by the standards of this American poll, is anything less than 20 per cent. Twas not ever thus: when Steve Buscemi refused to tip the waitress in 1992s Reservoir Dogs, his fellow criminals considered 12 per cent an adequate gratuity. It takes time for ex-pats in the US to learn who to tip, and how much: parking valets (yes); hairdressers (yes); Pilates instructors (no). Its customary to leave a dollar in the tip jar when ordering a coffee, but you have to wait until the barista looks up from frothing your latte to witness your generosity. (If they dont know you left one, then whats the point?) Unsurprisingly, British visitors have a reputation for being cheap, and I tend to overcompensate by rounding up. Its worth an extra dollar or two just to hear LA waiters – many of whom are, or course, out-of-work actors – recite the days specials as if theyre a Hamlet soliloquy. And Ill say this much for 20 per cent: the mental arithmetic is a lot simpler than 12.5.
Posted on: Sun, 16 Mar 2014 12:04:13 +0000
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