Top Ten tips to tipping in Thailand

[snoop1130]

Top Ten tips to tipping in Thailand

By Tim Newton

 

 

How much is appropriate in Thailand or should you tip at all?

 

There is no rule of thumb although tipping is not common amongst Thais whilst it remains reasonably common with some westerners, but certainly not all. Americans almost tip by habit.

 

Tipping in Thailand is not mandatory but will always be welcomed with a ‘wai’ and a smile.

 

Our ‘recommendations’ are by no means the rule. And your discretion should be advised at all times when you have your wallets out and talking about money in Thailand.

 

‘Nice’ restaurants

 

If you allow 10% of the bill as a tip for a ‘good’ or better restaurant, that would be considered a generous and well-appreciated tip. Or just rounding up the bill to the nearest hundred baht will be appreciated as well. At a ‘fancy’ restaurant with snooty waiters and a really nice view you better use the 10% rule to avoid any ‘glances’ when you leave.

 

Check the bill to see if there’s a ‘service charge’. If so then you can dispense with the tip – the ‘service charge’ is meant to be dispersed amongst the staff. But a personal tip to a very special staff member would be nice in these cases – 50 to 100 baht would be suitable.

 

But unlike many US restaurants, you will get out of the restaurant alive if you don’t tip. Remember, it’s a voluntary gesture. If in doubt just have a quiet word with the Manager who will usually be frank with you about what may be appropriate at their venue.

 

Street food

 

If you feel inclined to tip when eating street food then you are more than likely going to confuse the vendor. Most street food is clearly priced, or at least when you ask the price, there is one price. That’s what you’d be expected to pay and you’ll receive the correct change. At the same time you’re not expected to bargain or haggle the food prices.

 

If you’re in a franchise like McDonalds, Starbucks, KFC, Svensons, Tom Tom’s, etc there’s no need to tip.

 

At the bar

 

Quite a few different situations here. If you’re going up to order from the bar in a ‘nice’ venue then there would be no expectation for you to tip (if you’re in any of the tourist zones you’ll already be paying a heavily marked up price).

 

But if it’s a beach bar and the waiters have been serving you drinks all day whilst you’ve been contemplating nothing-in-particular, then rounding up your bill or leaving 100 baht when you leave would be appropriate.

 

And if you’ve been chatting to the bar attendant all afternoon, a tip of 50-100 baht would almost be expected, but not mandatory.

 

As with restaurants, if there’s a ‘service charge’ on your bill then consider that your tip has already been paid, although a smaller tip for a particularly attentive waiter would be a nice gesture.

 

Speaking of bars, if you end up at one of the venues with lots of smiling, scantily-dressed ‘bar girls’ (or bar boys) gesturing you to have a drink with them, then it’s a different situation altogether. For these ‘Girlie Bars’ (or boy bars), they are on a commission. So, apart from your over-priced drink, you’ll also be buying them a drink (which they also receive commission on). In return you’ll get their T’inglish smalltalk and company and a good time is had by all. No tips in this situation.

 

Tour Guides

 

If you’re one of 30 people on a crowded bus or boat, on a fixed price tour, then never feel obliged to tip. If you’ve booked a tour guide for your personal use for a few hours or the day, then we would recommend a tip around 10% of the agreed tour guide hire. For a half day tour, maybe 100-150 baht or double that for a full day tour.

 

If you have been on an organised tour but the tour guide has been uniquely amazing, you took up a lot of their time with questions or just went above and beyond their work requirements, then a tip given straight to them would be greatly appreciated. 50 to 100 baht.

 

Taking a taxi

There are two ways to take a taxi in Thailand. Either negotiate a price before you get in or check that they have a working taxi meter. There’s plenty of wriggle room in between these two solutions where you can get caught out. Firstly you should have a ‘rough’ idea of what the fare is going to be before you even think of taking a taxi. Check with your hotel concierge or ask a friend before you take your journey.

 

With the metred taxis there are a few, not many, taxi drivers that turbo-charge their meters so they run a lot faster than the permitted rate. If you think you’ve been ripped off take a photo of their taxi ID and threaten (nicely) to contact the Tourist Police (1155).

 

Full Story: https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/tourism/top-ten-tips-to-tipping-in-thailand

 

-- © Copyright The Thaiger 2019-06-25

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[CNXexpat]

"a tip of 50-100 baht would almost be expected"

Well, a 7/11 girls makes 330 Baht per DAY and the barkeepers expect up to 100 Baht tip?!

 

In mostly from Thais visited beside-the-street-restaurants tips are unknown. It happened to me, that I left 20 Baht on the table and the owner brought it to me on the way to my car because he thought I forgot it. My wife explained him that it´s a tip what farangs give when they are satisfied. At another place they refused the tip "not necessary". Both happened in Chiang Mai. 
In better restaurants I saw Thais leaving the coins on the table. That´s it. The tip idea of 10% or more came with the western tourists. 

[bluesofa]

Interesting that tipping immigration isn't mentioned.

BJ had signs to say no tipping, Now from what a lot of posters have said, some of the signs seem to have disappeared.

 

Edited June 25, 2019 by bluesofa
grammar

[Justgrazing]

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

For these ‘Girlie Bars’ (or boy bars), they are on a commission. So, apart from your over-priced drink, you’ll also be buying them a drink (which they also receive commission on). In return you’ll get their T’inglish smalltalk and company and a good time is had by all. No tips in this situation

Yeah right you try walking out of a bar without leaving one .. And not a small tip either .. Les't you want a withering look burning holes in ye' as you leave .. 

Personally if they engaged in a higher level of conversation like the Renaissance period or whether there are indeed other forms of intelligent life in the universe I would be inclined to reflect that in the amount I left for such engaging chitchat but when the outer boundaries are " where you flom " " how long you stay " and " you hansom too much " the renumeration is small munny only .. 

 

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

Either negotiate a price before you get in or check that they have a working taxi meter.

but just check to see if its been tampered with to increase the charge .. like was reported on last week .. 

[bluesofa]

18 minutes ago, Justgrazing said:

Yeah right you try walking out of a bar without leaving one .. And not a small tip either .. Les't you want a withering look burning holes in ye' as you leave .. 

Personally if they engaged in a higher level of conversation like the Renaissance period or whether there are indeed other forms of intelligent life in the universe I would be inclined to reflect that in the amount I left for such engaging chitchat but when the outer boundaries are " where you flom " " how long you stay " and " you hansom too much " the renumeration is small munny only .. 

 

but just check to see if its been tampered with to increase the charge .. like was reported on last week .. 

Three hundred years - that's a long time to be wearing red?

[lapd]

I know a British guy who never tips anything anywhere, including the tourist/girly bars.  He thinks it's stupid when we do it.  I'm trying to follow his example as much as possible.  Just tell them you're British. ????

Edited June 25, 2019 by lapd

[Gracas]

2 hours ago, bluesofa said:

Interesting that tipping immigration isn't mentioned.

BJ had signs to say no tipping, Now from what a lot of posters have said, some of the signs seem to have disappeared.

 

I gave the immigration officer a tip once. 'Be quick about your job'.

It didn't help, so never again.

[bluesofa]

17 minutes ago, lapd said:

I know a British guy who never tips anything anywhere, including the tourist/girly bars.  He thinks it's stupid when we do it.  I'm trying to follow his example as much as possible.  Just tell them you're British. ????

Ha ha, you're writing as if you seem embarrassed not to give a tip.

As a Brit, I've always been baffled why Americans give tips.

An American friend once told me that service staff receive an absolute  minimal salary and need the tips to make any money. Why does a restaurant expect customers to pay the waiting staffs' salary directly? Shouldn't it be included in the price of the food?

 

The Brits receive a salary from the restaurant, so don't rely on tips to survive, although they are definitely appreciated. All I can remember is whenever we went to a restaurant in the UK, a tip was never given, nor expected.

 

It's a cultural difference. Perhaps things have changed more in recent years though?

 

[bluesofa]

Just now, Gracas said:

I gave the immigration officer a tip once. 'Be quick about your job'.

It didn't help, so never again.

If asked for a tip, I always used to say: Don't eat yellow snow.

[elliss]

2 hours ago, bluesofa said:

Interesting that tipping immigration isn't mentioned.

BJ had signs to say no tipping, Now from what a lot of posters have said, some of the signs seem to have disappeared.

 

 

  NO tip immi anymore, please  read the signs in immi office .

 Use agent, everybody happy more ..

 

 

Edited June 25, 2019 by elliss
spelling

[Thongkorn]

3 hours ago, elliss said:

 

          Spot on mate , thais know  brits are broke , cheap charlies. Not welcome .

            Brit husband/ darling ,  same same losing face . for thai lady.

         Brits , dont go out anymore, they dont leave their cyber caves..

 

 

 Such a sweeping statement, You Must not be One of gods own , British

[4675636b596f75]

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

– the ‘service charge’ is meant to be dispersed amongst the staff.

When I asked Fuji manager I was told the staff gets half of the 10 percent.  You figure out who gets the other half.

[Benmart]

"But unlike many US restaurants, you will get out of the restaurant alive if you don’t tip.". What a moronic statement. I have been a US Citizen for 68 years, eaten in 49 US States; from no star to 5-star establishments, tipped and not tipped.

 

I speak only from personal experience and not from some mystical ability to say "many this or many that". 

[Benmart]

5 hours ago, Thongkorn said:

 Such a sweeping statement, You Must not be One of gods own , British

Perhaps God has nothing to do with the idiotic comments the creature said about Brits.

[Denim]

9 hours ago, elliss said:

 

          

            Brit husband/ darling ,  same same losing face . for thai lady.

         

 

 

 

I think you are confusing Brits with the typical one step removed from Botany Bay ocker , a truly boorish and stingy embarresment to a Thai lady.

[Emdog]

I eat every week at an Indian restaurant I love, been going since they first opened. I always am given a plate of tandoori chicken, no charge. I leave a 25% tip every time. I'm happy, the staff is happy and the owner is happy.

[Netease]

My wife gives 10% for good service and BHT 1  if the service or food is lousy just to let them know were not happy

[jaygino]

Many bars will give the last 100 baht of your change from your bill as 5x20 baht notes.  Its like saying we expect you to tip us with one or more of the green ones. This happens even in bars where you have had no interaction with the waitress or have simply sat at the bar and had one or two beers with no waitress Service. 

[Fairynuff]

7 hours ago, Thongkorn said:

 Such a sweeping statement, You Must not be One of gods own , British

It’s a Thaivisa forum...sweeping statements are the norm

[Fairynuff]

28 minutes ago, FredGallaher said:

I've noticed Brits and Europeans don't tip or very little.

Yet another incorrect generalization. I’d say that I don’t know anyone Thai or European who doesn’t tip when it’s appropriate.I always tip appropriately. If a service charge is included but I’ve had excellent service I’ll add a bit extra. My local noodle shop treats me like family but tipping just isn’t expected. Every now and again I’ll take a tin of cookies or something and always at New Year.

I see nothing wrong in tipping good staff, the extra money will always help people who mostly earn very little. Bad service will never get a tip however.

The car park attendant at a place I eat at fairly often must make a fortune, I’ve honestly never seen anyone not tip him at least 20 baht

Edited June 26, 2019 by Fairynuff

[faraday]

11 hours ago, elliss said:

 

          Spot on mate , thais know  brits are broke , cheap charlies. Not welcome .

            Brit husband/ darling ,  same same losing face . for thai lady.

         Brits , dont go out anymore, they dont leave their cyber caves..

 

 

 

[NoshowJones]

14 hours ago, bluesofa said:

Ha ha, you're writing as if you seem embarrassed not to give a tip.

As a Brit, I've always been baffled why Americans give tips.

An American friend once told me that service staff receive an absolute  minimal salary and need the tips to make any money. Why does a restaurant expect customers to pay the waiting staffs' salary directly? Shouldn't it be included in the price of the food?

 

The Brits receive a salary from the restaurant, so don't rely on tips to survive, although they are definitely appreciated. All I can remember is whenever we went to a restaurant in the UK, a tip was never given, nor expected.

 

It's a cultural difference. Perhaps things have changed more in recent years though?

 

Before I first went to America, I was reading a book to find out various things about the country. It says that you should be expected to use about 20% of your spending money on tips.

I resented that, and make it a point not to tip anyone unless they were doing something more for me than what their job was.

I did make a point of not going into a restaurant a second time for obvious reasons, but that was no hardship as I was touring.

 

[khunPer]

17 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

...tipping is not common amongst Thais...

To me, it seem like the author don't know that Thais make face by tipping, and often way beyond what a farang would tip...

 

Tipping in Thailand is a combination of a balance, and understanding of when it appropriate, or worth, tipping; not just adding 10% on top.

????

[jimmyyy]

i don't tip anyone in Thailand other than taxi's,  restaurant and bar drink rounded up to the nearest note. Never any more than that, in the US i tip 20% typically.  

[DJ54]

Minimum wage in US is $7.25 / hr some states are higher. Waiters/Waitresses who do a good job serving you and making 

sure your dining is a good experience deserve a tip

 

Some share their tips with people that support them... cooks, dishwashers. 

 

If the service is only so so don’t tip.... some restaurants automatically charge 15% tip if over 10 guests 

[Mac98]

18 hours ago, bluesofa said:

Ha ha, you're writing as if you seem embarrassed not to give a tip.

As a Brit, I've always been baffled why Americans give tips.

An American friend once told me that service staff receive an absolute  minimal salary and need the tips to make any money. Why does a restaurant expect customers to pay the waiting staffs' salary directly? Shouldn't it be included in the price of the food?

 

The Brits receive a salary from the restaurant, so don't rely on tips to survive, although they are definitely appreciated. All I can remember is whenever we went to a restaurant in the UK, a tip was never given, nor expected.

 

It's a cultural difference. Perhaps things have changed more in recent years though?

 

In the U.S. the minimum wage is $7 an hour, although higher in some areas. But many states allow service staff to be paid less than $3 a hour because of expected tips. In some places management takes a piece of these tips for themselves.

[sherwood]

 

I do not tip. Stupid thing to do in my opinion.

Please stop doing it in Thailand.

[HeyHeyHey]

Thaiger is just clickbait farm producing BS articles which they know get's lot of emotion out of you

 

"Myth of expats"

"Myth of tourist"

"Tipping"

 

Almost 100% of the higher end restaurants charge you ++ so you can suck your instrument expecting me to pay another satang.

[Mac98]

 -If there is a tip box next to the register ask the cashier if the staff gets any of the money collected. Most of the time I am told they do not.

 -A post here says a tip is not needed in a girly bar if she was not a fluent conversationalist. It also depends on how busy your hands were, with sign language, of course.

 -An unexpected tip for a small service from an attractive lady can bear great rewards. 

[Fairynuff]

1 hour ago, sherwood said:

 

I do not tip. Stupid thing to do in my opinion.

Please stop doing it in Thailand.

Isn’t that just an alternative way to say I’m too stingy.