Do you tip (in Thailand)?

[OneMoreFarang]

4 minutes ago, Pravda said:

 

Are you sure about that? Because I heard it's completely, 100%, the opposite as in the staff gets zero.

 

Do you really think S&P or a 5 star hotel gives 10% to their staff?

I don't go to S&P. And I can assure you some 5 star hotels give the 10% to their staff. In some hotels that amount is higher than the salary. 

I don't know if it is more the rule or more the exception in 5 start hotels to do that. I visit some of those places and have insider info from some of them. But all in all I don't go to many such places so I don't know how normal that is.

[OneMoreFarang]

8 minutes ago, TheScience said:

Ok, I'll bite.

 

So they pay them b50 an hour plus tips.

 

So winning dude. Savior of the poor and downtrodden.

That's why the tip is so important for many of them.

50B per hour is about minimum salary in Thailand and that is what many get. And that's not up to me but reality.

And to be fair: 50B per hour plus tips in restaurants is better than 50B per hour in a factory without tip.

[TheScience]

I really like not the option of not tipping.

 

The taxi, shuttle service in US is just petty extortion. I recall twice the private taxi driver and shuttle service stood near my bags but did not lift a finger and I pulled them out of the car. Then literally gave me hard looks for walking away and not giving them free money. Even if they grabbed my bags it doesn't mean they deserve 5.00 what the hell is wrong with people.

 

** In Thailand I almost always give taxi drivers another 10% sometimes 50b cross town.

Edited December 7, 2021 by TheScience

[4MyEgo]

2 hours ago, FruitPudding said:

Just curious how you guys go about tipping here in Thailand.

I consider myself to be in a much better position than most Thai's as I was dealt a better hand, i.e. I had far greater opportunities during my life time in Australia to get a good education, 6 figure paying career jobs, and being able to invest, that said, I do tip when I feel it is appropriate as I know Thai's have less opportunities and that little extra will go a little further, albeit short lived.

 

I am not the type to be pressured into tipping, but if the service is good, I tip, even the guy who changes my flat tyre for 150 baht, gets a 100 baht tip, and I know he doesn't expect it, it can buy him a meal or a beer that didn't have come out of his pocket, whatever little extra that I give as a tip makes me feel good, so I do it because I can and want too give a little back to the less fortunate.

 

That's basically it, it all boils down to you and how you feel.

 

 

[LawrenceN]

One rule that many people have forgotten, even in America, is that you don't tip the owner of a restaurant. Tips are for the staff.  Most small restaurants in Thailand are owner-operated. 

 

I leave the small change, never calculate the 15-20%.

[Fairynuff]

15 hours ago, FruitPudding said:

Certainly, in Thailand: Thais don't tip - there simply isn't a tipping culture here.

Not sure where you get your information but the Thailand I live in people definitely tip, depending on the situation/location. Personally I’ll tip for the same reasons I would anywhere else, and it’s always appropriately..... and almost always appreciated.

[Fairynuff]

13 hours ago, Pravda said:

Do you really think S&P or a 5 star hotel gives 10% to their staff?

 

Yes, particularly the major hotel chains. Every member of staff gets a percentage of the overall service charge.

[mighty]

15 hours ago, Led Lolly Yellow Lolly said:

I offer tips on electrical engineering and safety, entirely for free.

muppet

[Card]

15 hours ago, Led Lolly Yellow Lolly said:

I offer tips on electrical engineering and safety, entirely for free.

My usual tip is "Watch yourself when crossing the road" but Thais never quite get it.

[murraynz]

17 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

1000 baht tip every meal.

Tipping is an American habit. 

It's not needed in Thailand. 

I tip the girls in bar and very occasionally elsewhere, that's all.. 

[Hanuman2547]

I usually don't tip.  At a restaurant or bar I just round up the bill to the nearest 100 baht mark.  If it's a place that has a service charge and/or VAT charge then I don't tip.  

[elgenon]

My Thai friend of decades has always tipped when we go out. Modestly though.

 

In farang-oriented Tourist spots I do, especially if I am a regular. Has proven advantages.

[Headgame]

Some people hate to tip. Personal decision, although wrong.

I tip regularly, like dinner at a good restaurant, typically 20% provided service is good.

I tip the gas station dude who fills my tank a 10 or sometimes 20 THB

I could give more examples but why bother, I tip

 

Why I tip.

I promised myself when I worked at a large summer lodge in college basically for tips, that I would always tip once I became a big boy. Stuck to that promise.

Thai people don't make a lot of THB so I feel better just giving a little something that might have some positive impact on their financial situation for that day.

 

Some say that tipping is just ruining it for everybody who likes it the old way. Well TH is now a tipping culture  - the new way - (not in every sector).

[thaibook]

17 hours ago, Led Lolly Yellow Lolly said:

I offer tips on electrical engineering and safety, entirely for free.

be careful, I might take you up on that ...

[actonion]

15 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

It's obvious that you never go to places who charge service charge. I do, and in many of them the service charge goes 100% to the staff.

That is not what the Room and Restaurant staff in a 5 star hotel in Bangkok told me, they get nothing of the service charges

Edited December 8, 2021 by actonion

[Wydahoan]

Yes! “Tipping is not a city in China” 

[rwill]

Some Thai's tip, some don't.  I have Thai friends that definitely tip.   A large percentage of Thais don't make enough money to just give some away.  They are just trying to survive.  

My wife loves to tip but she lived in the US for about 30 years.  I don't mind giving money out to help others live a little better.

 

[OneMoreFarang]

10 minutes ago, actonion said:

That is not what the Room and Restaurant staff in a 5 star hotel in Bangkok told me, they get nothing of the service charges

It seems there is no law which makes sure the employees get 100% of that 10% service charge.

And obviously I can only speak about my personal experience. I know a couple of people who work in 5 star hotels in Bangkok, from top of the management to ordinary service people. And at least in the 5 star places which I visit I know the employees get all the service charge money. 

And these are hotels from multinational well known companies. I would be surprised if they would have different rules in different hotels from the same hotel groups.

Is that a general rule? It seems not. Is it a general rule that the employees don't get the service charge: sure not!

[OneMoreFarang]

7 minutes ago, rwill said:

I have Thai friends that definitely tip.   A large percentage of Thais don't make enough money to just give some away.  They are just trying to survive.

I think it also depends a lot where people (and not just Thais) eat. I.e. I don't think that I ever saw that anybody tipped the local noodle soup vendors on the streets. And it seems many people tip in restaurants.

Poor(er) people obviously don't eat in fancy restaurants, they often eat street food. And it seems most people (all?) don't tip street food vendors.

[robblok]

If there is service charge and vat then I don't tip period.

 

Otherwise i will tip depending on service. (massages i often tip 100bt or so)

Food, depends on the restaurant but usually yes and often we are in a group so the group pays and ads tip. Gets divided by the people in the group. 

 

The Americans are a bad example as companies on purpose don't pay their employees enough so they have to get tips hence the 20%. Otherwise the meal would be 20% more expensive and the workers would get that 20% so its not actually tipping. Its just supplementing the salary of people who are underpaid. 

 

Where i come from tipping is not normal and we pay waiters and such a better wage comparative to those in the US hence food and stuff is more expensive. 

[Seeall]

18 hours ago, timendres said:

Check the receipt. Many "establishments", expensive restaurants, bars, etc., will add a "service charge" of 10%. Otherwise, as an American, I cannot not tip. Too ingrained in my head. 5% to 20% depending, but often, as @CharlieH said, I just round up.

the usa tipping culture  have a beef with......  I understood 5% for good service, 10% for very good and 15%  for wow... but last place I was miami they slap on 15% on the bill without any input from me so rude... its horrible

[Skeptic7]

Usually yes. Amount varies depending on the venue. 10% generally, but more for exceptional service...or if the waitress is exceptionally cute!

 

Rarely when in small open air restaurants and if so 5-10 baht, regardless the total cost. When out with Thai friends, they almost always say not to tip in places such as this.

 

Never at a place that already includes a service charge. 

 

Restaurant and grocery delivery usually 20-40 baht. Maybe B50 if she's hot! ????

Edited December 8, 2021 by Skeptic7

[rwill]

13 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I think it also depends a lot where people (and not just Thais) eat. I.e. I don't think that I ever saw that anybody tipped the local noodle soup vendors on the streets. And it seems many people tip in restaurants.

Poor(er) people obviously don't eat in fancy restaurants, they often eat street food. And it seems most people (all?) don't tip street food vendors.

Some of the street vendors I have tried to tip refuse to take the money too.

[wwest5829]

Typical massage, coffee or a meal ... 20 or 40 baht. I am a year round retiree (working middle class, so not wealthy).

[Bogbrush]

18 hours ago, CharlieH said:

Here we go again, age old often repeated topic.

 

Lets see if this one brings anything new. ????

Not from you, obviously…????

[OneMoreFarang]

What I find annoying is that in some places they seem to expect a high tip.

I.e. traditional massage. Maybe the shop charges 300B for an hour massage and it seems then the masseuse expects to get another 100B. Maybe they would (just about) accept 50B but I am sure many would be disappointed with 20B.

Obviously we could walk out and don't tip at all. But I don't think that would help for possible future visits.

 

On the other hand 20B tip in a restaurant with 300B bill is acceptable. Strange - at least for me.

[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, murraynz said:

Tipping is an American habit. 

It's not needed in Thailand. 

I tip the girls in bar and very occasionally elsewhere, that's all.. 

I was taking the water. ????

[MrJ2U]

17 hours ago, FruitPudding said:

There have been only a few reasons this year that have caused me to feel compelled to tip, yet I tip regularly. Strange isn't it?

No its stranger that you don't tip.

 

I could understand bad service.

 

Even Thais tip the little change given after paying the bill.

 

I can imagine the service people dreading you at the places you frequent.

 

 

Edited December 8, 2021 by MrJ2U

[FruitPudding]

17 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

You do not have much experience of Thailand and Thai people, do you? The Thais I know tip in restaurants and bars, and they come from a broad variety of cultural classes.

Regarding my own standards. If I feel that I am pleased with the service and standard, I usually round up a two 120 baht beers to 300, or an 80 baht beer to 100 so on. What the big deal? Are you competing with Prayut´s poll makers?

Almost, 15 years. 

 

Well, I have waitresses in my family at restaurants and they have never received a single tip from a Thai customer and we are talking over years. And I am not talking about noodle stalls or even Isaan restaurants. I am talking about Thai steak houses and other such sit-in aircon restaurant.

[Bogbrush]

A difficult question as there are different levels involved. Obviously in a restaurant where service is included, then no. In a bar, where I’ve had 4 beers and ‘check bin’ comes to 240 baht and I present 300 to pay, I’m guaranteed to get 2 x 20 and some shrapnel, specifically for tipping, so I’ll leave it behind. 
Where the problem occurs is when we go occasionally to a small French place (service non compris) and have some foie gras, two good steaks and a bottle of

Burgundy; that will come to around 3000 Baht and the wife insists I leave 200/300 baht, when all the waitress has done is put two plates in front of us and pulled a cork.  
To each his own - some have no money, and some are just mean.