Tipping

[save the frogs]

whats the official "laws of the land" for tipping?

 

is tipping mandatory/expected? restaurants only? hairdressers? masseuses?

does it differ in tourist spots? 

 

do you tip? usually? sometimes?  

 

 

[Harrisfan]

I tip very little. I hate it when they expect a tip.

[scubascuba3]

I reluctantly tip, i leave it to the Americans who enjoy it.

 

I give a small tip with food, massage girls and barbers get tips

[save the frogs]

in (some?) western countries, tipping has gotten out of control.

 

[terryq]

Whenever I go into a shop that has a container on the counter that commands ' TIP BOX'

 

then that's what I do.... but they never seem happy that I did and start ranting and raving.

 

 

[bkk6060]

I tip all the time. A lot of these people make about one dollar an hour.  Leaving something especially for good service I think is a nice thing to do.  

[save the frogs]

11 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

I tip all the time. A lot of these people make about one dollar an hour.  Leaving something especially for good service I think is a nice thing to do.  

Ok, so how much? 10 per cent? 20? 

 

[rough diamond]

If you want the "server", who you believe deserves a tip to keep to themself, I suggest that you put it discreetly directly into their hand and NOT onto the tray or into the Tip box.

[FolkGuitar]

Tipping is a very different game here. In the US, at least a 15-20% tip is required for everything, or don't bother returning to the same place.

 

Here in Thailand, we're fortunate that there is no requirement, but there are 'some' expectations. In up-scale dinner restaurants, a small tip is expected, perhaps 10%-15%, but not required. Rich folks will say 20%-25% but they are just showing off, as is the guy in the local family restaurant who leaves a 100-Baht note as a tip for his 40-Baht lunch.
If I'm on the road and eat in small Mom & Pop places, if there is change, leave the coins from my change. If I'm eating with my wife (so two of us) and the food and service good, I'll leave a 20-Baht note.

Here in town, where I eat lunch at the same places often, I always leave 20 Baht if I'm alone, or 30-40 Baht if with my wife. I'm treated very nicely at my usual lunch place (been eating there for the past 5 years,) so that seems to be sufficient.
The bottom line is that here in Thailand, a tip is just that: a gratuity. It's not a requirement. How much you tip depends on what you can afford and how visible you wish to be. That said, money talks. Sometimes tipping before an event can be beneficial...

[KhunLA]

I don't tip  ... 

... wife does, as she pays the tab, and only if service warrants it.  Small amount, or 20% is excellent and in a good mood.  Depends on a few factor, but usually, no or small change.

 

I service charge included, than no.  Also includes hotel staff, as never request anything extra, and clean the room before we check out.   Half the time get an extra pet charge anyway, do definitely no tip.

[Mason45]

I stopped paying tips in bars when bar girls became dominated by their i phones.

[Cameroni]

I never tip anymore.

 

Ever since I found out Vietnamese make fun of people who tip.

[Ralf001]

what is tipping ?

[rough diamond]

46 minutes ago, Mason45 said:

I stopped paying tips in bars when bar girls became dominated by their i phones.

Bar girls with iPhones must have rich "sick Buffalo" boyfriends!

I think you meant that they just have basic phones!

[rough diamond]

50 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

I never tip anymore.

 

Ever since I found out Vietnamese make fun of people who tip.

This is a Thai forum so I assume you live in Vietnam with that comment.

[Keeps]

For a 'standard' lunch for two of around 300-400 baht I'll leave 40 baht if everything was acceptable. For a more expensive dinner for two of 1,000 baht upwards I'll probably leave 100 baht. 

 

If I stay in a hotel for upwards of 3 days then I will leave 100/200 baht for the cleaners. I sometimes get a taxi from Bangkok to Korat where the fare is 2,300 baht. I'll round that up to 2,500.

 

Rarely tip in bars as we normally go to bars where we know the staff well. I'll buy them a drink so don't feel the need to tip in addition. 

[rough diamond]

55 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

what is tipping ?

It can be many things, but the main two are giving money to someone for good service and the other one is posting rubbish where it does not belong!😁

[Moonlover]

2 hours ago, rough diamond said:

Bar girls with iPhones must have rich "sick Buffalo" boyfriends!

I think you meant that they just have basic phones!

I don't somehow think that a 'basic phone' would keep them amused for very long. (unless they love snake)

[jas007]

4 hours ago, save the frogs said:

whats the official "laws of the land" for tipping?

 

is tipping mandatory/expected? restaurants only? hairdressers? masseuses?

does it differ in tourist spots? 

 

do you tip? usually? sometimes?  

 

 

It depends. I still think of USA prices, in terms of tips, so if I leave 70 baht for a tip, I don't see a problem.  I feel bad if I don't.  It just seems normal.  Food delivery. Restaurant meals. Taxi rides. Those people need it and, for me, it doesn't matter. 

 

I don't do that all the time.  No tips in convenience stores or for carry out food. 

[save the frogs]

16 hours ago, Cameroni said:

I never tip anymore.

 

Ever since I found out Vietnamese make fun of people who tip.

Yeah, that's why I started the thread. 

I was under the impression that tipping is a western invention and doesnt exist in asia. 

So they copied the system here because they got wind that we tip back home.

So the Thais don't tip? Only foreigners? 

 

[Cameroni]

4 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

Yeah, that's why I started the thread. 

I was under the impression that tipping is a western invention and doesnt exist in asia. 

So they copied the system here because they got wind that we tip back home.

So the Thais don't tip? Only foreigners? 

 

Local Thais don't tip. It's not a local custom.

 

But if you're in a tourist place, like St. Pattayasburg or Phuketski the locals do expect tourists to tip. Or like it or something.

 

But since Chinese never tip, you're on the safe side if you don't tip.

[MalcolmB]

6 hours ago, save the frogs said:

Ok, so how much? 10 per cent? 20? 

 

100 baht

petrol pumpers seem to me the most grateful and the gogo sluts.

restaurant staff not so much.

[MalcolmB]

6 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

Local Thais don't tip. It's not a local custom.

Not totally true.

When in bigger groups in restaurants or Thai pubs Thais tips, especially if you have “pretties” topping up the drinks.

well off Thais in better restaurants generally tip.

[rough diamond]

9 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

Local Thais don't tip. It's not a local custom.

Maybe not in your backwater. 

[Cameroni]

7 minutes ago, MalcolmB said:

Not totally true.

When in bigger groups in restaurants or Thai pubs Thais tips, especially if you have “pretties” topping up the drinks.

well off Thais in better restaurants generally tip.

 

That's true actually, because they all they chip in, they lose count.

[CanadaSam]

5 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

what is tipping ?

 

Tipping is NOT a city in China, friend!

[CanadaSam]

I tip 50 baht. 

 

Restaurants, hair cuts, bars, car wash, etc.

 

20 baht food delivery.

[save the frogs]

11 hours ago, MalcolmB said:

100 baht

petrol pumpers seem to me the most grateful and the gogo sluts.

restaurant staff not so much.

you tip gogo girls? arent they ripping you off with exorbitant rates already? 

[MalcolmB]

31 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

you tip gogo girls? arent they ripping you off with exorbitant rates already? 

Sure, I think it is a bargain to be surrounded by smiling naked or topless young fit women.

Costs more in the UK to drink ten beers in the UK surrounded by whiney old farts and being served by an old ugly women than it does to drink ten beers surrounded by naked hot Asian girls. 

Pattaya a lot cheaper than Phuket obviously. For 100 a lot of the them in Pattaya will take the finger in the date.

I don’t think that is exhorbitant at all.

it is a bargain.