Anything To Gain By Tipping?

[facey]

I am of the western mind set that tipping employees gets you some positive reward on future visits. Not even sure how true that is. I used to be a waiter and appreciated tips but if I saw a reliable tipper down the road, I did try a little harder to be jovial with them.

I tip at my local massage shop if the massage is outstanding but I notice that in future visits, the employees that I tipped seem completely indifferent to my visit. There is no huge smile, nod, or increased level of service compared to the employees I haven't tipped.

So it begs the question, is there any evidence that tipping is beneficial here?

[gk10002000]

I would say that in general it makes little difference. I am a reasonable tipper, but I agree with you that the tipping memory of the servers seems short-lived. Of course it may be that they just don't recognized me the next time! All us Falangs look alike!

[bartender100]

I tip because it makes me feel good, the more i tip the better I feel, amateur physiologists please explain why?

[justcruisin]

Tipping was introduced to Thailand by the USA military forces during the Vietnam conflict.

Before that it never existed.

It is because stupid people come here and can not believe the difference in customer service that they don't have in there own country.

In saying that I dont see a problem about paying extra for a good service, especially the tourists who have more money than sense.

The problem is that most ppl tip as it is expected in the great US of A in the service industries.

[chops]

Tip? What's that?

[monty1412]

Tip? What's that?

Having lived in Us and seen the extortionist tipping regime there and lived in China where it wasn't at that time ever done Im of definite mindset that tipping in Thailand is not something that needs to be done. I follow my gf's lead.. if a restaurant bil is say 1000 Baht and its been good food then she will leave 20B on plate more as a polite thank you ka gesture.

[toenail]

I "cringe" whenever I see a service charge added on my restaurant bill wondering if the workers really do get this 8% that was added on or is just thrown into the pot. When I do have a good waiter (which is seldom) I will make sure I hand the "tip" to her/ him, not leave it on the table.

[pauljones]

If you tip, they may pretend to like you the next time.

[smedly]

Tip? What's that?

Having lived in Us and seen the extortionist tipping regime there and lived in China where it wasn't at that time ever done Im of definite mindset that tipping in Thailand is not something that needs to be done. I follow my gf's lead.. if a restaurant bil is say 1000 Baht and its been good food then she will leave 20B on plate more as a polite thank you ka gesture.

I'm inclined to think the same way, if my bill is large enough and I've had good service then a polite 20baht seems in order but I'm leaning more and more to not tipping when bar hopping or something like that - it starts to get expensive leaving a 20baht tip at every bar you have 1-2 drinks in especially if you've also bought a few ladies a drink along the way, although be prepared to get some looks if you don't tip as it's expected as opposed to earned

[smokie36]

I'd get banned for what I wanted to write. But yeah cheapskate Pattaya folks Thais do tip.

[Gone]

Sorry to say this but I feel the people who posted that they don't get any extra smiles or service on their next return seem to be tipping for gain. If you want to tip someone just do it because you want to and NOT so YOU gain from your next visit.

When I first came to Thailand I had read in the Lonely Planet Book etc. that tipping was not necessary however when I got here i just couldn't help it, when I got good service I showed my appreciation by giving a tip even if I never planned to come back to the place. It got a smile at that moment and a friendly gesture and that is good enough for me.

Also if you figure the hours these people put in for the small salary they get, if you have a few extra bob then why not help them out?

[DLock]

Having spent so much time in the US, mostly in Vegas and LA, tipping became second nature. I'm sure my door guy bought his new car mostly on my tips. At $5 a time, he does well.

In Thailand I will tip in higher-end bars or restaurants. Without fail, next time I am there, I get excellent and attentive service, which, especially if I am with Clients, is a good thing. They will remember my name, my favorite table and what I drink.

Always hand tips to the server, never inside the folder. And make it a reasonable tip, like 200baht...not 20baht.

The only time I don't tip is when I expect change back in 100baht notes, in which case I would have given 100baht as a tip. Instead they will give me one of those hundreds in 20 baht notes, or worse, in coins. I hate that.

[myfriendu]

if i get a happy ending i tip,rude not too

[pattayadingo]

As a regular in several places I tip depending on service, smiles and other base criteria. On return to most of the places they know I will tip if I am happy. If the service is bad they know I will not tip.

2 bars in particular will make sure I have plenty of ice without having to ask for it or be kept waiting. They get a personal tip on top of the tip for the bar. Sometimes I will buy them a drink instead of a tip.

Other places I go to regularly I will tip the place and not the person if several serve me. But I have found that in general I get better service from regular haunts and from the same ladies who will give service with a smile and often some banter between us.

Believe it or not I rarely tip above 50 Baht and generally tip 20 Baht. My tips reduced drastically after several Thai friends during the early years were shocked at how much I did tip. Now the only time I increase my tip is if at a party or similar and some women have worked hard to keep the party happy.

[highchol]

anything to gain by tipping..........makes me feel better

[Jingthing]

I tip how I think non-showy Thais tip. Not based on percentage of bill, that's for sure. I agree Thais do tip in some situations, but not like Americans.

[tropo]

I tip how I think non-showy Thais tip. Not based on percentage of bill, that's for sure. I agree Thais do tip in some situations, but not like Americans.

I have observed that Thais can be quite big tippers. I believe it gives them a feeling of superiority over their fellow "common men".

Edited January 6, 2012 by tropo

[Jingthing]

I tip how I think non-showy Thais tip. Not based on percentage of bill, that's for sure. I agree Thais do tip in some situations, but not like Americans.

I have observed that Thais can be quite big tippers. I believe it gives them a feeling of superiority or their fellow "common men".

I agree. The showy ones.

[tropo]

I "cringe" whenever I see a service charge added on my restaurant bill wondering if the workers really do get this 8% that was added on or is just thrown into the pot. When I do have a good waiter (which is seldom) I will make sure I hand the "tip" to her/ him, not leave it on the table.

I've never seen an 8% service charge - it's always 10%. Perhaps you are confusing a service charge with VAT which is 7%. In some places you're hit with what is called "+ +" which refers to service charge 10% plus VAT 7%. I see this more in Bangkok.

Anyway, I never tip when I'm charged a service charge and I don't care if the staff receive it or not.

[PattayaPhom]

Good service/food leave upto 10%...otherwise dont, same anywhere in the World.....and yes its great to see the look on the miserable peoples faces when you dont leave that Expected tip

[tropo]

Good service/food leave upto 10%...otherwise dont, same anywhere in the World.....and yes its great to see the look on the miserable peoples faces when you dont leave that Expected tip

Percentage tipping is ridiculous. Why should I tip more just because the ingredients of what I'm ordering are more expensive? Does it require more effort to serve me an expensive steak than fried rice. Why should staff working in expensive restaurants get more for their effort?

Having said that, you are wrong about 10% being a universal tip "anywhere in the world". Try giving just 10% in the US. Australia's tourism department actively campaign against tipping by suggesting in tourist brochures that it is not required in Australia.

[Jingthing]

Right tipping customs vary by country. Pattaya is like another planet though. Tipping cans at bookstores, 7-11s, etc.

[prefabs]

I give money to GF when we go out, then she pays the bills and gives the tips. This after a disagreement in a tourist type restaurant in Second Road one time. I had tipped, but obviously not enough as far as the waiter was concerned. I have never seen her gave more than 20 baht, except recently at New Year. However, in Walking Street outside bars, she gives nothing.

[William Osborne]

i tip 40 baht minimum and my meals usually ranging from 150-250 baht plus a few beers (eat mostly with my Mrs) .. . staff depend on tips to make their wages anyway worthwhile so it would have to be really crappy service where i wouldn't tip

Not too impressed with places charging a service charge and would mostly avoid.

[BookMan]

I was tipping all sorts of weird and random amounts when i first came over.. 10 baht, 30 baht, 50 baht, 100 baht.

Now i generally leave the coins, or maybe 20 baht at a restaurant. At a place i eat regularly ill often leave nothing. Doesn't seem to affect my service either way.

[William Osborne]

I was tipping all sorts of weird and random amounts when i first came over.. 10 baht, 30 baht, 50 baht, 100 baht.

Now i generally leave the coins, or maybe 20 baht at a restaurant. At a place i eat regularly ill often leave nothing. Doesn't seem to affect my service either way.

LOL.... Except what the staff can think of leaving in your food for being a keeknow farang... leaving coins less than 20 baht is an insult so expect an extra glop of spit next time seriously if people are too tight to eat out ... eat at home

[tropo]

.. leaving coins less than 20 baht is an insult so expect an extra glop of spit next time seriously if people are too tight to eat out ... eat at home

I totally disagree. Picking up coins worth less than 20 baht from the change tray could be an insult. Leaving them there is expected.

If I was given over 20 baht in coins as change I'd take every last baht.

It's quite typical of over-tippers to insult people who are more careful with their cash.

[JimmyTheMook]

those blue 50 baht notes I hand out like candy always win me many hearts and minds

[SGD]

Staff do like tips, who wouldn't ? but they don't know why they got them, what they did to "deserve" the tip etc. They are clueless, just as they are ignorant of how those begging tins in 7/11 etc. are insulting.

They just think the westerner is stupid and why shouldn't they have a slice.

[BookMan]

I was tipping all sorts of weird and random amounts when i first came over.. 10 baht, 30 baht, 50 baht, 100 baht.

Now i generally leave the coins, or maybe 20 baht at a restaurant. At a place i eat regularly ill often leave nothing. Doesn't seem to affect my service either way.

LOL.... Except what the staff can think of leaving in your food for being a keeknow farang... leaving coins less than 20 baht is an insult so expect an extra glop of spit next time seriously if people are too tight to eat out ... eat at home

Sounds like you need to be eating out more with Thai people at places Thai people eat. . That's where i took my lead from.

Just because you are a farang doesn't mean you have to act like one ALL the time.