Do Thai people tip in restaurants?

[bubba1]

What's your experience?

[Hedghog]

Yes

[dbrenn]

In mid or upscale places I sometimes leave a tip, unless service is included.

[1FinickyOne]

Some do, some don't... someplaces yes, someplaces no...

You would not likely leave a tip in your local noodle soup shop, but in a restaurant, you would at least leave the coins... then up to you.

Tipping will rarely be considered generous by Western standards.

[B1TcoinLife]

A lot of them think nothing of eating expensive meals and paying with a debit card so there is not even "The coins" to leave...

I've seen tables of businessmen in suits not leaving a penny and on the flip side, I've seen tourists tipping a few hundred baht for an ice cream at Mbk or telling taxis to keep the change when there maybe 950thb change....

I stopped using pizza Hut when they put a sign on their website saying that the drivers don't get the delivery fee so please be generous to them...

I used to give the driver 40-50 a pizza but I won't do business with them again....

[Oceanbat]

Shrapnel or THB 20

OB

[donsonny]

Never seen it. So I doubt it even in the expensive restaurants with the rich Thais. My wife is upset every time I give tip. Even when eat noddle soup at a street kitchen I give tip.

[HLover]

Sorry OP, I am usually enjoying my meal or a colleagues conversation to care or observe a strangers tipping habits.

[bubba1]

Sorry OP, I am usually enjoying my meal or a colleagues conversation to care or observe a strangers tipping habits.

Sorry you don't have any Thai friends.

[HLover]

Sorry OP, I am usually enjoying my meal or a colleagues conversation to care or observe a strangers tipping habits.

Sorry you don't have any Thai friends.

Nice try.

[Ulic]

I took a Thai family and a couple of friends out once, (just friends). I picked up the bill

which was 2,200 baht. I left a 200 baht tip on the table. Just as we were walking out one

of the family members friends scooped up the tip and said Thais don't tip and gave me a

little bit of a scowl. BTW. she did not give the tip back to me she put it in her pocket.

I was too shocked to say anything.

[robertthebruce]

Not sure about Thais , but I always tip........

For me normally most restaurants the service is excellent...no complaints...

What's 100 Baht or 50 Baht...

[KMartinHandyman]

My wife is the only Thai person I can gauge the op's question by and if it was up to her there would be no tip or rarely a small one.

I've taught her to tip a little something at least now. She will if she feels the service was at least good. If anything goes wrong she lobby's for no tip.

I'd love to be a fly on the wall when we're not together. I suspect she keeps the money close to the vest but that's a big reason why I love her and trust her judgement regarding finances. She blows it here and saves it there.

[johnatong]

My wife will never tip when the bill includes a service charge.

Otherwise she may/may not depending on the standard of service provided.

[55Jay]

Wife's standard is 20 Baht. I would get the eye look if I did any more than that. I just ignore her now and do what I feel like doing if I'm paying the bill instead of her - usually between 20 and 50 Baht, depending on the service, type of place, etc. I'll be more generous in a nicer place if there's an commensurate effort made with table service. I recognize them, tell them it was good, that I noticed the effort, and hand the gratuity directly to them.

[joeyg]

I was married to a fairly well to do Thai woman from 1999 to 2007. She or her family never tipped. Seemed it wasn't expected. There were times later I tipped and the waitress tried to give my money back and seemed confused.

Fast forward been living just North of Pattaya for 2 years. Definitely in the bars and many restaurants if you don't tip now you get a scowl and or some snide remark.

Yesterday I decided to "play" Songkran at a bar on Soi 7 that was really going off. Had about 7 drinks and tipped 20 bhat each drink. At one point the mamasan asked asked you give 200 bhat to fill water, there where 2 tanks and I know it's only 50 bhat each.

Being in the Holiday Spirit I said I give 100 bhat. she looked pissed and said you give 200. I gave her 100 and said Jai Yen Happy New year.

Actually I'm seeing it in many places. Scowling frowning bar owners/mamasans physically stopping passers by from filling up there water guns. reality is setting in. A CEO friend from "Big C" said business throughout Thailand was "in the toilet."

The game is definitely changing...

Edited April 17, 2016 by joeyg

[villagefarang]

I always let my wife pick up the bill in restaurants and I always agree with her judgement on how much to tip. If she is unsure I will be consulted but invariably say it is up to her.

[D3030]

The older (farmer) Thai family I know, I would say - never will tip.

MK restaurant is the top of their budget, and would not tip.

Their children (young adults) do tip, but won't if their parents are around.

When they do tip, it's based mostly on the change... If no change is returned, they may give a 20 baht bill as a tip or nothing..

[TheSpade]

Yes, my Thai friends always tip in restaurants and bars.

[Roota]

20 or 30 years ago there wasn't much tipping but it's become pretty common these days, especially in the cities.

One thing I notice is that my Thai friends often tip according not to the standard of the service, but rather to what they see as the needs of the server. "Oh, she's raising two kids on her own," they'll say, and leave a generous tip. Very Thai (the term is 'nam jai') and rather nice, I think.

[55Jay]

I always let my wife pick up the bill in restaurants and I always agree with her judgement on how much to tip. If she is unsure I will be consulted but invariably say it is up to her.

My wife's gotten better about it over the years. At first she would whisper, "Hon, that's too much, just leave 20". She's escalated into the 30 range now, 40 if everything was good and moreover, if there happens to be (2) 20 notes as part of the change given.

She wasn't wrong before. I was. Over-tipping in particular, is contrary to culture, and in time, can create a new, false expectation in the minds of Thais when dealing with farangs. Evident in tourist areas after decades of Thais being exposed to benevolent and/or naive tourists, 2 week millionaires, etc.

The inflated expectation irritates the local, resident expats. Especially those from non-tipping cultures, relegated to the dreaded Cheap Charlie category in the revised pecking order.

[BritManToo]

Sexy beer girl assigned to your table, that pays attention, yes.

General wait staff that ignore you, bring wrong order, no.

So, depends on the type of establishment you are it.

If you know Chiang mai, Riverside = No, Oxide Pub = yes.

Edited April 17, 2016 by BritManToo

[AZBill]

Regardless of custom or location I will always tip for good service. People in the service industry work very hard and get paid very little and take a lot of crap from all sides. it's more about appreciation for their efforts in the face of all that than anything else to me.

[MisterTee]

I always let my wife pick up the bill in restaurants and I always agree with her judgement on how much to tip. If she is unsure I will be consulted but invariably say it is up to her.

That's the way I've always done it too.

Mamma knows best.

[villagefarang]

I always let my wife pick up the bill in restaurants and I always agree with her judgement on how much to tip. If she is unsure I will be consulted but invariably say it is up to her.

That's the way I've always done it too.

Mamma knows best.

It is more of a Svengali thing with me, not a Mamma knows best. I have given her more responsibility over the years and now I enjoy directing the waiter or waitress to give her the check.

[mesquite]

No.