News Cafe" title="News Cafe">News Cafe: vastly overrated  

As a former waitress, I must take a stand. It’s the attitude like this “American tipping culture is ridiculous anyway” that makes waiters not want to give Europeans good service. Why should they bust their butt to make sure you have a good experience knowing that unless they add gratuity, they’re going to get $2 on an $80 check. Just in case you weren’t aware, servers get paid $3 an hour. They depend on their tips. It’s a vicious circle. Europeans feel they don’t have to tip and waiters feel they shouldn’t give great service if they’re not going to get rewarded. They are busy paying attention to their tipping customers. Next time you come to the US, make note of that.

Posted on 04/02/2006 at 9:01 AM

That’s absolutely ridiculous! Surely the whole point is to give good service first, ensuring you get a tip!! Are the servers psychic or something, not bothering to give good service to someone who they KNOW isn’t going to tip them? The whole idea is - give good service first, then get a tip! I don’t mind at all giving a tip to someone who’s given me good service, but why the hell should I tip someone who could barely be bothered to even look at me when serving me, never mind anything so outrageous as a smile!
At the end of the day, it’s not my fault they’re working there, and as a paying customer I demand good service - then the server will get a pretty generous tip.

Posted on 07/25/2006 at 3:50 AM

Uh, yeah, I agree withRoxyGirl, Europeans are terrible tippers.. i guess the Bahamas has it all down-pat for you guys, they add their gratuity automatically! The problem with you Europeans is that you want amazing service for no money. If you do not like our ways, don’t come back!! I prefer driving my BMW anyway!

Posted on 05/04/2007 at 8:56 PM