Giving Tips in America

It is unfamiliar for Korean to give a tip when you go to restaurants or beauty salons etc. However, in the states, there is culture that gives a tip when you get a service. Please read this and get some tips on how to pay the tip in the states! Let us know, if you have any thoughts or opinions through comments!

Giving Tips in America

Jungwon Lee

Dept. of Global Studies

Pusan National University

Whenever Koreans travel U.S. and dine in nice restaurants, most people worry, thinking ‘After finishing my meal, how much tips should I give to the waiter or the cashier?’

A tip, also called a gratuity, is a sum of money customarily tendered, in addition to the basic price for a service performed or anticipated. Tipping is a widely practiced social custom in the U.S. It is known that the practice of tipping began in Tudor England. By the 17^th century, it was expected that overnight guests to private homes would provide sums of money to the host’s servants. Soon afterwards, customers began tipping in London coffeehouses and other commercial establishments.

Tipping by definition is voluntary. In restaurants offering traditional table service, a tip of 15% of the amount of a customer’s check is customary when good service is provided. Higher tips may be given for excellent service, and lower tips for mediocre service. Some restaurants kindly show how much tips should the customers voluntarily pay. However, if it is not indicated, people should calculate the tips by his or her own and that could be annoying. In the case of bad or rude service, no tip may be given and the restaurant manager may be notified of the problem. Tips are also generally given for service provided in golf courses, casino, hotels, concierge, food delivery, taxis, spa and salons. This etiquette applies to bar service at weddings and any other event where one is a guest as well. The host should provide appropriate tips to workers at the end of an event; the amount may be negotiated in the contract.

Well, Tipping culture is new to us Koreans because we just pay what says on the bill. So Koreans might get a little bit stingy when giving tips. However, in America, when we don’t add tips, we would be easily regarded as cheapskates. Some servers who work in American restaurants may behave rudely to Koreans because they know that the tipping culture do not exist in Korea. On the other hand, some cities in the U.S. tried to implement the ‘no tipping policy’. They changed their former tipping policies by charging 15% higher prices to cover paying higher wages to staff. Also, they informed their customers that they don’t need to leave extra at the end of their meal.

 

Tipping culture in America is difficult to catch up, and sometimes it is hard to understand. However, like the old saying “When in Rome, do as the Romans do” indicates, it would be best if we accept one of the U.S. culture and be smart travelers!