Scotswoman

TIPPING TROUBLE

Tipping Trouble
A few tips on how to keep a waiter happy anywhere in the world. By Sam Gordon
ow much money do you leave the waiter or waitress in a restaurant? What about taxi drivers, hotel sta and hairdressers? Tipping is complex, but even more so when youre abroad. The problem is that every country seems to have its own uno cial rules. In Australia, for example, tipping isnt common at all, and they arent really expected in restaurants... or anywhere else as a matter of fact. Its the same in Iceland and China. And in Japan, it can actually be considered rude to tip in a restaurant. In fact, if you leave money a waiter might even chase you to give it back. In most of Europe, tipping a waiter is fairly common. However, amounts vary from country to country. In England, for example, most people tip around 10% of the bill. But in Spain people generally only leave small change.
ANSWERS ON PAGE 45 1

READING I
How much do you tip the following people in your country? Discuss your ideas with a partner.

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25

Pre-reading

However, if theres one country where you really should tip, its the United States. In stark contrast to Japan, a waiter will probably chase you down the street if 2 Reading I you don't leave a tip! Not only that, but Americans usually tip up to a hefty 20% in How much do you think people tip in other countries? restaurants. So, if youre saving up for a big dinner in the US, make sure you take that Think. Then, read the article to compare your ideas. into account. Americans also tip for drinks. In fact, there are some bars in New York where sta earn such big money from tips that they receive no wages. Some people 3 Reading II even pay to work there! GLOSSARY Read the article again. Then, complete the to tip vb information below. But it isnt only in bars and restaurants where youre to give a waiter / bartender, etc. extra money because you are pleased with 1. Whats the situation regarding tipping supposed to tip. Heres some advice from a travel website the service rude adj in Japan? on how you should tip in an American hotel: $3 for the if something is considered "rude", 2. What do most people in Spain leave parking attendant, $2 for the doorperson if they hail a people don't do it because it is disrespectful / not nice, etc. as a tip? taxi for you, and $1 for each bag they help you with. The small change n 3. How much do waiters in the US bellhop gets $2 per bag, and you should leave the maids coins (metal pieces of money) of little value: 5 cents, 10 cents, etc. expect as a tip? $3 to $5 a day. So, for two people for one weekend thats in stark contrast to exp very di erent from 4. How much do you have to pay maids about $20 before youve even paid for the room. hefty adj in hotels in the US? very big a parking attendant n 5. Why is tipping so common in the US? But why is there so much tipping? Well, in many cases, a person who parks your car for you 6. What type of information does the workers are paid below the minimum wage as theyre when you go to a restaurant or hotel to hail a taxi exp website Stained Apron provide? expected to make up the di erence with tips. As a result, to raise your arm in order to let a taxi driver know that you need a taxi a server could earn a decent wage on a good night, or bellhop n 4 Language focus hardly break even on a slow night. Service sector workers a a person who helps you carry your bags to your hotel room Phrasal verbs with are even expected to pay income tax on the tips as theyre a maid n pay considered part of their normal wages for the job they do a person who cleans the rooms in a house or hotel Look at this extract from the article on this page, ... not just extra money. a server n a waiter; a person who brings your The tip he left her paid it o to the last food at a restaurant penny... The writer has used a phrasal verb with So, as you can see, tipping in the US is serious business. to break even phr vb if you have broken even, you have pay (pay o ). What do the phrasal verbs in these Theres even a website for celebrity tippers. Stained Apron spent as much money as you have sentences mean? ([Link]) has information on whos who earned slow night n 1. She paid o her debts. in the world of tipping. Under the column heading Scum, a if a restaurant has a slow night, there arent many customers 2. It was a risk but it paid o in the end. you can nd a list of the bad tippers. Those on the list tax n 3. They have to pay out half their income include Al Gore, Dan Quayle and Bridget Fonda. And under income money you pay to the government on the mortgage. Saints theres a list of the generous tippers, which includes based on a percentage of the money you make. The tax is used to pay for 4. Ill pay you back next week. Johnny Depp, Ray Charles, Angelina Jolie and Bill Clinton. hospitals, the police, etc. n inform But could anyone possibly match the late Kerry Packer (the scum bad people; not very nice people 5 Discussion Australian billionaire)? He was always a generous tipper, but a saint n very nice person 1. How much do you leave if youre on one occasion he casually asked the waitress serving him a a mortgage n happy with the service in a restaurant? how big her mortgage was. The tip he left her paid it o to money you borrow from the bank in order to buy a house 2. Have you ever left a really big tip? Why? the last penny. Now that really is saintly tipping! to pay o phr vb if you pay o your mortgage, 3. What do you do when you arent you return all the money you have borrowed happy with the service youve received? Of course, make sure youre a billionaire before trying that one!
40 I [Link] For an English language course abroad, e-mail classes@[Link]

taxi drivers, hotel staff, hairdressers, waiters / waitresses, plumbers / electricians / painters, bar staff, bartenders, railway station porters, pizza delivery people, valets, chauffeurs, your children's teachers, massage therapists, shop assistants, gardeners, lottery ticket sellers, newspaper deliverers, bosses / managers, the doorman/woman, plastic surgeons