I think's it's elitist and unAmerican.
Whiel I can't speak for the rest of Europe, tipping isn't customary in Germany.
Of course they know where it is and count on Americans to tip them.
It is totally capitalistic and very American. If someone's service is worse than adequate, they will get less for their services.
Unfortunately, there are people out there that are cheap and will never tip, and then complain or file a lawsuit when they get horrible service.
You have obviously never been outside the USA. Tipping is almost exclusively done here.
Tipping is elitist and un-American? So we can cheat, steal, murder, sell state secrets, etc., so long as we don't tip our favorite waiter. OK. Sounds reasonable.
"Tipping seems so European."
Not sure what you mean. In Germany, for instance, you round out your bill to the next Mark (euro). It might be mere pennies. "Stimtt so!"
Tip splitting or sharing can work well if done properly at the right establishment. First, since a cook's work is partly responsible for the enjoyment of a meal the practice of a waitperson tipping out the kitchen staff makes sense to me, and it's usually just a small percentage (they make a higher base wage generally).
My local hangout is a small place with normally one cook and maximum two wait staff/bartenders in the evening. A couple of months ago the staff turned over fairly rapidly and the owner saw an opportunity. All servers at the bar or on the floor can and do serve everyone and tips are divided evenly. It's a small place and if two staff are on but everyone (us regulars) are all gathered around the bar one server got burned while the other cleaned up. The owner went out of her way to hire staff that get along really well and anyone who isn't a team player doesn't make it past the probation period. Service has gone to great levels and on average everyone is earning more at the end of the night consistantly.
Think...can you imagine a large establishment where customers at the end of the lunch period are all queing up to tip the bartender, the waitperson, the cook, etc? It would be chaos.
You don't tip in most of Europe. Service is included in the price.
Actually tipping is uncommon in Europe. The gratuity is usually built into the price of the meal or service. A huge faux pas is to leave a tip for a bartende in England or Scotland. Didn't see tipping in Germany and Austria either.
Euroweenies don't tip and look down on Americans for doing so. Typically they just round up the bill, and that's it.
I think's it's elitist and unAmerican.
I absolutely agree with you.
It's one of the reasons I avoid eating out as much as possible.
Another reason is less chance of someone sptting in your food.
LOL. Maybe that's why no one tips in Europe?
One can discern from your remark that you haven't spent much, if any, time in the UK or Europe.
I think's it's elitist and unAmerican.
We learned a number of years ago that Yanks are much better tippers than the Brits, and I suspect we tip better than the rest of the Euroswine.
Europeans don't tip.
I think's it's elitist and unAmerican.
Actually, tipping has historically been almost unheard of in Europe. If you've ever waited on a European tourist, it's very rare to get a tip.
What's so "unAmerican" about incentive based pay, which is what tipping actually is... Actually, it's competition and capitalism at its very best!
Mark