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I hate the tipping culture in the West (as opposed to places like Japan, where there is almost no tipping at all) mostly because the tip was initially meant as

I hate the tipping culture in the West (as opposed to places like Japan, where there is almost no tipping at all) mostly because the tip was initially meant as an exception for service above expectation, not as a regular component of the pricing. From my perspective even regular service deserves no tip, I expect to be charged for the service and tip only for exceeding expectations, but it does not work that way for a long time.

sokoloff 5y ago
My first night in Tokyo with a group of friends, we had an amazing multi-hour meal with loads of drinks and generally catching up. We knew we didn't have to, but we tipped generously by American standards. We got chased into the street by two of the waiters and had a large argument with neither side wanting to take the tip money. I assumed tips would be "not expected, but quietly accepted" which turned out to be not at all the case.
- alexpetralia 5y ago
  I can understand why this is the case. There are no social norms for accepting tips. How do you split it? What do you do if other servers ask what you did with the money? It would be shameful to accept this if the social norms prohibit any sort of tipping.
- AdrianB1 5y ago
  "We knew we didn't have to, but we did it because we are Americans and we don't care about other cultures". Not a quote, but how many people will read that. I think they are somehow right. In Europe and Asia the American tourists have some bad reputation, for a reason. In Paris (France) we asked some waiters about this and the answers were very strong (I was with some locals, so the waiters were very open to speak up).
  - sokoloff 5y ago
    I agree that’s a somewhat correct reading; we (obviously?) didn’t do it on later meals. I think it’s fair to say there’s a reasonable gap between “you don’t have to” and “you really ought not”.

sokoloff 5y ago

My first night in Tokyo with a group of friends, we had an amazing multi-hour meal with loads of drinks and generally catching up. We knew we didn't have to, but we tipped generously by American standards. We got chased into the street by two of the waiters and had a large argument with neither side wanting to take the tip money. I assumed tips would be "not expected, but quietly accepted" which turned out to be not at all the case.

alexpetralia 5y ago
I can understand why this is the case. There are no social norms for accepting tips. How do you split it? What do you do if other servers ask what you did with the money? It would be shameful to accept this if the social norms prohibit any sort of tipping.
AdrianB1 5y ago
"We knew we didn't have to, but we did it because we are Americans and we don't care about other cultures". Not a quote, but how many people will read that. I think they are somehow right. In Europe and Asia the American tourists have some bad reputation, for a reason. In Paris (France) we asked some waiters about this and the answers were very strong (I was with some locals, so the waiters were very open to speak up).
- sokoloff 5y ago
  I agree that’s a somewhat correct reading; we (obviously?) didn’t do it on later meals. I think it’s fair to say there’s a reasonable gap between “you don’t have to” and “you really ought not”.