Comments on: Tips Tips

By: Dave The Rave

Dave The Rave — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 06:02:10 +0000

Thanks for contributing Mo, I am sure that quite a lot of guys will appreciate your input as a bar owner in Angeles City. I hope the guys on http://www.ClubHombre.com notice that you are posting here.

What I will say is that Angeles City is no doubt a very different place to Bangkok. The Thais have been spoilt by decades of Western visitors, which dates back to the American GI’s during the Vietnam War. That is over 40 years worth of getting spoiled and pampered by Westerners! A Thais expectations are much higher these days in Bangkok, so tipping is something of a big deal. During staff disputes over the tips, we almost had a HUGE fight erupt in Hollywood Strip some years back. In some Thais eyes if they steal from the Boss that is accepted, but to steal from the staff tips would be a declaration of war!

By: David from AC

David from AC — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 05:22:02 +0000

Here’s something I published nearly 7 years ago. It’s strange that in all that time, the tip amounts, at least in the Angeles City/Subic area have not increased significantly.

Mo’s Guide to Tipping
By: Mo
Thursday, 14 September 2000

If my memory is correct, TIP stands for To Insure Promptness, but has evolved to a slightly different level. What to tip? It’s really up to you. My thinking is that no matter how much (or little) you leave you will not spoil the market. Much has been said here about the foolishness of over tipping, but I don’t see it. There are customers that leave far too much for what they receive and, conversely, there are many times when a customer is very well treated and empties the tray. Go figure? Anyway, the staff are used to both.

You won’t be seen as a “Cheap Charlie” nor will you be treated any worse if you are a conservative tipper. But, for sure, the guys who leave larger tips get more attention. Here’s what I think about specifics:

- Bar girls in the morning. - Entirely up to you. The conventional wisdom on the esteemed forum runs from P0 to trike fare to P1,000 - and more. You decide. If services were good reward them accordingly.

- Waitress in the bar after buying myself a drink. - Tip according to the quality of service. If she was attentive and made sure your glass was full when you needed another, brought you a companion, emptied the ashtray, etc. P20 - 30 is not unreasonable. If you had only 1 drink and decided to wander on, the loose change if fine.

- Mamasan in the bar. - Nothing. Buy her a drink if she was helpful.

- Waitress in the restaurant. - Ditto waitresses in the bar.

- Trike. - Nothing. Negotiate the fare before leaving and that’s the fare. Anyway, the trike fares up here are so out of line with what they should be, there’s no reason to give them more.

- Cleaning maid in the hotel. - A small gift. Perhaps an imported chocolate bar or a small bottle of perfume (you can buy copy designer purse sized spray perfume for P150 and it’s pretty damn good). If not, P10 for each day’s stay. Again, it depends on the service. Was the room properly made up, were there always clean towels and a new bar of soap? Did you require any additional services (like making up the room twice)?

- Doorman in the hotel. - Not much. If he flags a trike for you, carries your parcels, does the odd errand, P10 is sufficient.

- Waitress whom bring you food to your room. - P10 to P20 depending on the amount of the order.

Again, there is no hard and fast rule. Pay for services rendered.

By: Dave The Rave

Dave The Rave — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 23:04:21 +0000

Thanks David, again an excellent point that you are making here. Nowadays we have to be careful of “multiple tipping” and not being aware until it is too late. Yes guys, I do agree that when you add up the VAT, 10%service charge and then the staff tip in addition, that is a considerable amount.

By: David Peters

David Peters — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 22:40:26 +0000

I can confirm what Geoff Alexander said in his post. My Thai finacee works in a restaurant not far from the “well-known international hotel found near the Nana area” he mentions. They also charge a 10% service charge in addition to VAT. The waitresses do not see any of it, but the customers don’t know this; the customers think they have already tipped the waitresses with the service charge but that’s not the case. In her workplace, cash tips on the change plate go into a bottle to be divided up among staff at the end of the evening; tips handed directly to the waitresses are kept by them individually.

I think the 10% service charge is a con that’s robbing lots of hardworking wait staff of hard earned tips.

By: Dave The Rave

Dave The Rave — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 21:58:19 +0000

Hello Geoff, thanks for your comments. This is a good point that you have raised here. I have noticed this “government tax” and “service charge” creeping in more and more establishments. It will get really ridiculous when a lady of the night hands you a bill that says, “service charge and government tax included.”

By: Geoff Alexander

Geoff Alexander — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 21:06:17 +0000

Regarding tipping in restaurants associated with high-class hotels: the 10% service charge often does not go to the server staff at all. In one restaurant associated with a well-known international hotel found near the Nana area, we suspect the 10% is being used to pay the rent to the hotel, which we figure to be 10% of gross receipts. I generally ask my server if he or she is getting the 10% (or a portion of it). If not, I give a tip directly to the server, and don’t eat at the establishment again.