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taught a tourist how to tip

August 10th, 2006 at 05:38 am

Actually it's a pretty good story.

I was eating lunch alone at the sushi bar in the place that I generally get chirashi sushi. I didn't this time - it was cool and rainy, so I sprung for hot fat - tempura!

An Asian woman tried to get up onto the high chair next to mine. The chair was light, so I grabbed on the back to help steady it. We both laughed.

I went back to eating and watching CNN. I noticed the classic pull out the downtown map and stare it. I asked her if she was looking for something. Turned out she thought she was on the opposite end of downtown from where she thought she was and that she was looking for a specific shop, to show some of her wares - she made ceramic dolls. Then she asked me something that I didn't expect, somehow.

"So how do you tip?"

It turns out that she was from Japan, that she was an english teacher (her english was excellent and she appreciated the compliment), it was her second trip to the United States, but her first real trip by herself. No tipping in Japan.

"Well," I said, "its pretty easy. Its usually 15%. My fast way is two times the tax." (On further calculation, that was closer to 18%-20%)

"Yes, but how do you do it?" she asked.

I told her that if I pay by a card, I'll just add it to the bill and they'll charge me. She had cash..what then? Well, I put the money close to the plate so that the waiter would see, but someone walking past wouldn't really.

"Do you calculate it each time?"

I told her - not really. I guess at it, and I usually tip high, because the waiter's pay depends on it. Two times the tax (I showed her my check, which came) is a quick way to do it. And I taught her that a polite "check please" is perfectly fine.

She was so relieved. She confided to me that this was her first restaurant meal, and she was very nervous. She picked a Japanese place because she thought she would find someone understanding. (Me!) I told that it wouldn't do to eat McDonalds for your whole trip because anywhere else you'd have to tip. She laughed, and at that, I went back to work.

I have to say that she was doing a lot better here than I would in Japan... I'd be tipping!

6 Responses to “taught a tourist how to tip”

  1. Thrifty Ray Says:
    1155186341

    I know that 2X the tax is how they do it in California too....but here in Oregon, there is no sales tax...which means calculating it out yourself!

    Good for you for being such a warm welcome to a visitor!! I am sure she will remember your kindness for a long time!

  2. LuckyRobin Says:
    1155197724

    I usually leave 20 percent (I used to be a restaurant worker), which is just ten percent of the total doubled. Although for fifteen percent you take ten percent of the total and then add half again that amount. I do 15 if the serving was adequate but not cheerful. 10 percent is for really bad service. For really, really, really bad service, nothing.

  3. ima saver Says:
    1155221066

    I was a waitress, so I always leave something, even for bad service. I always leave 20%, At my regular restaurant, I leave about 30%. In other word, our bill is usually $17-20, but I always leave $6. the girls need the money and we get great service! They all tell us, we are their favorites!

  4. baselle Says:
    1155352738

    I'll have to make sure that the local sales tax doesn't stiff anybody. In 2006, Seattle's retail Sales Tax is 8.8%, with an extra .5% for food & restaurant (stadiums...don't ask), so 2x (9.3%) is 18.6%, and then I usually round up, so...lets just say that no one's crying after I leave.

  5. Meredith Says:
    1155821072

    mmmmmm!!! Sushi! I used to go to this place "Bob San" in Chicago every Friday with dh b4 we got hitched. Tempura is awesome too. Have you tried Korean food? Kim bap is Korean style "sushi" w/o the raw fish.

  6. Great to be Debt Free Says:
    1156742382

    I LoVe SuSHi!!! And I worked restaurants for years, and years, and... so I tip well. I used to tip high even for bad service thinking that it might get the person out of their funk and make the next person's experience better, but now, I just give 10-15% for lousy-poor and 20%+ for good-great service.

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