The Ghost Server
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We've all had that dining experience where your server seems to have pulled a disappearing act. You're left waving your hands like a magician's assistant, trying to get their attention. When your server vanishes throughout the entire meal, leaving you parched and hungry, it's perfectly acceptable to withhold that tip. You shouldn't have to summon spirits just to get a refill on your drink!
The Invisible Host
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Walking into a restaurant and being met with a host or hostess who treats you like a ghost can be disheartening. You stand there, waiting awkwardly for a table, and they don't even acknowledge your existence. It's as if you've stumbled into an invisible zone. In such cases, maybe that tip should disappear, too.
The Cold Food Fiasco
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Picture this: you eagerly anticipate your meal, but when it arrives, it's ice-cold. Sending it back becomes a daunting expedition, like trying to survive in Siberia. You deserve hot, satisfying food, not a frosty reception on your plate. When faced with this cold food fiasco, it's entirely reasonable to chill on the tip.
The Overloaded Takeout Bag
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Ordering takeout should be a convenient way to enjoy your favorite dishes at home. But when your takeout order looks like it was drop-kicked across the room before landing in the bag, it's a recipe for disappointment. No one wants a squashed sandwich or a soup-soaked salad. In such cases, it's okay to reconsider that tip and let it reflect the state of your meal.
The No-Show Bartender
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A good bartender knows how to keep the drinks flowing and the patrons happy. However, when your bartender is too busy chatting up regulars at the bar to notice you've been waiting ages for a drink, it's time to rethink the generosity of your tip for the next round. After all, you came for a drink, not a social commentary on favoritism.
The Rude Rebuff
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You're enjoying your meal, but a simple request for extra napkins or a sauce substitution is met with disdain. The server's eye roll and scoff make you feel like you're asking for the moon. In such moments, it's clear that it's not the time to tip with a smile. Courtesy should be a two-way street.
The Extra "Service" Charge
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You've dined out, had a meal, but then discover a mysterious "service charge" on your bill despite receiving no additional service beyond what's expected. It's a head-scratcher, and you have every right to put your foot down and refuse that tip. After all, tipping should reflect the quality of the service you actually received.
The Slippery Floors
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Walking through a restaurant should not feel like an Olympic event. If the floors resemble an ice skating rink, and you nearly perform a triple axel on your way to the restroom, it might be best to skate past the tip line. Safety and basic footing should not be luxuries.
The Noisy Nightmare
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Dining out should be a pleasant experience, not a deafening one. When the restaurant's decibel level rivals a rock concert, and you can't even hear yourself chew, it's understandable to silently protest with a smaller tip. After all, you came for a meal, not a hearing test.
The Slow as Molasses Kitchen
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Patience is a virtue, but waiting an eternity for your meal can test even the most patient of souls. When your meal takes so long to arrive that you start wondering if they planted and harvested the ingredients themselves, it's a sign to reconsider the tip. Dining should not feel like a never-ending saga.
The Inattentive Waitstaff
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Your server appears more engrossed in their Instagram feed than in attending to your needs. The constant distracted glances at their phone and the delayed responses make you wonder if you should "like" their service with a less generous tip. It's a reminder that real-life service should trump virtual likes.
The Unsanitary Surfaces
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Your table's stickiness rivals a toddler's handprint collection, and it's not due to any culinary creativity. If you notice the cleanliness level is subpar and resembles a fly trap, it's reasonable to reduce your tip accordingly. Cleanliness should be a basic expectation when dining out.
The Vanishing Refills
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You sit there with an empty glass, your server seemingly having forgotten that you exist after the first drink refill. It's like they've vanished into thin air. In such cases, it's perfectly acceptable to let your tip evaporate, just like the liquid in your glass. After all, staying hydrated is essential.
The Upside-Down Orders
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Ordering your favorite dish and receiving something completely unrecognizable can feel like playing a bizarre game of "food roulette." When your order comes out completely wrong, it's as if they spun the wheel of culinary confusion. Maybe that tip should spin away too, in the direction of a restaurant with better aim.
The Overzealous Upselling
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You're ready to order, but your server suddenly transforms into a used car salesman, trying to upsell you on everything from appetizers to desserts. Your dining experience shouldn't feel like a high-pressure sales pitch. In such cases, it's okay to decline tipping them up for their sales skills.
The Lost in Translation
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Communication is key in any restaurant experience. However, when your server struggles to comprehend even the simplest requests due to a language barrier, it can lead to frustration. In such situations, it's reasonable to scale back the tip, as effective communication is part of the service.
The Sneaky Surcharge
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Discovering an unexpected surcharge on your bill for things like "cleaning fees" or "holiday charges" can leave you feeling hoodwinked. It's as if they slipped it in, hoping you wouldn't notice. You have every right to dispute it with your tip, ensuring you pay only for what you ordered and agreed upon.
The Frozen Dessert Debacle
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Dessert should be a delightful finale to your meal, not an icy challenge. When your dessert arrives frozen solid, and you need a jackhammer to take the first bite, it's time to thaw your tipping generosity. After all, dessert should melt in your mouth, not your wallet.
The Closed Kitchen Surprise
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You arrive at a restaurant before its posted closing time, only to discover that the kitchen has unexpectedly closed early. You're left hungry and disgruntled, and it's clear that the service fell short of your expectations. In such cases, don't feel obligated to tip heartily, as you didn't get the full dining experience you anticipated.
The Cramped Seating
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Dining should be a comfortable experience, but when you're squeezed into a table so small that you need to play food Tetris, it's far from enjoyable. The lack of space can impact your overall experience, so it's entirely reasonable to tip based on the space you didn't get to enjoy.
The Bitter Brew
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Your morning ritual should include a comforting cup of coffee, not a brew that tastes like burnt rubber. If your coffee falls into the latter category, it's perfectly acceptable to pour a smaller tip into that bottomless pit of bitterness. After all, coffee should provide a wake-up call, not a bitter disappointment.
The Unwelcome Critic
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Dining out is about savoring good food and enjoying the company of friends or family. When your server makes snide remarks or comments about your food choices or dining companions, it leaves a sour taste in your mouth. In such cases, consider deducting a few points from their tip. No one should be subjected to unsolicited criticism during a meal.
The Kid Chaos
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A family-friendly restaurant should be equipped to handle the occasional whirlwind child. However, if you're seated next to an unsupervised tornado of a child, and the staff does nothing to address the chaos, it's okay to let your tip swirl away. Dining should be enjoyable, not a test of your tolerance for chaos.
The Botched Reservations
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Reservations are meant to ensure a smooth dining experience. When the restaurant forgets about your reservation, and you're left waiting endlessly, it's a good time to reserve a smaller tip as well. After all, they failed to honor their commitment to you, and your time is valuable.
The Order Mix-Up Mayhem
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Ordering a meal should be straightforward, but if your order is consistently mixed up, it can be frustrating. It feels like they're conducting a social experiment with your food preferences. In such cases, reducing the tip is a fair response to the order mix-up mayhem.
The Spotty Hygiene
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Hygiene should be a top priority in any establishment, especially a restaurant. When the restroom resembles a crime scene, and the staff's hygiene isn't much better, consider sanitizing your tip size. A clean and hygienic environment should be the baseline expectation.
The Overbearing Music
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Background music in a restaurant should enhance the dining experience, not overpower it. If the restaurant's choice of music makes conversation impossible and leaves you feeling like you're at a rock concert, don't hesitate to adjust your tip volume, too. Dining should be about enjoying both the food and the company.
The Reheated Leftovers
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There's nothing worse than anticipating a freshly prepared meal, only to discover that your dish is a reheated leftover from someone else's plate. It's a culinary letdown akin to biting into disappointment. In such cases, you have every right to reheat your tip as well. Freshness and quality should be fundamental aspects of any dining experience, not an afterthought.
The Empty Water Glass Saga
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Staying hydrated during a meal is a basic expectation when dining out. A simple request for water should be met promptly, ensuring your glass remains adequately filled. However, when your water glass remains empty despite your subtle (or not-so-subtle) hints, it's more than just a lapse in service; it's a disregard for your basic needs.
The Check Chasing Marathon
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As your meal draws to a close, you look forward to settling the bill and leaving the restaurant satisfied. However, when chasing down the bill turns into a slow-motion race against time, it's frustrating. Your dining experience shouldn't end with a sprint to settle the bill. In such instances, taking your time when it comes to tipping is perfectly acceptable. After all, you deserve a smooth conclusion to your meal, not a frantic check chase.
A Guide To Tipping Around The World: Brazil
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Brazilians are big on tipping, but they prefer to be subtle about it. Eating out in Brazil will see you automatically charged with a service fee of 10% the total, but it's also appreciated if you give an extra tip - around 5-10% in physical cash - to servers, in a discreet manner.
Japan
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In Japan, it's actually the complete opposite to what you're used to in the USA: it can actually be insulting to offer to tip. If you do try to tip, servers will politely refuse, and there's always a risk they'll take offence. In Japan, it's believed good service should be given as standard, and not something to be rewarded with a tip.
Iran
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In Iran, there is a tipping custom, but it's not what you think. Rather than appreciating money or loose change, the people of Iran actually prefer gifts to money. This can be something like small souvenirs from your home country - anything that screams 'Western' that would be a novelty to them!
Chile
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If you're enjoying a meal in Chile, then you should expect a standard 10% service charge automatically included in your bill - known as a sit-down charge, or a cubierto. For this reason, staff won't expect you to tip on top of that, so won't be offended, but you do have the option to tip if you think the service is great!
UAE
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In UAE, you should prepare yourself for two different charges. If you're going to be billed for a service charge in cities like Dubai or anywhere else in the UAE, then you'll have a 10% charge automatically added - and then staff will expect to be tipped an additional 15-20%.
Spain
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Spain is another country that will add a service charge to their bills as standard, so you should always expect that on your bill if you're eating out or taking out any other service. Tipping isn't therefore expected but it will be appreciated if you decide to tip your server!
The Netherlands
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In the Netherlands, there is actually a law that restaurants and services have to include a tip charge in the prices they show on menus, but it's also always appreciated if you do tip extra. It's entirely up to you whether you want to tip your server, or tell them to keep the change.
China
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Services in China won't expect you to tip anything extra, so you don't need to worry about offending anyone here or taking extra cash. Unlike Japan, though, there isn't a risk of offending anyone offering to tip - it'll still be appreciated if you choose to, and the easiest way can often be a small tip of rounding up a total bill and telling them to keep the change!
Croatia
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Rules of tipping in Croatia get a little bit more complicated, as tipping is expected but it varies from place to place. In bars, you should expect to tell them to keep your change; in casual restaurants, you're expected to tip around 3-5%; and at more posh restaurants, you should tip about 10-15%.
Mexico
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The tipping rules in Mexico are pretty much the same as the USA, as tipping will be expected for servers in restaurants and bars to help the workers. The tipping standard in Mexico, though, is more acceptable at around 15% rather than aiming for 20% like you do in the US.
Germany
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Germany's rules of tipping are more similar to the UK than the USA, which is to say it isn't expected at all. There's no pressure to tip here but, as always, it will be appreciated! Servers in restaurants and bars will always be happy if you tell them to round up the bill and keep the change, or offer a small tip of your choosing.
South Africa
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Tipping is expected in South Africa, and there's a set standard as a good rule of thumb, which is basically to tip around 10-15% of your total bill wherever you go. This is a minimum expected tip, so you're welcome to tip more if you feel servers have provided a really good service!
Thailand
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In Thailand, it isn't expected to offer any sort of tip - but this country has become more and more popular with tourists over the years, which means workers in Thailand are more savvy to tipping culture with tourists eating and drinking out. This means they'll be happy if you do offer a tip, but it's not obligatory.
France
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In France, you should expect a standard service charge to already be included in your bill when you're eating and drinking out, so you don't need to feel obliged to offer an additional tip. You're welcome to do so, though, if you enjoyed the service, and they'll appreciate it!
Russia
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In Russia, tipping is very much appreciated, but workers will prefer cold hard cash in their hand as a tip rather than adding it to a card charge, because workers can then keep it without management taking a cut. The general rule is 10% - but in Russia, they also appreciate non-monetary tokens of thanks, like a handwritten note!
Italy
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Italy is another European country that won't expect you to tip when you're visiting, so you don't need to feel pressured to do so. However, many tourists often just round up the total of their bill to tell servers to keep the change, and Italian workers will never say no to that!
India
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In India, tipping is definitely encouraged, but in a more casual fashion - you don't need to feel obliged for a big chunk of money. You can give a small cash tip to any servers in restaurants or bars, or the easiest way can be just to tell them to keep the change after you've rounded up the bill.
Australia
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The rules of Australia are the same as in the UK - namely, that tipping isn't expected like it is in America. That being said, servers will never not appreciate a small tip any tourist would like to offer! A good rule is just to tip around 10%, or tell the server to round up the bill.
Egypt
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When you're billed at a restaurant in Egypt, there will already be a tip included in the total amount, but tourists will also be expected to leave a tip on top of that (around 5-10%). Not only that, it's expected to tip in cash, and
not in the local currency! Egyptians prefer dollars, euros or pounds for tips.
USA
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Tipping in the USA has to be one of the most well-established customs, as it's a big deal in this country as we know! Service industry workers get a great deal of help from tips, so it's important to tip at least 15-20% for restaurant workers, taxi drivers, porters and any kind of service!