question for you Brits ??

Having read many many post of you brits and understanding that Tipping is a four letter word for you all. I am just curious what is the minimum wage there ? And as stated in Bubbles post they lost or gave up $1,500 to switch !!!! LOL So how much do you brits think you need to bring to the US for a weeks worth of tipping. Cause if you plan on tipping more that $1,500 in a week for a single family I think I%26#39;ll move to Florida and get a job that people tip at ! LMAOFF :} Sunshine

question for you Brits ??

I think minimum wage for over 18%26#39;s is around 拢5.30 per hour.

I dont have a problem with tipping in the US , but i certainly dont tip $1500 in 2 weeks!!!!!

I think though Bubbles stated other reasons for cancelling like not wanting to queue etc.

I dont really understand the point about scary immigration officers though , as i%26#39;ve never encountered any problems, yes its a pain having to queue up but its only 1 hour of your holiday, personally we love the US and will put up with it.

question for you Brits ??

拢5.30 p/h sounds about right, but of course it%26#39;s all relative to exchange rate.

It%26#39;s not that we don%26#39;t want to tip, we just just don%26#39;t want to feel that we have to, especially if we don%26#39;t think it%26#39;s deserved.

We%26#39;re used to tipping in certain places, restaurants, taxis etc but when it feel like everyone from the maid to the barman wants tipping it can certainly add on a lot to an already expensive holiday.

I personally still only tip for good service wherever I go, but especially on holiday, cos if you haven%26#39;t had good service then you%26#39;re unlikely to go back anyway, so they won%26#39;t get a chance to spit in your drink!

im with jessiejane on that. I don%26#39;t mind tipping if im getting good service (thats the idea of tip). You tip because you think the person is helping you or friendly etc. You should not have to tip if you are being spoken to rudely, or waiting for a table for hours ??? ........ agreed ?

AGGGG - this again!

My take on it (for what its worth) is:

When you visit somewhere that states ';service not included'; then your tip is for the service that you have received. If you don%26#39;t tip, then you have used that service for free - if you do tip, then you are merely paying for that service.

Unless the service is awful - you really should tip - if the service is good, you should tip well.

Its a very different culture to tipping here, which is an extra ';thank you'; for being helpful or whatever - as service is usually included in the UK - but rarely in the States %26amp; most of mainland Europe.

If service is very poor - then rather than not tip, you should call the manager (something those from the UK tend to find very hard - not wanting to create a scene!) - this will very often result in a some sort of ';freebie'; in my experience, whether it be money off the bill or vouchers for a return visit (not that you%26#39;d want to return)

Never quite understood why we get so uptight about tipping - it creates endless arguments on here - I always look upon it like this, the meal you%26#39;ll get in the States will cost you less than half of what it will here - so a small tip isn%26#39;t too much to ask - %26amp; I%26#39;m by no means a rich man!

As for 拢800 for changing a holiday - that is absolutely disgraceful.

we always give a tip when in states, as we are aware that service is not included, however we do on the rare occasion say if we feel service wasnt great. on the other hand if we felt we had great service or great food we do leave extra. Trouble with us brits is we dont like tipping, a % dont complain but moan later.

Minimum wage around $10 USD equivalent. Sounds a lot but you%26#39;ve got to remember cost of living here is also higher. Gas 85 pence per litre for starters (someone tell me what that is per Gallon) and eating more expensive etc.

Got to say though, don%26#39;t understand how people can afford to live on your minimum wage...what is it, less than $4? Didn%26#39;t realise there was so much poverty and inequality out there in general, until the floods hit New Orleans and we got to see things on TV.

Tipping - I see it as a service charge, same as local taxes also seem to bump up the headline prices.

3.79 UK Gas Litre = 1 US Gallon of gas............

Wantsunshine; Dont we all!! The tipping issue you raised.

I think you and most of you countrymen don%26#39;t understand the principle of the argument.

It not that Brits don%26#39;t tip, its not that they are unwilling to do so.

Brits see restaurant staff (and others ) as '; Essential workers'; and lots of them work full time at the same restaurant year on year. ( Their not apple pickers who are just needed for a few weeks a year, Casual labor)

Brits would see this as ';Full time employment'; They would expect a salary from the employer, sick benefit, and a paid holiday entitlement. and if it was a national chain like IHOP a pension scheme. In Britain even regular part time staff are entitled to these benefits by law.

It appears to us your employers provide NONE of these, and avoid doing so at any cost.

This gives employees security, which they can go out and get a house mortgage ,a bank account, credit cards, hire purchase, rent a house etc, according to earnings.

Walk into a bank or building society in Britain and ask for a modest house mortgage of 拢75,000 and tell them you lived of tips . You wouldn%26#39;t to even get to question two. Not even if your tips were a million a year.

You would be put into the category of unemployed and of no fixed abode. With no abode its almost impossible to get a job, without a job you cannot get a house.

This is why Brits feel that people doing a essential regular employment deserve better.

If you want to give tips, Fine. as something extra, and share them out with the team. It might be the waitress that puts the meal on the table , but then there are cooks , cleaners, and other staff that make up the team . And it is that which makes your stay a pleasant experience.

I love America and visit every year. But there are times i have to ask myself '; Has America grown up yet '; or is it still living in the animal kingdom where all that counts is the survival of the fittest.

Very well spoken XR759 and you hit the nail well and truly on the head there. Bubbles did pay extra money but did not mention what he got for his money ie all inclusive for room only maybe. Give the guy a break if he%26#39;s been planning for a year he may be gutted to realize his dream was not his familys and in return for losing his dream his family has their%26#39;s.

I have had to change my hotel on I drive for the naff reviews at a cost of just below 拢600 for another hotel on I drive the staybridge suits that also has some naff results yet not as many. I could have walked and then I would have lost my depoit of 拢800. Yes we all make mistakes but like its been said there is another year next year.

Wantsunshine I am a first timer to your land if I were not to tip and returned to same place to eat what would be the consequence.

I once went to a place in majorca where they rang a bell at the bar every time you tipped them, if that wasn%26#39;t bad enough my son was at the age where he liked bells and kept tipping them when he hadn%26#39;t even bought anything.

Tipping - The big issue.

Why is it that all we ever worry about is, driving on the wrong side of the road and TIPPING.

We travel around the US quite a bit as well as to other parts of the world, but its always the US that has the tips debate.

In the US we tip Servers, bar tenders, cab drivers we stay in a villa so no maid tip. We work on 10-15% of the bill as a guide depending on where we are. Bad service gets zip. Sorry bad service gets told. British travellers worry about tipping so work on the rule that if you are happy with the service leave a tip. Simple.

AS for establishments that state %26#39;service charge not included%26#39; then use the same principal. The bar or eatery is obviously making money with the cost of the food so don%26#39;t feel intimidated into leaving bigger than normal tips.

Remember though don%26#39;t be conservative, if the service or food or what ever was not up to your liking then say something. Don%26#39;t stay mum.

And don%26#39;t forget to let us know on Tripadvisor any good AND bad experiences.