Tipping should be abolished. It is an excuse for employers not to pay their employees. It is also a way for them to hide costs. In my opinion, restaurants should be sued for falsely advertising the cost of consumables on menus if tipping is expected.
I agree exactly. It's just such an annoying concept that you pay money for food and then pay 10% more because of "social etiquette". As far as I can tell it's even worse in places like France and Spain: Guide books actually tell you that you must tip a solid 10+% each time. No questions asked. By its definition it's optional, not a rule. They should make some kind of business card for people who refuse to tip and then you could give in this message card with the bill saying, "I mean no offence to you or your business but I do not leave tips unless I choose to" I call on Scrym to sort this debate out once and for all.
In England the tipping culture doesn't really exist, since waiters and other people are paid minimum wage. I've seen people tipping if the service was really good. When I go to the states I don't often tip, mainly because the thought doesn't enter into my mind that I should. I have, however, been to places where a 10% tip was automatically added onto my bill and the service wasn't anything great at all. My girlfriend told me her sister went to that place once and left a tip when the tip was already included in the bill, so she double tipped.
I perform on cruise ships and I've found there is a marked difference in the service between ships that add tips (or daily service charge) to your onboard account and those ships that let you tip your table staff and room stewards in person with cash at the end of your stay on board. As soon as it becomes a fixed and obligatory charge that is shared among all service staff the service is often below standard. For example, I don't want dirty looks from waitresses but I do like EYE CONTACT! But why should the service staff care how they look after me if they are guaranteed a tip.
On ships where you tip what you want, the staff really go the distance. I worked on one ship and returned about 8 months later. The guy who served at the ice cream bar not only remembered me, he remembered what my favourite ice cream was and made it up for me perfectly without even asking. That was after 8 months! He got a great tip, and so did everyone else who served me on that ship.
Are you sure there weren't other factors involved in the difference in service level between the cruise ships? I've noticed that hospitality levels are often directly proportional to the money involved, regardless of tip money. At a restaurant where meals are $50 a plate, service is often way better than at a diner, regardless of automatic gratuity. You can walk into a fancy hotel, such as the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Columbus Circle, and you will notice that the person at the front desk is using everything they learned from hospitality school, no matter who you are.
I'm willing to bet that the cruise ships with the better service were much more expensive rides compared to the others. Also, compare the level of service in different parts of the ship. The bartender in the first class area is going to be way better than the bartender in the coach class equivalent.
Are you sure there weren't other factors involved in the difference in service level between the cruise ships? I've noticed that hospitality levels are often directly proportional to the money involved, regardless of tip money.
This is a fact. But I've been on cheaper ships with individual tipping that had much better service than on more expensive ships with daily service charge with service that sucked in comparison. The trend is very much higher priced ship=higher quality of service, but my point still stands for the mid-range, comparably priced ships with different tipping methods.
Also, compare the level of service in different parts of the ship. The bartender in the first class area is going to be way better than the bartender in the coach class equivalent.
Cruise ships don't have class areas any more (except for one exception), they are one class for the whole ship. The higher priced staterooms (cabins) are more expensive, and part of that expense goes to better service. Also some (cheaper) ships have restaurants that you pay extra to eat there, and they may or may not have better service, yet you pay an extra service charge on top of the fee and on top of your daily service charge too.
There is just one ship with classes, and it is done in a sneaky way. On the Queen Mary 2, depending on which grade stateroom you pay for gets you into a certain restaurant. And then there are places on deck and some bars and hot tubs that have much better service and nicer towels and other niceties. These aren't called "First Class Areas", oh no, it is a one class ship! Instead the only way to get to them is through the doors of the highest stateroom grade restaurant, and nobody without a table there can go through those doors. Except once my girlfriend and I got lost, went through a random door and spent a real good afternoon living like royalty before a wine waiter asked us if we were in the right place then moved us on.
Classes on cruise ships are long gone, it costs far too much money to run different parts of the ship and there is too much redundancy. We were on the QE2, and that has something like 7 staircases, all which lead from and too different decks, some that seem to lead to nowhere. They are left over from the time when the ship had 3 classes and some stairways were only for certain classes. The QM2 is 345 m long and has just 4 stairways. The QE2 is 293.5 m and has 7 stairways. Economics dictates one class ships.
boutique root beer? You guys said this was served at this restaurant you guys went to. If you could elaborate please do. I really enjoy root beer.
I can help there. (I've got family in Seattle and have spent a lot of time around the area.)
There are quite a few micro-breweries around Washington state, and it has become a rather successful cottage industry. In an effort to expand their market, some of these micro-brews started brewing old-fashioned root-beer (and sarsaparilla, which some argue is a different drink, and others argue is just root beer). This has lead to a wide variety of root-beer options, some of which are available only at certain markets or restaurants and others that are more widely distributed. Flavors can run from heavy on the honey to spicy and not very sweet, and everything in between.
I can help there. (I've got family in Seattle and have spent a lot of time around the area.)
There are quite a few micro-breweries around Washington state, and it has become a rather successful cottage industry. In an effort to expand their market, some of these micro-brews started brewing old-fashioned root-beer (and sarsaparilla, which some argue is a different drink, and others argue is just root beer). This has lead to a wide variety of root-beer options, some of which are available only at certain markets or restaurants and others that are more widely distributed. Flavors can run from heavy on the honey to spicy and not very sweet, and everything in between.
I'm a fan.
Where can I obtain some of these? I can do my own research, but if I can get a helping nudge or if you already know where... I would really appreciate it.
Unfortunately I cant' be of much help from down here in Cali. You'd have to get a hold of somebody local for any real help. On the other hand, I'm sure at least a few of them have some sort of web presence...
Comments
By its definition it's optional, not a rule.
They should make some kind of business card for people who refuse to tip and then you could give in this message card with the bill saying, "I mean no offence to you or your business but I do not leave tips unless I choose to"
I call on Scrym to sort this debate out once and for all.
On ships where you tip what you want, the staff really go the distance. I worked on one ship and returned about 8 months later. The guy who served at the ice cream bar not only remembered me, he remembered what my favourite ice cream was and made it up for me perfectly without even asking. That was after 8 months! He got a great tip, and so did everyone else who served me on that ship.
I'm willing to bet that the cruise ships with the better service were much more expensive rides compared to the others. Also, compare the level of service in different parts of the ship. The bartender in the first class area is going to be way better than the bartender in the coach class equivalent.
There is just one ship with classes, and it is done in a sneaky way. On the Queen Mary 2, depending on which grade stateroom you pay for gets you into a certain restaurant. And then there are places on deck and some bars and hot tubs that have much better service and nicer towels and other niceties. These aren't called "First Class Areas", oh no, it is a one class ship! Instead the only way to get to them is through the doors of the highest stateroom grade restaurant, and nobody without a table there can go through those doors. Except once my girlfriend and I got lost, went through a random door and spent a real good afternoon living like royalty before a wine waiter asked us if we were in the right place then moved us on.
Classes on cruise ships are long gone, it costs far too much money to run different parts of the ship and there is too much redundancy. We were on the QE2, and that has something like 7 staircases, all which lead from and too different decks, some that seem to lead to nowhere. They are left over from the time when the ship had 3 classes and some stairways were only for certain classes. The QM2 is 345 m long and has just 4 stairways. The QE2 is 293.5 m and has 7 stairways. Economics dictates one class ships.
There are quite a few micro-breweries around Washington state, and it has become a rather successful cottage industry. In an effort to expand their market, some of these micro-brews started brewing old-fashioned root-beer (and sarsaparilla, which some argue is a different drink, and others argue is just root beer). This has lead to a wide variety of root-beer options, some of which are available only at certain markets or restaurants and others that are more widely distributed. Flavors can run from heavy on the honey to spicy and not very sweet, and everything in between.
I'm a fan.