Money, money, money… it’s a rich man’s world! That’s how you feel when you are in NYC. Tips are often expected in NYC as an act of gratitude for the service. Tipping is not mandatory if gratuities are included but most of the time, employees do not make a living wage, hence they rely on tips to supplement their income.
Tipping is not a common practice from where I came from. In Singapore, our bill includes a service charge, which is equivalent to a tip. The Service charge is a fixed amount, but it lacks the act of giving extra for services rendered. This may lead to less than friendly service from the staff.
Tips average to 15% of the total bill. Going to a bar for drinks in the evening is different than sitting down for an entire meal. But tipping bartenders is pretty common practice. A fancy cocktail would get more tips than a simple beer.
Initially, I would feel unsure of the hospitality and friendliness of the locals. The additional pinch you feel to tip on top of New York pricings can be a stretch when on a tight budget. The whole tipping culture distorted my judgement because I am unsure if people were generally helping out of goodwill or have an expectation for tips.
It is especially embarrassing when being asked for tips, or feeling unsure of the amount to give. However, I do believe that people are generally friendly and helpful as people in London and Italy willingly offered help with directions.
Culture shock or confusion could be managed by reading up on local customs or learning from tour guides or friends about ways to tip and how much to give based on the type of service and its quality. Accept that every culture has their norms and differences. Acknowledging them will help reduce the dissonance and feel more comfortable about tipping.
#ClaudtravelsNYC 