Pokye

The Tipping Dilemma

Many years ago I had the good fortune to spend some time in New Zealand. At one point I was staying at the delightful Chateau Tongariro when I was approached in the bar by a newly arrived American tourist seeking advice, who had heard me speak and discerned that I wasn’t a native. What he desperately wanted to know was how much he should tip the staff.

I do not know what it is like today but in 1980’s New Zealand there was absolutely no ‘tipping’ culture. Trying to tip a waiter, for example, could get quite embarrassing as they tried to work out what you were giving them the money for. They usually tried to give it back! Coming from England, where tipping is a hit and miss affair anyway, I quickly learned this. My American friend, steeped as he was in a tipping culture, couldn’t get his head around this at all! Having tried to tip and had it refused his first thought was that he had insulted the barman by offering too little. I explained to him that he just had to resist the urge to get out his wallet and to be polite instead. He went away muttering to himself!

But I understood his dilemma and still do in fact. I know the basic rule of thumb in the USA - 15%. And that’s easy to deal with when you are faced with a restaurant bill or a taxi fare. But I have always been a little uncertain about the guy who brings your baggage to your room. Or even more difficult, the guy who walks down three flight of stairs into the cavernous car park and brings your car to the hotel door just when you need it. What do you give them? You don’t want to appear mean and miserly - after all, you want him to fetch the car tomorrow as well. But at the same time you don’t really want to be throwing money around like confetti.

I thought about all of this when I stumbled upon ‘Travel Sense - Tips on Tipping this morning. This suggests a dollar a bag to the bellman and a dollar or two for the valet parking.

So now I know I have been over-tipping for years!