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Tipping Rules

Date: Jan 13 2005

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

Do you tip in your country when you go out to restaurant? If you do, chances are that you don’t tip as much as we do in the United States.
Compared to other countries, we have one of the highest tipping rates. Do you know how much you should tip in an American restaurant?

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Derek

Steph

Derek: So, when you go to a restaurant, how much do you normally tip?

Steph: Well, when I was younger, I worked in a restaurant. And I always thought that you should tip between 15 and 20 percent. So, I always try to tip closer to 20%.

Derek: Yeah. I kinda do that too, unless the service is really bad.

Steph: What do you tip when the service is bad?

Derek: Well, generally, I think I try to keep it around 10%, maybe.

Steph: Oh. Ok. What about in a taxi?

Derek: In a taxi? Ya know, I think I’ve only taken like two taxies in my life and I didn’t pay for either one, so.

Steph: Oh, well, then. I think, I think that one’s supposed to be like 10 to 15 percent.

Derek: Oh yeah?

Steph: Uh huh. Have you ever stayed in a really fancy hotel?

Derek: Yeah.

Steph: And there’s the bellman there?

Derek: The bellman, yeah. Usually. That’s not usually a percentage. I just tip a couple bucks.

Steph: Right. Just whatever you have on hand.

Derek: Yeah.

Steph: Yeah. I’ve heard it’s like one dollar per bag or two dollars per bag if you’re feeling generous.

Derek: Yeah. I think I have heard of that, too.

Steph: Yeah. Same at the airport with the airport porters.

Derek: Oh yeah.

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Discussion

When I lived in Germany, I tried to follow all of the local customs. There, at a restaurant, you normally rounded up to the nearest Euro and left the extra money as a tip.
I had some American friends who would always leave a 20% tip wherever they went. People were shocked to get such large tips and sometimes they even tried to give the money back.
It is so much easier just to do what everyone else is doing. When in Rome!

Comments

ddyy33

China

In China,you don't need to tip no matter where you are.At a restaurant,you just need to pay for the meal before you leave.To be polite,you can say some sweet words to people who served you to show your thankfulness.It is the same at any other places.Remember,there's no need tipping in China.