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 MeanGreenStompa wrote:

 Albatross wrote:

 MeanGreenStompa wrote:

 Seaward wrote:

That's probably the way to do it, and much better than my plan of going in tonight to sit down and act like a casual bar patron and, if they happened to show up, mention to them that the female bartenders are notorious for going home with you if you tip them big.

I have a cunning plan...

Get your girl, who presumably gets on well with all these doctors and has had some banter with them, to go up to their table/area and ask for them all to give her their attention.

"Guys, I wanted to ask you all a question, because I am very worried and confused. I want to know what I am doing wrong, because you keep coming back to this bar, but you don't leave any tips, which I can't figure out as you all know tipping your barmaid for drinks is standard in America, so much so that I get paid less than $5 per hour here as it's assumed I'll make up my wages in tips from happy customers...

So, my question is why aren't you guys happy to tip me for my work, is it not good? I want to be able to earn that tip from you, as it's a sign that I'm doing my job right, providing good customer service and also making enough to keep my rent paid, so, tell me what I am not doing right so I can get back to earning the tips that make my wage, help me out guys!"

Let her be a bit upset/dressed cute and appeal to the sense of honour/remind these bozos they earn a fortune in comparison/make it look like they upset a poor little waitress.

See, I would hate this. It's just not the 'done thing' to ask for tips so blatantly like that. It's humiliating for both parties. After all, it is still a discretionary thing to do, tipping.

I mean, I'd take the advice on board - I'd just apply it to a different bar, because I wouldn't be going back to that one. Ugh, cringe.

That's because you're still thinking in Brit terms, this is a foreign country. Despite talking in (almost) the same language, you are not in the UK and different social norms and etiquette are in play.

Yes, I'm aware of that. However, going out of your way to embarrass your customers is not likely to go down well wherever you are. Demanding tips is cheeky and disrespectful, and tipping is discretionary, despite what you say. Perhaps they know full well about the local tipping custom, and just think that the service is crap? It's dangerous to assume anything because at the end of the day, that group of doctors represents a considerable amount of revenue for the proprietor, who would probably be pretty annoyed if a confrontational barmaid asking for tips made them not come back and spend money there. No, the best approach is a subtle one. You can get the message across without being rude, and asking for tips is rude, as far as I'm concerned. Cultural awareness is a two-way street. Do you seriously think that your approach would go down well with the majority of Brits? I was cringing just reading it.

 Albatross wrote:
Yes, I'm aware of that. However, going out of your way to embarrass your customers is not likely to go down well wherever you are.

I agree.

Demanding tips is cheeky and disrespectful,

Yep.

and tipping is discretionary, despite what you say. Perhaps they know full well about the local tipping custom, and just think that the service is crap?

Eh. Not tipping over here is basically equivalent to saying, "I do not believe you should be paid for the work you just did."

Of course, the turn this thread has taken isn't complete without the famous (and very, very NSFW) tipping scene from Reservoir Dogs:




The group of doctors that started this discussion have apparently left town, as it was business as usual last night, so all's well that end's well.

See I don't see MGS's suggestion as being confrontational or even ness. asking for tips. It's coming off to me as "Did I feth up somehow?" as opposed to "gimmie"

A waiter/waitress should never even mention the tip, it is bad form all around. The only time they should mention it is if the customer brings it up.

 Seaward wrote:

and tipping is discretionary, despite what you say. Perhaps they know full well about the local tipping custom, and just think that the service is crap?

Eh. Not tipping over here is basically equivalent to saying, "I do not believe you should be paid for the work you just did."

Oh, don't get me wrong, I get that completely. As I've said, I will tip when I'm over there - I do it here anyway most of the time. And I do think that the doctors should have been made aware of the situation somehow. I just think MGS' call was the wrong one. There are better ways to draw the customer's attention to the culture surrounding gratuities/service charges/tips than getting the waitress to basically go out and hustle for them! Surely she's working hard enough as it is!

The group of doctors that started this discussion have apparently left town, as it was business as usual last night, so all's well that end's well.

Meh, just look at it this way: Next time you're in the UK or Ireland you won't be expected to tip at all, so it all evens out.

Ahtman wrote:A waiter/waitress should never even mention the tip, it is bad form all around. The only time they should mention it is if the customer brings it up.

I agree. It almost seems like begging when a waiter/waitress mentions it out of nowhere. Although, making a joke about it is okay in some situations, if making light of it.

I have seen in some places, mostly bars, a sign that says that a bartender makes most of her money on tips. I think that is alright.

Albatross wrote:

 Seaward wrote:

and tipping is discretionary, despite what you say. Perhaps they know full well about the local tipping custom, and just think that the service is crap?

Eh. Not tipping over here is basically equivalent to saying, "I do not believe you should be paid for the work you just did."

Oh, don't get me wrong, I get that completely. As I've said, I will tip when I'm over there - I do it here anyway most of the time. And I do think that the doctors should have been made aware of the situation somehow. I just think MGS' call was the wrong one. There are better ways to draw the customer's attention to the culture surrounding gratuities/service charges/tips than getting the waitress to basically go out and hustle for them! Surely she's working hard enough as it is!

The group of doctors that started this discussion have apparently left town, as it was business as usual last night, so all's well that end's well.

Meh, just look at it this way: Next time you're in the UK or Ireland you won't be expected to tip at all, so it all evens out.

He should turn it around on the UK, he should double tip when over there!

 Dreadwinter wrote:

Ahtman wrote:A waiter/waitress should never even mention the tip, it is bad form all around. The only time they should mention it is if the customer brings it up.

I agree. It almost seems like begging when a waiter/waitress mentions it out of nowhere. Although, making a joke about it is okay in some situations, if making light of it.

I have seen in some places, mostly bars, a sign that says that a bartender makes most of her money on tips. I think that is alright.

Agreed.

Aaaaand it's booked! Nashville here I come!

 mattyrm wrote:
I'm currently leathered in a pub in Britain with my American missus.

She said that the information about America is incorrect. But she refuses to discuss the point further at this time.

As an American "service industry professional" I thought it was pretty spot on, at least as far as tipping is concerned.

I think your lass has gone native!

I must voice disappointment that Alby won't be coming to California, though. But what's this I hear about you making another trip, Matty?

 Albatross wrote:
Aaaaand it's booked! Nashville here I come!

Winner! Have a good one. I'm out unfortunately as our lass has already booked our flights now.. December 13th.

Get yourself in here! They sell Sammy Smiths ale for cheaper than you can get it in the UK!

http://www.fleetstreetpub.com

 Monster Rain wrote:

I must voice disappointment that Alby won't be coming to California, though. But what's this I hear about you making another trip, Matty?

See above! I'll be doing all my usual haunts, Santa Barbara for definite cos its my favourite, then maybe San Francisco, San Diego.. the obligatory few days in LA with the family, and I might actually skip Vegas this year because Im getting too old for that gak. I fell asleep for 6 hours on a toilet in Casino Royale last year and when I awoke from my coma had a severe limp for three days and a toilet ring imprint on my ass for three weeks!

Looks like I have a 5-hr layover in Chicago on the way home, too...

 Albatross wrote:
Looks like I have a 5-hr layover in Chicago on the way home, too...

Well, you won't be able to have a night out, but you can get a proper Chicago dog at least... and one of those pizzas that's two feet thick.

5 hours isn't that much time to leave the airport and then go back through security. Midway security is especially bad. O'Hare is surprisingly efficient, by comparison.

Otherwise, I'd tell you to go see some landmarks like the Willis Tower (Formerly Sears Tower) or have some Chicago Style pizza at a Giordano's pizzeria.

Chicago pizza from Giordano's is a definite.

Chicago hot dogs are also unique and excellent.

Even without leaving the airport, as I recall the bars there have Goose Island on draft (I think the Goose Island Brewery has at least one of its own bars/restaurants in O'Hare and/or Midway IIRC), and that is some excellent beer, if you're partial.

-------------

While you're down South I have nothing I can personally recommend beyond the barbeque, although if you like strip clubs, I've always heard the girls down South are friendlier, and we all know how some American girls react to a British accent.

 Mannahnin wrote:
Chicago pizza from Giordano's is a definite.

Chicago hot dogs are also unique and excellent.

Even without leaving the airport, as I recall the bars there have Goose Island on draft (I think the Goose Island Brewery has at least one of its own bars/restaurants in O'Hare and/or Midway IIRC), and that is some excellent beer, if you're partial.

-------------

While you're down South I have nothing I can personally recommend beyond the barbeque, although if you like strip clubs, I've always heard the girls down South are friendlier, and we all know how some American girls react to a British accent.

The only downside of this is that our lass had a stop over in Chicago earlier this year and she was whinging about paying $13 for a Sam Adams and a really lousy hot dog.

Surely its not THAT hard clearing customs? And it will save some time when you arrive at the end right?

5 hours is pretty good.. I would feth off into town for 2 and get a pitcher of Goose Island and a pizza the size of an 18 wheelers hub caps.

You could. You just need to haul ass. Since I assume you're going to have to go back through customs as you're going back home immediately afterwards, I just assumed that would be a major pain in the ass. It's been over 5 years since I had to go through customs.

Agreed. It's possible, but you'd need to be quick about it. Plan it out with a route map and a cab, or something.

The thing is, that renting a car or taking a cab to hit the restaurants/breweryoutside the airport is probably going to be as expensive or more expensive than paying airport prices, but with the added hassle of rushing and dealing with customs again. :(

Don't bother tripping down to Memphis. It's a total ghost town, or at least was when I visited last year. Entire blocks of prime downtown real estate are empty and boarded up, and the night life is pretty lacking. Also, Graceland is the biggest tourist trap ever. Totally lame.

 rubiksnoob wrote:
Don't bother tripping down to Memphis. It's a total ghost town, or at least was when I visited last year. Entire blocks of prime downtown real estate are empty and boarded up, and the night life is pretty lacking. Also, Graceland is the biggest tourist trap ever. Totally lame.

Wasn't Memphis also the birth place of the "style" of rap that promoted those hideous gigantic wheels that you have to lift a car up to fit them under? Either way, yeah, most people round where I live either go to Nashville, or they head over to Chattanooga. For the life of me, I cannot think of anything in Chattanooga, aside from the University of Tennessee and their hideous orange school colors.

Yeah, we'd talked about going to Memphis, but we've shelved that idea I think. To big a round-trip to make in one day, and I'm not that big an Elvis fan in any case...

Don't screw around on your 5 hour lay over. You can get smashed and trashed their at the terminal. Just when your CC bill comes in begiingin of the month don't have a heart attack.

Yeah, I'm kind of worried about going off into Chicago and then not having enough time to catch my flight home...

Chicago rush hour last a long freaking time to.

Yeah. If you had more time, I'd definitely say hit Giordano's itself and Portillo's for a Chicago dog. But with traffic it can be 30-45 min to get over there, and it takes a half hour (or is it 45min?) just to bake that amazing deep-dish stuffed pizza.

 Seaward wrote:
...Don't get overly worried about tipping though, Albatross. I work with a guy who religiously tips 10%, to the point where he'll put down 70 cents on a $7.00 tab. He hasn't gotten shot yet.

He must eat a lot of sneezers and burgers with "Garlic Salt"...

 Albatross wrote:
Looks like I have a 5-hr layover in Chicago on the way home, too...

nice, Chicago is GREAT!

Are you on a layover at O'Hare or Midway? (Probably O'Hare, a lot of International flights go out of O'Hare)

What time and date is your layover?

Maybe I could meet you at the airport and take you for the best hotdog in Chicago, and maybe some Chicago Style pizza as well. (If you are flying into/out of O'Hare).