How much do you tip at restaurants?

[Trebor]

No, I'm very good friends with a local bartender & she told me that the owner explicitly told her that if she receives any tips, they are to be put in the cash register. At no point should she take any cash, if so she is fired. She said this is pretty common as she talked to a lot friends.

Admittedly, I don't hang out at LKF or even places in Sai Kung/DB. These are very local establishments in the NT. I could see where servers in more expat areas might be able to keep tips, but as I've been told, local establishments might not let servers/bartenders keep tips

I'm sure that is the case and you are quite right.

This topic is on an expat website though and is posing the question to the user base therefore in general terms i don't think it's referring to small local places in the NT.

I am forming my opinions and answers based on what i think is the relevant demographic of establishment

[si0001]

I don't tip beyond leaving loose change as I don't like carrying coins. I tip when I'm in the US according to whatever ridiculous rate is expected.

When in Rome...

[Mamba]

There's not an option for "I tip depending on the service". If the service is rubbish then I leave nothing, if the service is good I tip a lot.

If I do tip I always ask the waiter/waitress if they get the tips. A lot of places in the UK don't give their waiting staff anything that's been paid for on a card.

[Open Casket]

I don't tip beyond leaving loose change as I don't like carrying coins. I tip when I'm in the US according to whatever ridiculous rate is expected.

When in Rome...

It's a lot more than in the US, I've tipped in South America, central America, Canada, Middle East and others.

In the US 15% is fine for basic service. More is always appreciated

[Open Casket]

I'm sure that is the case and you are quite right.

This topic is on an expat website though and is posing the question to the user base therefore in general terms i don't think it's referring to small local places in the NT.

I am forming my opinions and answers based on what i think is the relevant demographic of establishment

I used to agree with your thinking, but frankly although this is an expat site, most of the forum users have lived here a very long time and I wouldn't say the average forum user on here lives in the mid levels, DB or anywhere in particular.

[lingc]

I just came back from Munich. And a lot of the restaurants (typical tourist dives) and taxi drivers specifically asked for a tip which I thought was strange and rude.