Is it normal to tip in restaurants in Hong Kong? If it is, what is a normal amount to tip and how do they expect people to tip when they just give you back your credit card with no place to fill in the tips because they are now using payWave?
Is it normal to tip in restaurants in Hong Kong? If it is, what is a normal amount to tip and how do they expect people to tip when they just give you back your credit card with no place to fill in the tips because they are now using payWave?
Even if the POS terminal allows for tipping, I recall a meal at HKIA Crystal Jade (back when the airport wasn't a ghost town)... I wanted to tip but the waiter told me quite sternly "don't bother - we don't get any of it anyway".
How delightful it must be working for Maxims!
If you want to tip... give cash.
TIPPING IS NOT MANDATORY OR COMMON!!!
dont be forced to TIP for no fecking reason like they do in the States.
here you tip what you feel like tipping if you really enjoyed it, if there is already a 10% service charge I dont even bother tipping.
edit: If Im drinking at a bar and a bottle of beer is 35$ at happy hour, bartender or waitress gives me 65$ back in change, ill leave the 5$ coin on the tray, I dont want to go home at the end of the day with pocket full of 5$ coins lol
Recall a Sai Kung resto with a sign that said something like "We don't have a service charge, how bout a tip?"
One of the best things about eating out in Asian is no-tip culture (however I always tip taxis here and elsewhere by rounding up or more for an airport fare).
If there's any level of something that even approaches what most of us would consider "service" in HK then there's always a 10% charge attached.
Learnt the no tip rule quickly here in Penang.
I had just had a very decent haircut at the local Indian barbers for a whopping RM8.
I offered RM10 and said keep the change. ( I know, I am almost a philanthropist)
The barber simply said, "No need" and thrust the notes back at me.
I don't understand why you tip taxi drivers but not atleast 50% lower paid F&B staff?
My sister inlaw's English speaking husband is a HK taxi driver, and he regularly cleared $25 - $30k, plus scored a couple of unclaimed phones/laptops most months. They also own two apartments outright.
I'll tip pretty generously for decent service, even more so if the staff have put up with a big drunk group for an extended period with good humour. I have the same aversion to the US approach as most on here, but it really doesn't hurt to drop a couple of hundred dollars for the staff after a big brunch etc. As it's so rare it will get remembered when you come back too.
Granted I've very rarely felt any need to tip the locally run places though... nothing that approximates service is ever forthcoming. Vicious cycle really.