Oct 22, 2008 11:39 AM
6205 Views
(Updated Oct 22, 2008 02:04 PM)
"Should I leave some tip? How much?" why does this question lurk every mind (Richie richs' excluded pls!)
May be it’s the globalisation wave, & we’re trying to be cool in a bid to adapt to the westerners' cultures.
May be it's a status symbol or to avoid the waiters from swearing/ sniggering behind your back on your kanjoos status
May be you feel for the poor guy running around for you
May be its just a fear of the waiters spitting on your food next time you show up
So whether its any of the above the fact remains that after paying big bucks for lousy food (c'mon, honestly which restaurant in Bombay serves good food? & if you do feel you're paying what is worth, you've never been outta this town!) & staring at the VAT & service taxes added over the exaggerated prices, you wonder whether tipping is worth it after all.
In the west, everything around you is automatic & unmanned. You wash your dishes & vacuum the house on your own. There are no guys at the toll booths, fuel pumps. At a local coffee shop, there will be only 1 person to take your order, get the drink ready, prepare the bill & money transaction. On an intercity coach journey there is one driver, and no attendants. Given the scenario, where labour is expensive, its gratitude that one feels when some one is serving you food & water. Hence the tip!
In India, there are a million people you see everywhere you go. You are aggressive & work extra hours to be competitive. You have 3 maids to clean your house. There are a dozen guys at the fuel pump. You can call for the electrician for something tiny like replacing the starter of the tubelight. You can get a tooth brush home delivered. Availability of labour is a dime a dozen! Plus in our culture we don’t spare any one with our over zealous bargaining skills, from buying onions to a luxury car! So why are our arms wide open to the tipping culture?
Also if we're embracing it as an accepted basic etiquette as in the US, why can't we embrace other 'Useful' mannerisms? What about the basic etiquette of respecting people around you? No honking as a policy; Not driving thru the red light even if the traffic is negligible; Not tossing trash outta the car; Peaceful Queues; No smoking in closed rooms; Addressing to a person by his/her name in emails; Sticking to lanes while diving; Using the indicators whenever necessary; The list is endless!
The quantum of an avg tip discussed around also surprises me, 15-20% of bill amount if the waiter has been good (US stds)!! A meal for 2 people including drinks could come to Rs. 2,000. The tip amount for a single evening is equivalent to the salary of the guy who washes my car daily. 400 bucks is heights of benevolence!
Why tip waiters who serve you & not a taxi driver who drives you around in nasty traffic. We do pay the fare, but likewise the waiters do get their salaries right?
What about the house keeping staff at your office, do you tip them anything apart from the pool of money generated for Diwali/Eid?
What about watchmen? Don’t they take effort to fight off unwanted people parking in your lot?
Also, are tips distributed to all employees of the restaurant, the waiter just serves you, what about the others who have put in efforts to make your evening a pleasant one?
Given the fact that food is so tasteless in the majority of restaurants, I think we should personally go tip the chef large amounts & express our gratitude for having a decent meal after forever! So after years of shelling out extra monies for lousy meals, I now realise how pointless tipping is in India!Unless of course you frequent a restuarant & know the staff well.
If any one can give me a good reasonable explanation as to why tipping in india is necesary, your views are welcome.
