Tipping in Japan
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66)
Wed 2007/09/05 10:53
While the red Ikura (salmon roe) tastes good, the diarrhea looking stuff (Uni - sea thing) doesn't really have any taste so I stay away.
Todays topic is not about Sushi however and is about a subject that we were taking about over dinner.
We are off to LA next week which reminded me of one of the annoying things that I enjoyed (not) when living in Seattle for 5 months - tipping.
I don't mind tipping - I just don't want to spend time to work out the amount to leave. The tip should probably be included in the bill to save everybody time.
Because of the tipping system, I found some of the waiters in the US to be creepy. Many waiters would use the "greet-you-with-hand-on-your-shoulder" technique to try and build a relationship with you or throw a joke at the beginning. While some of them are genuinely nice, some would look like a bad actor.
In the UK, if one pound in change was due back to me after a meal, the restaurant would make sure its 5 x 20pence instead of a pound coin.
Good thing that there is no tipping requirement in Japan, nor is tipping expected despite the usually excellent service. I remember my first trip to Japan in McDonalds - the cute girl at the till was so nice to me that I got all excited "She likes me!" but then I looked back to find that she gave the next customer the same warm friendly treatment... Was my first heart break.
When I relocated to Japan, I tried to give a taxi driver a tip and he wouldn't accept it. Leaving a tip on the table at a restaurant would just have a waiter running out after you with your money.
Wondering if there is anywhere else in the world which doesn't have a tipping requirement.
After living in Tokyo for over eight years, I still get lost from time to time.
Sometim...(more)
Mon 09/03 08:18 comments (39)
You are in Japan and are trying to save as ...(more)
Wed 08/29 06:44 comments (48)
icie in Australia
Yeah, the tipping system can get very confusing for me too. We give tips in Australia as well, but I haven't worked out what is the proper amount to give, so I usually end up giving like a dollar or something. I heard that in the US, there's actually a percentage amount which is pretty much "compulsory". That'd be such a pain.
(ID #56399) Posted on 2007/09/05 11:24
"Looked like diarrhea". Wow. I guess you didn't even touch it. I personally don't eat outside much (I find restaurants expensive in the West and I am considerate of the value of money) and I find the American tipping practices very odd (I heard that it determines a big part of a waiter's wage?!). I still wonder why they are not included in the bill. I know that in France (note that taxes are already included in the original price) you give the tip that you want, usually 1.5€ or more if the service was good. but you can get stingy if you want (however it is frowned upon and I surely don't encourage it, except if the food and/or service was awful). I tend to give tips, but small ones because I am not earning my money yet. Here the double tax (national and regional) is also confusing, but I just pay what is in front of me without looking much... To not end broke (never happened to me) I just look at prices before I enter the restaurant.
(ID #56400) Posted on 2007/09/05 11:24
Policy & Research Officer
We don't have to tip in Singapore as well. Its already added into the bill as service charge, which is still pretty okay since most of the time its around 5-10% only. I also had a culture shock when I went abroad and found out that we had to offer tips. I guess tipping has its pros and cons. Sometimes having the tips included in the bill meant that the waiter/waitress might not be so customer-oriented, but then having to give the tips yourself also meant that creepy waiters would keep on hanging around your table while you eat before you tip them.
(ID #56402) Posted on 2007/09/05 11:54
日本人は基本的に、何でも食べますからねぇ。納豆なんて、最初に食べた輩はどんな変態だよ。とか、同じ日本人でも思いますし。 日本人的感覚で言えば、「全部込み」ってのが好きなのでしょう。別に料金を取られるのが嫌だと。あと個人のがんばりなんて期待していない。均一なサービスを要求している。とか。 ちなみに海外に渡航した日本人は、チップを「海外の消費税」みたいな感覚で払っているので、サービス内容とチップは比例しない。特に観光客はそう。 何か無責任な事言ってる気が(^^;
(ID #56403) Posted on 2007/09/05 11:56
Director/代表取締役
ようこそふぇんりるさん！ 僕はなっとうがまだだめですね。妻は食べているけど。彼女が買う時は冷蔵庫が臭い！ D_Blade, I also hear that the base wage of waiters is low and that they have to make up for it with tips.
(ID #56404) Posted on 2007/09/05 12:02
tipping is not a custom here in Malaysia, but we(or I) usually do it when we are fully satisfied with the service and food...
(ID #56405) Posted on 2007/09/05 12:03
if i recall uni cost a ton... so i usually eat it but its like the green stuff in lobster or the yellowly stufff in crab ^^"... dunno what its called in english lol. And it does have a taste but not its hardly possible to decribe?
(ID #56407) Posted on 2007/09/05 12:11
p7m13
You'd love Singapore Danny, you don't need to tip here. But it's welcomed if you do. Hardly anybody tips unless the service was extremely awesome (Eg: The waiter took a bullet for you)
(ID #56408) Posted on 2007/09/05 12:13
IT, Programmer, ...
Here in Belgium, you are not obligated to tip. But if you want to give something extra for the waiter, it's no problem, they accept it with a big smile. Or what is also done, if it is an awkward amount that the waiter has to return, you can just leave it. To make it easier for the waiter not having to find 9 coins. But I've been to the US, and it is indeed a pain in the beginning, and calculating how much to give (between 10-20%, 15% is usually good). But at some restaurants that are a little bit more expensive they might expect a bigger tip, and they will tell you that the tip is not big enough!! That's what's nice in Japan too, no tipping ;p
(ID #56409) Posted on 2007/09/05 12:22
Singapore has "enforced tipping" in terms of 10% service charge. This applies to all Restaurant in singapore. *Don't mistake the service charge with the Goods & Services Tax.
(ID #56410) Posted on 2007/09/05 12:24
i still cant work out if its still tipping her in the Philippines if the guy diving your taxi asks you to add 30 pesos to the meter bill. Though honestly i think you should only give a tip if you were given ecxelent service, or a person wanted some advice.
(ID #56411) Posted on 2007/09/05 12:48
Gundamjehutykai in Foundation II: Stellvia
For the most part, the service charge as all well and accounted for in the UK and HK. anything you leave behind will simply be graciously accepted by the staff. I prefer it that way. I don't want to have to work out the service charge myself like in the US nor would I want someone chasing me after I left to give me a few coins!
(ID #56412) Posted on 2007/09/05 12:51
sonnyF
Just for clarification, most waiters and waitresses in the US earn below minimum wage. They make most of their income from tips. It's a tough job. Restaurant owners claim they will go out of business if they paid their wait staff a salary. They argue paying salaries will cause them to raise their menu prices to compensate for the increase in expenses and decrease in profits. The customers will eat elsewhere, and the restaurant will close. The US government, so far, has sided with the business owners and their argument. That's the capitalistic culture here, everyone believes they can make it big. Hence, waiters will continue to make a living on tips because they think they can make more than on salary. And owners think the same, they only care about their pockets. Anyway, generally 10% of the bill is the bare minimum. 15% is fair, and 20% is "generous and classy." BTW Danny, the example where the waiter/waitress runs after you to give back your change happens here too. Except, his or her intentions is to belittle the tipper. Usually, they'll shout out, "Sir here's your change," in a sarcastic tone of voice to shame you in front of an audience for leaving such a small tip. Yeah, I don't like eating out. It's too expensive and confusing.
(ID #56414) Posted on 2007/09/05 12:56
>Danny Chooさん レスありがとう御座います。基本的に日本語しか扱えないのが申し訳無いですけど、今後ともよろしくお願いいたします。 余談だけど、日本では「欧米ではサービス業の賃金は低く設定されており、チップはその穴埋め」とされている。(Wikipedia日本語版など)真偽の程は定かじゃないけど、日本人はそう教えられている。
(ID #56415) Posted on 2007/09/05 12:58
I only tip from time to time when I felt like it.. Or when the service was excellent.. Usually I just leave whichever coins I cannot pick up at first try from the tray ^^; it's not really a requirement here..
(ID #56416) Posted on 2007/09/05 13:00
Web Developer/ウェブデベロッパー, Photographer/写真や
We have the system where 10% of the total bill is calcualted as service charge, so it's kinda like tipping I guess. I do give taxi drivers tips, but it's usually small change that I like to get rid off ^^;
(ID #56417) Posted on 2007/09/05 13:06
Have you tried uni before? It's pretty good, IMHO. My gf and I were treated extremely well at a sushi restaurant in Ginza. They went above and beyond any service I have ever experienced, in any restaurant. Since I was well aware of the no-tipping culture in Japan, I didn't leave any tip. However, in hindsight, it feels that I should have at least tried to leave one.
(ID #56418) Posted on 2007/09/05 13:11
Student
We basically tip with whatever amount we feel like (in my case anyway). The service is generally good to most places we go to anyway, so we usually leave a bit of whatever change we get back, or 20 Php (0.43 USD).
(ID #56419) Posted on 2007/09/05 13:24
宅男 Otaku/ 工程师 Engineer
over here, it's not a requirement nor a habit of Singaporeans to tip, even though the service is very good.
(ID #56421) Posted on 2007/09/05 13:45
Director/代表取締役
ふぇんりる さん、 こちらこそよろしくお願いします。 たまに日本語のカキコはありますが、そのほとんどは知り合いです^^; Wikipediaの件ですが、英語のコメントによると本当みたいですね。 SonnyF, Shocking - regarding trying to shame the customer ToT kenshiro, I have but find it tasteless. Since its tasteless and looks like poo, I stay away.
(ID #56422) Posted on 2007/09/05 13:46
Student
When I was in Tokyo a couple of weeks ago, we had this tipping problem. The man who took in all of our suitcases up to our hotel would'nt accept the tip but after some persuading he took it. Japanese people are so respectable, Most of the time we leave tips with people in england or whatever, the tip-ee xD, usually takes it, no questions asked.
(ID #56424) Posted on 2007/09/05 14:27
Deadend Job
Just a friendly reminder. In the state, tip 15% of the bill is good enough (in the restaurant). If you like the service so much, you can tip up to 16% to 25%.
(ID #56425) Posted on 2007/09/05 14:29
My wife is from Okinawa, and she is all about tipping in the States, but very vehement about not tipping whenever we're in Japan. I gotta admit, I like it better over there, because here in the States, too many people want something for nothing. You could get the worst service and all they care about is their tip.
(ID #56426) Posted on 2007/09/05 14:36
danny, I went to Jamaica, and most of the resorts there are set up so that you pay a certain amount up front, and then you dont pay for anything the whole time you are there, so you dont have to bring your wallet. You are served in white glove restaurants and drink at the bars on the beach, and you never pay anything at the end. Its very odd. Just imagine people sitting around a table after a 6 course meal.. no one wants to be the first person to get up and leave. It feels like you are cheating. They dont accept tipping either. I encountered this in Italy too, we tried to tip a waiter and he told us it was "impossible!". So strange considering even someone that provides bad service out here expects a decent tip.
(ID #56429) Posted on 2007/09/05 15:23
D_BLADE, I know what you mean about the taxes being confusing in Canada, when I lived there you would get a bill at a restaurant for $20 ca, and the tax would be 15% or more! You cant even buy a candy bar for under $1.50 anymore. The worst for waiters out here is when someone leaves without paying their bill, and trust me, it happens. The waiter has to pay for the whole bill. Ive seen this happen at fancy restaurants where the bill could be well over $100
(ID #56430) Posted on 2007/09/05 15:29
Back in Canada we have to tip at most of the restaurants, however, I try to tip according to the level of services I received. I was totally relieved when I moved to Asia and realized that you don't have to tip in China and Taiwan. But soon enough, some of the more expensive restaurants began to charge a 15% gratuity fee in your bill. Yes these blood suckers force to tip regardless of how good or bad the service was. But I usually complain if the service was bad and if the manager was smart he/she will usually waive that 15%.
(ID #56432) Posted on 2007/09/05 15:34
anime/cosplay events organizer
the tipping culture is not a requirement here and tipping is an option. i wish that my country could adopt the excellent service and honesty of the japanese *sighs* i guess the tipping culture that we have here was inherited during the american occupation...
(ID #56433) Posted on 2007/09/05 15:40
Everything
I don't mind tipping, since I'm used to it. If I go someplace often, or plan to, I tip well. When I used to go to bars I'd give the bartender a fat tip with the first round. We'd go to this bar at least once a week and when there's a crowd of people trying to get the bartender's attention, I get my drinks right quick. It's amazing the kind of service an extra fat tip once in a while can bring you for many many visits. The good tipper tag stays on you for a long time and really the only difference is about one or two dollars from getting the normal crappy service to great service.
(ID #56436) Posted on 2007/09/05 16:07
Student, Gamer, Part-time EFSF Pilot
Well, here in Portugal tipping definitely isn't required. It's up to each person really, but usually if the waiters are nice and depending on the niceness/price of the meal ratio I usually leave up to 5€ (I'm not rich and unless you're in a posh restaurant the guy ain't gonna complain anyways)
(ID #56438) Posted on 2007/09/05 16:33
In Finland you don't need to tip since the pay is included in the bill. If you give some, you're going to get quite a long look from the waiters/waitresses. So.. if you ever drop by Finland, don't tip. :) Whee, I'm off to Japan for 6½ months next week's Friday. (exchange)
(ID #56440) Posted on 2007/09/05 16:59
Uni(sea urchin roe), tasteless? Couldn't taste the sweet, salty, and slightly buttery flavor? Must be a bad batch. Have you tried cooking japanese food there, Danny? I mean, er, how do I put it...? Have you ever cooked a meal for yourself?
(ID #56441) Posted on 2007/09/05 17:00
Er, nevermind, first question answered. IS it true that tipping someone is considered as charity, and charity is looked down upon there? Read it in a japanese cookbook a long while back. So, should you even bother to try?
(ID #56442) Posted on 2007/09/05 17:03
KBA in New Zealand
Here in NZ there is no tipping required or expected. We pay what we are charged and that's it. No service charges either, and tax is built into the price - in fact it's illegal to state a price and then charge tax on top of it unless you specifically note the price as being excluding GST.
(ID #56443) Posted on 2007/09/05 17:04
Plast Processing Engineer
In Denmark a tip certainly would be accepted, but is in no means required. And you have to say that it's a tip, or they cant accept it as such. - So if you just leave some coins on the table after a meal, they are required to run after you. I had a hard time remembering the tip rules first time in the states, and often forgot. - Until a waiter shot me the evil eyes... I don't like the tipping rules. If i want to leave a tip, it's because I feel I had a good night with some great food and some good service.
(ID #56444) Posted on 2007/09/05 17:36
well the japanese waiters probably get paid well and don't need tips most jobs that usually get tips usally don't get paid much, usually below minimum wage and make up for the differnce through the kindness of strangers.
(ID #56445) Posted on 2007/09/05 18:55
oh and Danny if you don't like the servce at all.. don't leave a tip either.. it's all based on the level of service you recive, if its good, leave a good tip.. usually 10, to 15% of the bill is good, leave a dime or even a penny (1 yen) if service sucks... goodluck in LA
(ID #56446) Posted on 2007/09/05 18:58
.NET/Web Developer
Tipping here is not really required but service personnel accept them when you do give tips. I tend to leave about 10% of the total bill as tip especially when the service is really good. When it's bad I leave a smaller amount and tell the manager of the place. ^^ Why 10%? b/c computation is easy, just move the decimal one place to the left and just round it off to leave the cents portion out. XD I love japanese food btw. Much more than chinese food. Wish you could blog more about the food there.
(ID #56447) Posted on 2007/09/05 19:05
NEET (no, student...)
I tend to tip them, to make my bill be equal to a whole number, but my mom got pissed at me for doing that, and I was told to do it the right way... I forgot how it worked out though... but in the end it leaves me to more money put on the table, and as a college student, I ain't got much to spend or waste アー、そうですよ、せこいですよ！ But yea, I know people who like Sea Urchin, or Uni, but I never heard it described that way....
(ID #56448) Posted on 2007/09/05 19:41
ColdFusion Developer
Personally I don't give out tips that often, but I do it now and then, but it usually ends up being the shrapel change that I don't want to carry with me, lol.
(ID #56449) Posted on 2007/09/05 19:41
Student
Same as here in Canada lol... work for MacDonald's and they give u $6/hr(no tips too lol I think)
(ID #56451) Posted on 2007/09/05 20:07
Student
I tip big to people working late, or when the restaurant is about to close, since I assume they've been working practically all day. But I would agree a lot of service I run into, especially at the less established restaurants, is bad. One restaurant in particular is extremely uncomfortable. All the waiters are foreign and really don't know how to wait tables... I mean, I had a guy standing practically next to my table the entire meal, it's like he didn't have anywhere else to go. The only time I encounter good service is when the waiters actually LIKE their job, but that's a rarity.
(ID #56452) Posted on 2007/09/05 20:18
Interactive Media Design and Graphic Design
ah,tipping is hard. i do know one place in Washington DC are that does tips for you. Cafe Asia, they include tip in your bill. I know a good way to tip is to simply take how much you paid and move point from right to left or have each person in your party give couple of dollars each.
(ID #56453) Posted on 2007/09/05 20:18
I generally tip when I go out unless the service is horrible including long wait periods for everything and sometimes bad service. Tipping is a bit of a hassle, so visiting Japan and not paying tip was a nice change of pace ^^.
(ID #56456) Posted on 2007/09/05 20:55
In the US, you don't have to tip if you think you're not going back to the restaurant ANYMORE. Or if you don't mind if they curse 1000 to the power of 1000 times after you leave. Anyway, I like the way that everything is included in the bill when dinning in Japan.
(ID #56457) Posted on 2007/09/05 21:31
One rule:....Recievced good or axelent service.....give tip.....it's one of the ways the waiters know when theyre doing a good job
(ID #56458) Posted on 2007/09/05 21:31
Student
Yeah the same thing happened to me when I had lunch at Fridays in New York wall street, I was like what the hell? Why is there a tipping included here? Here we leave extra money if we want, although the money won't go to the waiter but to the boss instead.
(ID #56468) Posted on 2007/09/05 22:15
When I've been on japan, I also tasted the Uni sushi. It was a restaurant on top of Shibuya 100. A friend of mine took me there to taste different stuff... like horse sashimi, and those little fishes you have to eat alive. I even made a little video, but came out too dark and blurry. Anywways, to me it was kinda tasteless also... but I didn't associate with diarrhea (DAMN YOU DANNY! XP) But I think my tastebuds are not used to stuff like that... even Salmon Roe is kinda tasteless to me too. Now, about tipping... some restaurants here in Brazil includes the 10% tipping "tax". Some, puts it as an option on the final tab. Some just don't, and makes it clear on the tab... saying something like "No tipping included" (meaning, you tip how much you want). Some years ago this was a major discussion here, with laws forbidding forced tipping. Me? I usually leave a tip when I like the service. If I don't like, even when they include it in the bill, I refuse to pay, period. The thing is: Might even be true that tips are the main income for waiters/waitress, but this is just plain wrong. It's not the clients fault a restaurant's crew gets underpaid.. it's the owners fault. At least, that's the way I see it. When I give tips is for rewarding a good job...
(ID #56469) Posted on 2007/09/05 22:19
I had a discussion with my colleague at work today about tipping one's hair dresser. Now I'm very much against the practice of tipping because I think that people should make an effort to do a good job regardless of how much money they make. If you've entered into a contract and agreed to be paid X amount of money per hour, then it is your duty to fulfill your contract. As a customer, I've paid for a service already, so why should I tip? There's no reason why I should be paying your employees. What's this ridiculous hidden fee? I asked my colleague why he believes hair dresser should be tipped, and his answer was "Well there's this kind of one on one relationship going on..." I then asked him if he tipped his doctor and dentists too. If people start tipping here and there, then pretty soon everyone will be asking for tips. I work in a service laboratory, so why should I not deserve a tip like a waiter or hair dresser or a taxi driver? (Taxi drivers make enough money already). My personal view is that tipping should be banned as there is no evidence to support that tipping improves quality of service, and it really is just a pain in the ass.
(ID #56471) Posted on 2007/09/05 22:32
Hobby Store clerk guy thing...
Hmmm~ It's not a requirement here where I live but when you do go to the more higher up dining places, it's usually nice to leave something on the money tray. It's not like they'll glare at you for not tipping, but they wouldn't run out to give you your change either. Smaller places always give you change without asking for tips, I've had instances where they refuse to take it =/
(ID #56474) Posted on 2007/09/05 22:41
Cocochic in Tokyo
うに食べれるなんてすごい！私はいまだに駄目です。 チップは払いませんが、日本にいても、タクシーではおつりをもらわないようにしています。せいぜい100円やそこらですけど。
(ID #56478) Posted on 2007/09/05 23:09
Student
As a Singaporean living in the US, I agree that it is very troublesome to, after every meal, sit down and try to work out the tip. Suddenly eating out is like taking a math test.
(ID #56480) Posted on 2007/09/05 23:58
Danny, D_Blade: Well I'm living in Canada and you're right Danny, the minimum wage required by the law here is lower for waiters. In the province of Quebec we have a law for the minimum wage and the the minimum wage for "tip" jobs that is basicly for all the people that working in restaurants. They also usually have a wage that is pretty low if we compare to other average jobs. So we have to add 10% to 20% for tip in top of the taxes of 15% (6% for the federal and 7.5% for the provincial). In fact it's pretty rare here to see someone that don't let any tip... Except if you're skinflint, poor or unsastified by the service or the meal! ;)
(ID #56481) Posted on 2007/09/06 00:10
In Costa Rica waiters are kind of "covered by law". By law there is a percentage of the total of the bill that is automatically given to them, it already comes in the receipt. So if you ever go to CR, remember it's not required to give any kind of tip. Sometimes though, one would leave a couple of coins or some money in the table, but I won't do any better...hmn well...except in some other kind of places... >.
(ID #56482) Posted on 2007/09/06 00:12
Most restaurants here in Holland expect that you give a tip. Luckely I've never met a creepy waiter, they're very neutral (but still friendly) most of the time. BTW don't get fooled by those cute "I like you" smiles from McDonalds (and other fastfood restaurants) employees, fastfood restaurants demand this over-friendly (the plastic smile) behaviour from their employees.
(ID #56483) Posted on 2007/09/06 00:15
I gotta move to Japan now... Service is average here in the NE States. Service is good depending on where you eat. They don't really emphasize tipping as you described. I like to assume that they are just naturally friendly. Tip is usually included in the bill nowadays for the better restaurants. Although, there are times that the service is so bad that they should be tipping me! There was this one time where I ordered a steak dinner with a friend. The waiter dropped off the plates and walked away very fast without providing us with silverware. It took 3 minutes until a different waiter came by to do us the favor. Here's a quick tip to figure out how much you should leave: I believe the average standard is 15%. Take the total amount (lets say 25.50) and you divide it by 10. That gives you about 2.50. Take that and divide in half(1.25). Then add the two amounts that you calculated. 2.50 + 1.25 = 3.75 If you can understand the concept, you can figure this out within 2 seconds. Find 10%, then find 5%. Add the two and you get 15%.
(ID #56488) Posted on 2007/09/06 00:34
I think tipping is generally a western culture and one is expected to tip when dining in an eatery there. Tipping is generally not an Asian thing unless you're in a more expensive classy restaurant and don't want to appear cheap in front of others. Ironic that you'd tip in an expensive restaurant but won't in a cheaper one where the waiters are probably paid less.
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