tips

[thrillbill]

(oops, maybe this is not "gay" enough topic and it should be moved to another forum) In the past year I have heard a couple times from waiters that they do NOT get the tip that we may leave on the table or in the bill "holder" when we leave. One waiter works as one of the umbrella boys at Jomtien, and another fellow (a close friend of mine) works at one of the "gay" restaurants in BKK . I know this isn't true with all places but I think when one is leaving a tip for a waiter, its best to hand it to them than to leave it on the table.

[Jetsam]

(oops, maybe this is not "gay" enough topic and it should be moved to another forum) In the past year I have heard a couple times from waiters that they do NOT get the tip that we may leave on the table or in the bill "holder" when we leave. One waiter works as one of the umbrella boys at Jomtien, and another fellow (a close friend of mine) works at one of the "gay" restaurants in BKK . I know this isn't true with all places but I think when one is leaving a tip for a waiter, its best to hand it to them than to leave it on the table.

When I want to leave a tip for the waiter , I give it to him under the "bill holder" and a tip for the bar inside it.

A tip left on the table or in the bill holder often goes into the tip pool. The accumulated tips are distributed at the end of the shift. In some establishments the higher ranking workers get a larger percentage of the tips.

If you like a lad's service and you are only interested in tipping him, put the tip in his hand.

A tip left on the table or in the bill holder often goes into the tip pool. The accumulated tips are distributed at the end of the shift. In some establishments the higher ranking workers get a larger percentage of the tips.

If you like a lad's service and you are only interested in tipping him, put the tip in his hand.

Joe M,

Correct in my view, but we have to watch it as some boys in Pattaya, UK and everywhere ,want to tell you the poor tale and the tip is never enough, front of house, they always want more, what about the poor beggars in the kitchens and behind the scenes!

Granted the procedure/policy may vary at different places, but I understood the general rule was that a tip placed IN the folder went into the general tip fund to be distributed to the staff at the end of the day, whereas a tip placed ON TOP OF the folder went to the person you hand the folder. Am I out of date (or totally misinformed) with that understanding?

[neddy3]

I understood the general rule was that a tip placed IN the folder went into the general tip fund to be distributed to the staff at the end of the day, whereas a tip placed ON TOP OF the folder went to the person you hand the folder. Am I out of date (or totally misinformed) with that understanding?

I had always believed this, and suspect it is generally true.

But I have heard the suggestion that a tip on top of the folder may not be kept by the person holding the folder. So, to be sure a tip goes where intended, if I have a certain recipient in mind, is to place the tip in their hand.

Some staff work in premises where the working outfit allows placement of tips into underwear. Some customers are more particular to check the tip is placed well inside the underwear. A few check pretty much everything else during the tip placement.

I'm confident tips placed into underwear are not shared!!

[allieb]

If I want to tip a cetrain waiter and make sure it's for him only I fold a note in the palm of my hand and shake his hand when leaving, its supprisng how it vanishes. Be sure to shake hands any other nearby members of staff afterwoods. I also leave the folder open on the table with the general tip exposed.

I know of at least two establishments where your tip is given back to you when trying to place it in the folder, and your discreetly asked to give it to them outside. I did this a couple of times, but then felt uncomfortable, thinking that the cashiers were assuming I wasn't leaving any tip at all, so when this happens now, I leave a small tip in the folder, and also give a personal tip when I get outside.

I've never been a huge fan of tipping. It's not such a big thing in the UK as it seems to be elsewhere. I understand that in places like Thailand, it's just the way things are done, so I kinda don't mind applying a 'when in Rome' attitude, but I've never really understood the concept of tipping. Here, you might tip a taxi driver, but not a bus driver. You might tip a waiter in a restaurant, but not someone serving you in McDonalds. What's the difference? They're all people doing a job.

I'd rather pay higher prices so that the business can pay their staff decent wages, rather than go through the rigmarole of working out how much to leave as a tip every time. Good service is something you should expect anyway. If you get bad service, simply don't go there again.

[Smiles]

I think it varies from place to place. Seems the general rule is anything inside the folder goes into the kitty, anything placed elsewhere (hand, shirtfront, nose, y-fronts) goes to the guy himself. Forgive me if I've missed your favourite spot.
Exactly. Also, it's up to you in dividing up the tip. If the server has been pretty special I usually give him a larger portion of the overall amount "in hand". If really poor (seldom) often none of it. Most often 50/50, or close to it. This is 'my way' and by no means a rule.

Cheers ...

Green Tree Pub collects tips and they are usually divided as follows: 100 baht for the waiters, cashiers and 20 baht for the kitchen staff and dishwashers. As if there were any customers without the latter.

If I want to leave to a certain person a tip, I'll give it personally and if I think the a venue doesn't deserve a tip, than there will be no tip. The cultus around tips is a bit overdone. Usually, 7% VAT and 10% service charges are included in all drinks and food as well as accommodation, but you will still be "kee-niow" if you don't leave a tip. TiT

You hear one story from one person and another from another from the same establishment, I don't mind tipping, but it becomes just a little too much when someone is hovering over you with their eyes directly on the bill holder waiting for you to open it and leave a tip - I actually left it there for a few seconds until the staff walked away for a few seconds only for the staff to pick it up before I had even looked inside it.

The bottom line is tips are not fair, some get them some don't, some put a service charge on the bill, then expect a tip - some hotel collects the tips for taxis home for staff "after hours". I suspect even if one literally gives a tip and places it in the member of staff's pocket, it might even still have to be handed over to the "tip box" for everyone. Unfair, but what to do in all scenarios.

Solution: All tips no matter where they are given, how they are given or who they are given to should be placed in a box to be distributed equally to each member of staff, to my that even applies to the chambermaids also and such like. A notice should be placed in a suitable place, i.e. on the menu, in hotel rooms etc.

Until such a suitable way of distributing and collecting tips is done, my tips are limited. They've "blew it" as far as I'm concerned!! Especially when one pays 250 bht for a coke in a bkk club and they expect a tip. Similarly, inflated prices for coca colas in cafes in Pattaya - outrageous.

I understand at least one establishment does distribute all tips to its staff each month. A certain famous riverside hotel gets such high tips that many of the staff, even the most menial, can earn triple their basic salaries. And I know of one Bangkok gay establishment where the tips are distributed evenly each night amongst the staff, including the kitchen boys.

Excellent, that is what I like to hear, however, that is only one, there are probably dozens and dozens that don't!

A number of places (the S&P chain, for example) automatically add a 10% service charge to their bill. Although it's in Thai, if you look very carefully you can see two amounts with a % next to them - 10 for the service charge, 7 for the VAT. Do the waiters get the 10% and how is it divvied up? I have no idea. But I don't tip in establishments that have already levied a service charge

[cottmann]

(oops, maybe this is not "gay" enough topic and it should be moved to another forum) In the past year I have heard a couple times from waiters that they do NOT get the tip that we may leave on the table or in the bill "holder" when we leave. One waiter works as one of the umbrella boys at Jomtien, and another fellow (a close friend of mine) works at one of the "gay" restaurants in BKK . I know this isn't true with all places but I think when one is leaving a tip for a waiter, its best to hand it to them than to leave it on the table.

This is not unique to Thailand - it happens most places where tipping is expected - see http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080321/starbuck ... _suit.html (http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080321/starbucks_tipping_suit.html)