Dream Boys and Chinese tourists

[fountainhall]

Where in Asia is tipping expected and where/in what situation does it help to tip in advance?

I'm pretty certain this related to tips when offing bar boys. Payment for sex is illegal in Thailand, so the payment is disguised as a tip. As such, it used to be handed over discreetly at the end of the tryst with the amount being "up to you" - to quote an often used Thai phrase. Presumably because some punters tried to get away with paying peanuts, now there are expected minimum tips. So some posters here and other patrons of the barboys or MBs from the apps will agree the tip in advance. It avoids the hassle that sometimes occurs when it will be suggested that the tip is not sufficient.

As the American influence has seeped into Thailand, tipping for service in hotels and restaurants etc. is now quite common especially in high-end establishments. I had a client once who travelled extensively and said he always tipped room boys in hotels at the start rather than the end of a stay. That way he always had excellent service and never experienced any problems at all.

On the subject of tipping elsewhere, there have been various threads here and on other sites. Some posters feel that tips are not really expected, especially in establishments where a service charge is automatically added. When the service is especially good, it's not unusual to give the waiter some extra cash in his/her hand - not with the bill payment as that may go into a general tip fund for all staff. It's also been noted that that service charge does not always find its way back to the staff. I know of one high-end restaurant in the centre of Bangkok at which the owner keeps 85% of the service charge and the miser only allocates 15% to his staff.

[a447]

I've always found the tipping game very hard to understand.

On my first visit to Hong Kong as an adult I went down to breakfast at the hotel and left without tipping. The next morning, the waiters totally ignored me! It took me ages to work out why. Lol

And when I moved back to Australia to live I remember the shock I felt when a waiter in a restaurant asked me if I wanted to leave a tip. I'd never been asked for a tip in my life and had no idea what was expected.

But in S.E.Asia I always tip staff in hotels, first at the beginning of my stay and if the service has been outstanding - it always has been - I will tip again when I check out. It's a way of buying goodwill, and I find I certainly get treated very well indeed. It's money well spent.

For example, the Tarntawan Hotel has strict policies regarding ID requirements from the boys who go up to the rooms. On occasion the boys - usually non-thais - only have a copy of their passports and normally this is not accepted. The staff has never refused a boy who only had a paper copy of his ID. Needless to say, these are the staff I always tip. We "take care" each other, so to speak.

And handsome waiters also always receive a tip.

[fountainhall]

when I moved back to Australia to live I remember the shock I felt when a waiter in a restaurant asked me if I wanted to leave a tip. I'd never been asked for a tip in my life and had no idea what was expected.

Keep clear of New York and other major US cities. In a decent restaurant, leave less than 20% and you will be met with frowns. Less than 10% and they are likely to chase you down the street!!

Mind you, that's basically because wait staff are paid dreadful wages and are expected to be well tipped. If that's their culture, fine! What I object to is that culture being introduced to other countries. I expect that tipping in Asia probably started with Americans.

I remember my very first visit to Tokyo and offering a tip to the bellboy who took my luggage up to the room. I was shocked by the look of near horror which met my gesture. I had not realised I was basically insulting him for just doing his job. Isn't a no tip policy a much more sensible practice? Especially in Asia where there is a service culture in most countries.

[arsenal]

There's virtually no tipping in China outside of the very big cities. You will be chased down the street to return a 1 rmb coin. A hairdresser grabbed me by the arm and wouldn't let me go until I accepted my change. In a restaurant if you bill is 86 they'll usually write off the extra 1. There will probably be more attempts to rip me off on my next 9 day trip to Thailand than in 6 years in China. I also can't remember a time when I paid more than a Chinese person for something. Swings and roundabouts.

[sglad]

There will probably be more attempts to rip me off on my next 9 day trip to Thailand than in 6 years in China.

How come?