Question:
We attract a lot of international tourists, who are notorious for not tipping. I am starting to be able to profile who will tip and who won’t from their accent when they order. I asked my boss to up our wages or include an auto-grat but he’s not decided yet. Any recommendations for how similar places are handling this problem?
– Server/Barista
Answer:
Almost all of the problems I’ve addressed in this column come down to the same core problem: a difference between expectations and reality. You are a service employee relying on tips and expect to be tipped on every transaction. International guests who are not as familiar with U.S. tipping culture may expect to tip marginally or not at all, especially for a transaction without table service like a take-out coffee ordered at a counter or kiosk.
A recent study of 1,300 people by language learning site Preply confirms your impression. Among their main takeaways are:
- “The majority (71%) of foreign citizens do not feel pressure to tip in their home country.
- Of non-Americans, 44% have heard of American tipping culture in a negative context.
- Most (79%) U.S. visitors say they feel more pressure to tip than in their home country.
- In terms of judgment, 1 in 2 non-Americans feel scrutinized when tipping in the states.
- For average service, 74% say that a 10% tip or less is an adequate amount.”
My advice is to politely but clearly communicate tipping expectations via signage or menu. Something like, “While tipping is optional in the U.S., servers rely on tips for their wages. Please consider a tip of 18-20%,” or something like that. Even if not all guests step up, you are being clear about your expectations, which may reduce the uncertainty and confusion among international guests that the report cites.
More on managing expectations of international diners here.