Seen recently in Bordeaux, this notice made us smile. It also made us think.

One lesson from travelling – we learn a lot, including how much we don’t know. All those unwritten ‘rules’ around the world; what to wear, how to greet people, what time to eat etc etc. Some things you can work out – as the late great Yogi Berra said “you can observe a lot by just watching” – others are more tricky. One of the tricky ones is tipping. Have you ever wondered (we have!) should I tip or shouldn’t I? How much? Who should I tip?

Countries that appear similar in many ways can have different tipping cultures. In the Netherlands tips are expected in restaurants, in Belgium they’re not. The French, British and Americans tip the hairdresser, the Dutch and Swedish don’t. In the US tipping is almost obligatory, and amounts are higher than in Europe too. I guess we’re not the only ones who routinely research “tipping in ….” before we go.

Because there’s that worry, isn’t there, what if we get it wrong? Tipping when we shouldn’t, for example. Well, in Japan your offering might be turned down, tipping is considered rude. And although things might be changing a bit in Australia in the cities, one Australian* maintains “… many of us hate it when people tip. It is not necessary and a culture that we do NOT want in Australia”. If even if tipping is OK, though, how much is the right amount? The “accepted” sum can vary, from loose change, up to 20-25%.  Rick Steves (ricksteves.com) advises Americans travelling in Europe “…if your bucks talk at home, muzzle them on your travels” and goes on to say “believe me – tipping 15 or 20 percent in Europe is unnecessary, if not culturally ignorant”. Oh dear.

Rick’s comments hint at another aspect of the tipping dilemma, what does our tipping (or lack of) say about us? what will others think about us based on the way we tip? Or even on the way they expect us to tip? This was really brought home to me when I recently read an insightful and thought provoking post “Tipping While Black – Dismantling Stereotypes in the US and Abroad” (theblogabroad.com). Well worth reading, well worth thinking about, whatever our skin colour. And an addition to the big debates about tipping and “overtipping”, especially by travellers from richer countries in poorer places, debates about many of the big questions of our times: inequality, the world order, best ways to relieve poverty, and so on, and on…

*taken from TripAdvisor, 2016