Service charge/tip

[Blake]

g
most bonafide Jamaican establishments don't walk all over their patrons.....
usually they do everything but......

Sure, but there is no correlation between good service and getting tipped. The tipping culture is actually a rarity globally, the majority of the countries provide great service and the servers don't have to worry about going to bed hungry.

and I have no problem tipping 20+ percent on the bill/tab on top of the tax and service charge.....
afterall how many times do we go on vacation in our lifetime.......not usually very much......

Do you tip 20%+ regardless of the service quality? If so why not just have the restaurant increase prices by 20%.

I go on vacations quite a bit, that doesn't mean I throw logic out of the window.

so giving out a few extra dollars isn't going to break the bank for most of us.......
if it does........maybe you should wait till you have more dollars so you can really enjoy that vacation and not worrying about how much everything is going to cost you........

It won't break the bank but I believe in fiscal responsibility, when I'm on vacation I don't worry about how much everything is going to cost but I don't believe I need to open my wallet and empty it just because I'm on vacation.

mi can't really expound or say enuff how much the Jamaicans really depend on your tips.......
sometimes it's the difference between being able to buy food for the family and not......
trust mi on that

But does that really help things in the long run? I have no problem with Jamaicans getting paid fairly and getting compensated the right way, I have a problem with tourists getting guilt tripped into opening their wallet.

For what it's worth I spend over 30% of my post-tax profits from our company on initiatives to end hunger and promote education. I'm far from stingy when it comes to trying to help others, I just disagree that tipping is the most efficient or even a credible way to promote change.

[BR Mon]

"I just disagree that tipping is the most efficient or even a credible way to promote change."

What does leaving a tip or service charge have to do with promoting change...It is not up to us to promote change in Jamaica. i have seen too much outside influence in Jamaica in the last 20 years promoting change. It is their country and they let us visit as guest...WE all have a choice to go to one of those countries you speak of that does not have to count on a tip to not go home hungry..."I believe in fiscal responsibility" As far as fiscal responsibility here is my take...I spend most of my life managing fiscal responsibility and for two weeks out of the year I take some time off....Most of the places I dine at don't add tax or service charge...It is simply 300 J for a small box lunch or 500 for the large box...My hotel does add service charge which is split up between all employees on the property...I add a daily bump for my housekeeper, beach attendant, chef and a couple of bucks every time I get food brought to my room....I don't know if there is any connection but i always get my room done early while I am at breakfast, I get a good spot on the beach, i get an extra piece of fish on my plate and when I order food in my room I get it really fast.....Give respect and you get respect....at least it works for me....

[Rambo]

I agree....tipping our "service people" has ALWAYS increased the level of service..whether it be, lots of fresh flowers in the room, our rooms done early and CLEAN!...and extras we have asked for, we got....the second time we return to a food service, we are given the "extra mile" in service, quality, and quantity....but that's they way we do it at home, when we go out......

But then we also "waste" our money by buying Christmas meals in restaurants for people who do look like, or seem to be unable to afford it.......
we are not "well-off" by any standards, but we feel what we give out isn't gonna make that much difference in our lives..
but might for those who seem to need it.........

and I have seen very few Jamaican service people appearing not to need it........Thank God we are all different..or nobody
would have a place to go "get away from it all"...lol

[Blake]

"I just disagree that tipping is the most efficient or even a credible way to promote change."
What does leaving a tip or service charge have to do with promoting change...It is not up to us to promote change in Jamaica.

Good to remember for the next time someone says to think of it as a charity.

My argument is that tipping doesn't benefit the people of Jamaica in the long run, a culture where they get paid fairly for the work they do with prices reflecting that pay is much better in the long run.

Give respect and you get respect....at least it works for me....

Respect is a two way street, it works for you because you're PAYING for that respect.

If you read the links I provided earlier then you would hopefully come to the same conclusion which is that you can have mutual respect without a tipping culture.

I agree....tipping our "service people" has ALWAYS increased the level of service..
and I have seen very few Jamaican service people appearing not to need it........Thank God we are all different..or nobody
would have a place to go "get away from it all"...lol

That's the thing though, studies show that tipping does NOT increase the level of service because there is NO way for the server to predict whether you're going to tip or not.

I have no problem paying my fair share and helping to pay for the wages of the employees, I just don't see any logical reason it can't be included in the price of the meal and why there is a service charge AND gratuity.

Just because we're on vacation and/or better off than other people doesn't mean we can't question why something is the way it is and point out that it's not good for the people.

I do a lot to help people that need it and put my money where it is most effective when it comes to charity work, but I guess it's never enough and that it's too much to ask for that when I'm on vacation I don't get nickle and dimed.

Again, raise the prices, get rid of the service charge, roll gratuity into the price of the meal, and the statistics will show that employees will be happier, there will be less friction when the businesses and customers interact, and it won't be the end of the world.

As a developing country I think Jamaica SHOULD strive to have the best system there is and emulate the Japanese system, even if it seems counter-intuitive and even if the tipping system seems better in the short term.

Just my opinion.

[dash]

Being an opinionated pompous ass myself my wife always puts me in my place and reminds me I have a choice. I can be right.....or I can be happy......

[Blake]

Being an opinionated pompous ass myself my wife always puts me in my place and reminds me I have a choice. I can be right.....or I can be happy......

Why can't you be right AND happy?

Then again being right sometimes means being unhappy when you realize the majority of people are wrong... It's quite saddening.

[dash]

Wow

[canuk cpl]

Blake tipping gets me better service in Canada and Ja no doubt! please speak for yourself, your probably the guy waiting for a drink at the bar whle mine is never empty. I don't worry about a service charge, we have a service tax on everything in Canada, It sucks, but I still tip for service good and bad, rarely bad. I have stood at a busy bar and never waiited long for drink anywhere, and i know my previous tipping got me that drink. Cheers

[canuk cpl]

no need to read an article Blake i've seen first hand poor tippers wait for a drink many times. I hope you enjoy Japan but severs in a tipping world woud disagree with you, enjy your watered down drink while enjoy one on the house, Cheers!

[Bnewb]

I second that WOW!!
Blake...maybe start by visiting other countries, especially developing countries as is this case & more than once before you start judging their systems. To tell a WHOLE country to change or "reevaluate the business model" after one visit is incredulous...and even more so when it comes to a topic that is so far down the list of importance it's ridiculous.
And, before you continue preaching you're issue about tipping...please remember there's a lot of big business people & minds on this forum...they aren't fools!
Just a bit of food for thought!