Tipping etiquette and Jamaica.

[Blake]

Mike...below is a link to an earlier thread about service charge/tipping...it should help clear things up.
http://negril.com/forum/showthread.p...ice-charge-tip

Interesting to read about the service charge, makes me not a fan of them because it creates inconsistencies in pay among servers depending on how many overall employees there are.

I get that restaurants need revenue, need to pay their employees, and have overhead; but at the end of the day the margins they have on food/drinks should reflect all of the overhead.

The final bill should be transparent instead of leaving room for interpretation on how much "extra" we need to leave to pay the employees.

There's stimulating the economy by eating out(good) and then there's paying too much for a given service.

[Misti1]

Interesting to read about the service charge, makes me not a fan of them because it creates inconsistencies in pay among servers depending on how many overall employees there are.

I get that restaurants need revenue, need to pay their employees, and have overhead; but at the end of the day the margins they have on food/drinks should reflect all of the overhead.

The final bill should be transparent instead of leaving room for interpretation on how much "extra" we need to leave to pay the employees.

There's stimulating the economy by eating out(good) and then there's paying too much for a given service.

From what I understand that charge on the ticket is Govt. taxes and a fee the kitchen staff negotiated in to law as they are not up front in contact with customers like the servers. Most Americans seeing it will think it is like an automotic tip that we add here in the states and NOT tip the poor server who has waited on them so well. Also I NEVER tip on a credit card. In private conversations with servers I am well assured that the NEVER see that money. I give them their tip in CASH , and as Seveen said, I always put it IN THE HAND THAT FED ME.

[Mike_D]

Mike...below is a link to an earlier thread about service charge/tipping...it should help clear things up.
http://negril.com/forum/showthread.p...ice-charge-tip

Thanks! That certainly cleared things up for me.

I think my initial confusion started when my wife and I ate at the 100 Candles at Ivans. This was the ONLY time during that trip that I used a credit card, strictly because the bill was well over $100 and also because I trusted the staff at Catcha. When I got the credit card slip back to sign, I noticed that there was no spot to add a tip. I did see that the Service Charge was added in but there no placed for me to add a tip on credit card (I didn't have enough cash on me for a tip either). When I asked the server if I could give a tip on my credit card she seemed a little surprised and said that they would have to run the tip through on a separate transaction. No big deal for me - I just had to sign 2 slips. However, I thought the reason there was no space on the CC slip to add a tip was because the restaurant considered the Service Charge to be the tip.

[captaind]

Anything on the check I don't count as a tip.

I always put cash in hand.

[saeyedoc]

I don't tip on top of negotiated rates on Taxis, it's not like they're running a meter in the states.
I too get confused at the service charges, especially those added on top of room rates. The owners state not to tip since that money goes into a pool for all the employees, but it seems like everyone expects something extra.

[Rambo]

"Tip all ya can afford, they need it........Smile more then you can afford, you need it"

Have a SAFE Weekend

[Misti1]

I'd bet my last dime most kitchen staff never get all of their collected fees either.

[Bnewb]

Misti1...Rob explains the service charge in the thread that I posted.

[Flipadelphia26]

I appreciate the feedback everyone.

[Rambo]

dont forget the cook...many times we have asked to meet the cook...and while a handshake is given, slip a likkle something in his palm..when you return make sure he knows your back....I will bet you, your food wont be the same...lol or the amount....