Tipping etiquette and Jamaica.

[Mike_D]

This is a good topic. I always tip at restaurants like I do at home, and make sure I take care of any hotel staff that has provided any service for us. I also tip taxi drivers a couple bucks at each drop-off. I've heard drivers complain that some tourists negotiate a price and then don't tip on top of that.

However, I am still a little confused about places that charge a "Service Charge" (i.e. Ivan's). I have heard that the Service Charge is a tip and that you are welcome add to it if the service is good. I've also read on some websites that the Service Charge is not considered a tip, and you are expected to tip a full 15-20% on top of that. What's the right answer?

[Bnewb]

However, I am still a little confused about places that charge a "Service Charge" (i.e. Ivan's). I have heard that the Service Charge is a tip and that you are welcome add to it if the service is good. I've also read on some websites that the Service Charge is not considered a tip, and you are expected to tip a full 15-20% on top of that. What's the right answer?

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

[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.

[Blake]

they are not up front in contact with customers like the servers.

Unless I'm missing something this is irrelevant.

In the US:
Servers are paid a minimal amount by the restaurant+the majority via tipping
bussers//foodrunners are paid hourly by the restaurant+a portion of the tipout by the server.
bartenders are paid a minimal amount by the restaurant+tips from the bar and a tipout by the server.
Hostesses, cooks, managers are all paid hourly or salary by the restaurant.

Unless Jamaica is drastically different in how the restaurant pays the employees, people shouldn't feel obligated to tip the chef separately, the restaurants should be paying reasonable wages to their staff, unless you're saying that in Jamaica they don't, which then makes me wonder where the restaurants get off charging the same amount as US restaurants AND also add a service charge.

[captaind]

Unless I'm missing something this is irrelevant.

Unless Jamaica is drastically different in how the restaurant pays the employees, people shouldn't feel obligated to tip the chef separately, the restaurants should be paying reasonable wages to their staff, unless you're saying that in Jamaica they don't, which then makes me wonder where the restaurants get off charging the same amount as US restaurants AND also add a service charge.

Things are different!

Most on salary are making less than a babysitter in the States.

"I don't think we're in Kansas anymore Toto"

[Blake]

Things are different!

Most on salary are making less than a babysitter in the States.

"I don't think we're in Kansas anymore Toto"

That doesn't put it in perspective, babysitters in the States can actually make a pretty decent amount!

At the end of the day what exactly is the meal paying for in Jamaica if it's so different?

If the prices were a fraction of the price of a US meal your argument about employee pay being so low might hold water.

[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.