Tipping etiquette around the world
The habit of tipping can be a minefield. How much, who should you tip, and when? And when shouldn’t you tip? When is a service cost added in your bill, and when not? How can tourists avoid provoking confusion, offense or even blame of bribery by giving a tip to the wrong person?
Some countries consider tipping as the norm; the most famous of which is maybe American travelers, accompanied by Canadians. In France, there is a difference between service and tipping. However, in some societies, tipping is considered offensive, immoral and even exploitative. Many hotels and restaurants, and even nations, have an official policy of how service employees are paid an adequate wage and don’t need to rely on tips to increase their earnings. Tipping is often forbidden. In Japan and Australia, the donation of a tip is conceived of as being a personal offense.
The trend in some societies is changing. As more and more tourists visit these nations bringing with them their own practices, and citizens travel more themselves, then so tipping is becoming more tolerable.
