Tipping at Restaurants

Tipping is one of the most difficult customs in the U.S. for Japanese people. In Japan, service fees are included in bills or are free. In America, tipping is confusing. For example, I’m confused about what percentage I should tip at restaurants. Also, where should I leave my tip, on the table or at the register?

One day, I discussed tipping with colleagues while we went for lunch because one of them recently had a bad experience in Orlando, Florida. He said that the restaurant had charged him 30% gratuity even though he was in a small party. The service there wasn’t great, and he didn’t want to pay 30% gratuity, but he paid it. He also said that he was asked for gratuity when he left a buffet restaurant even though no waiter/waitress served him.

Another guy said he still doesn’t have the right answer to tipping at Sizzler. Sizzler customers order and pay first at the register at Sizzler. Sizzler is a kind of buffet. Customers take their meal from the salad bar by themselves. If they order meals, waiter/waitress will bring them to the table, but if they order only the salad bar, customers will not be served by a waiter/ waitress.

From our conversation, I found that tipping is sometimes difficult even for Americans. It was an interesting discussion because everybody in my office had his/her own idea about tipping. One person said 7% was for beverages and 8% for the meal. Another said 10% for bad service, 15% for normal service, and 20% for good service. In my case, I always pay 15% for gratuity when I sit down at a table and someone comes to take my order.

I know more about tipping at restaurants now than I did last year, but I’m still confused about what to do at a hotel, for example what do I tip housekeeping, room service and the porter service. I don’t have exact criteria for what kinds of situations I should tip. In addition, I’m not familiar with face-to-face tipping. From my Japanese cultural background, I feel that handing money directly is not polite.

I have heard a lot of opinions about tipping at restaurants from colleagues. Next time we go to lunch, I should ask them about tipping at hotels or airports.