American tourist’s observations about the UK go viral

[yoyo913]

Other services I encounter where I tip (expected here) are taxis and when I get a haircut.

 

[Mandieta6]

My sister tipped my barber once and now it's uncomfortable because I never tip him.

Tipping the taxi driver is odd. Do you just say keep the change or do yoy actually explicitly tip?

About the part-time thing, I have no idea. I'm waitimg for confirmation before letting loose an avalanche of questions (e.g. if I sire a male in the U.S, will you cover his circumcision? Etc.)

 

[yoyo913]

I tip 15% for cab. Use uber if they have it in your area, no tipping there.

 

[ARIAGA II]

Yea I figure I won't be eating out much although as far as I'm aware I would be living on a campus that rewuires you to participate in a pre-paid eating plan. To those with experiemce in this sort.of environment, do you still tip?

No, you wouldn't be expected to tip. I'm guessing you would most likely be given a meal card with a set number of 'swipes', so aside from paying for the meal plan you wouldn't be expected to pay.

 

[Alex]

I tip 15% for cab. Use uber if they have it in your area, no tipping there.

Yes there is. It's set up in your uber account by default. To not tip you have to turn it off

 

[ShiftyPowers]

I do find it curious that American tip in non-food services (hotel maid, parking service, cleaners) although it's unlikely to be something I'll come across.

Not all of those. I don't tip at the dry cleaners. And I never have my car valeted, so I don't know why you're worried about that situation. I do, however, tip for my haircut every time. Really, anyone who does a service that's more than "stand behind the counter and take an order". Cleaners stand behind a counter. Barbers come out and cut your hair. I guess that's a good general rule. Alex obviously made tips as a barista, but I would never tip at starbucks; I guess it's just different with alcohol. I'll also occasionally tip the person who bags my groceries, but not all the time; usually it has to do with whether I have cash on me, and whether it's someone wearing a button that says "baggers work exclusively for tips". I'd say 66% of the time I don't tip them, but then the other day I took $5 cash back on a debit transaction and tipped the bagger the whole thing. I absolutely NEVER tip a bathroom attendant, although I make a point to not use their services.

The whole greeting and saying goodbye is another thing to adapt to, as I'm used to always shaking hands or 2-kiss which I gather is not the norm.

Most people that I know will do a little "soul handshake" to say goodbye. Never shook hands with someone normally to say goodbye, though. Literally never seen someone do a 2-kiss in person in my entire life.

Use uber for cabs; it's cheaper and tipping isn't really expected. If I have cash I'll give my uber guy a little something, but it's seriously no big deal.

 

[Mandieta6]

Not all of those. I don't tip at the dry cleaners. And I never have my car valeted, so I don't know why you're worried about that situation. I do, however, tip for my haircut every time. Really, anyone who does a service that's more than "stand behind the counter and take an order". Cleaners stand behind a counter. Barbers come out and cut your hair. I guess that's a good general rule. Alex obviously made tips as a barista, but I would never tip at starbucks; I guess it's just different with alcohol. I'll also occasionally tip the person who bags my groceries, but not all the time; usually it has to do with whether I have cash on me, and whether it's someone wearing a button that says "baggers work exclusively for tips". I'd say 66% of the time I don't tip them, but then the other day I took $5 cash back on a debit transaction and tipped the bagger the whole thing. I absolutely NEVER tip a bathroom attendant, although I make a point to not use their services.



Most people that I know will do a little "soul handshake" to say goodbye. Never shook hands with someone normally to say goodbye, though. Literally never seen someone do a 2-kiss in person in my entire life.

Use uber for cabs; it's cheaper and tipping isn't really expected. If I have cash I'll give my uber guy a little something, but it's seriously no big deal.

Said curious not worried.

Funny about the 2-kiss thing. It's super weird for me when a girl opts away from it.

 

[ShiftyPowers]

It also wouldn't surprise me if they set you up as a Teaching Assistant for an undergrad class every semester to boost your income.

 

[Sir Didier Drogba]

Never shook hands with someone normally to say goodbye, though.

I know for a fact you've done this at least once

 

[Theodorakis]

so you guys met. how cute.

 

[ShiftyPowers]

Okay, well I guess I do it occasionally, but it's not really the norm. I actually hate it. I try to slink away. Obviously that's not the case with people I won't see for awhile, but for people I see all the time, who cares if we shake hands to say goodbye.

 

[Alex]

Not all of those. I don't tip at the dry cleaners. And I never have my car valeted, so I don't know why you're worried about that situation. I do, however, tip for my haircut every time. Really, anyone who does a service that's more than "stand behind the counter and take an order". Cleaners stand behind a counter. Barbers come out and cut your hair. I guess that's a good general rule. Alex obviously made tips as a barista, but I would never tip at starbucks; I guess it's just different with alcohol.

Don't get me wrong - I didn't tip like an American at Starbucks in the US. They're not really serving you like a waiter etc, so I don't see that it's warranted. When I say we got tips at Starbucks it was very minimal - "keep the change" sort of stuff. But this was more than we were tipped working at the pub in London. English don't tip at pubs. Again though, you're not being waited on, so there isn't the same need. You go to the bar to order your own drinks in the UK - where as in America you generally get table service. This creates a need for tips I guess - but the only reason that bars can afford to have people waiting tables like this is because the wages are so ridiculously low that they don't cost the guys running the place too much to do it...Hence tips are required. Which brings me to the next point...

I'll also occasionally tip the person who bags my groceries, but not all the time; usually it has to do with whether I have cash on me, and whether it's someone wearing a button that says "baggers work exclusively for tips". I'd say 66% of the time I don't tip them, but then the other day I took $5 cash back on a debit transaction and tipped the bagger the whole thing. I absolutely NEVER tip a bathroom attendant, although I make a point to not use their services.

We don't have grocery baggers. It's done by the person on the checkout, or at Aldi you do it yourself.

I'm the same with bars and clubs that have bathroom attendants. I try to avoid using them so that I don't pay for them. Loads of clubs and bars here have them, but not as many as the US.

Most people that I know will do a little "soul handshake" to say goodbye. Never shook hands with someone normally to say goodbye, though. Literally never seen someone do a 2-kiss in person in my entire life.

That's really strange. I've seen it loads - but it's certainly not common in Australia. But a single kiss is almost standard for a female friend (from either a male or female) for hello and goodbye. Shaking hands is generally standard for males to males, or for less acquainted people to females.

Use uber for cabs; it's cheaper and tipping isn't really expected. If I have cash I'll give my uber guy a little something, but it's seriously no big deal.

As I mentioned - gratuities are already added. Login to your Uber account through the website. It's set at 15 or 20% by standard. I turned it right down to 5 or 10 as it's not expected here.

When you say use Uber for Cabs, do you mean actual Taxis in Uber? May seem a dumb question, but Sydney has that (you can select from UberX, UberTaxi or UberBlack), and it's the only city I've seen with it. Most cities only have UberX and sometimes UberBlack.

There is also another level above black that I can't recall right now.

 

[Alex]

Okay, well I guess I do it occasionally, but it's not really the norm. I actually hate it. I try to slink away. Obviously that's not the case with people I won't see for awhile, but for people I see all the time, who cares if we shake hands to say goodbye.

With my really good friends that I see regularly I generally don't do it unless it's at a party, birthday, wedding, or other special occasion. But for people you don't see as often, we always do it. Sometimes if it's a girl I also try to slip in the finger.

 

[Sir Didier Drogba]

In Paris they had an 'UberLux' which I still don't think were professional cabbies, but which were obligated to do certain things like open the door for you and provide bottled water and candies. I'm unsure whether it was more expensive or simply required a higher tip.

 

[Alex]

In Paris they had an 'UberLux' which I still don't think were professional cabbies, but which were obligated to do certain things like open the door for you and provide bottled water and candies. I'm unsure whether it was more expensive or simply required a higher tip.

That's the other one! Lux.

In Sydney you have:
UberX - cheapest and your standard "ride share")
UberTaxi - standard taxi driver who registers with Uber to get business)
UberBlack - chauffeur service essentially - guys who are registered drivers, but not taxis
UberLux - a higher standard of UberBlack, better cars, better service etc.

When available there is also sometimes UberSUV here.

 

[regularcat]

Everything electrically is wired for 240 volts.

 

[Alex]

Everything electrically is wired for 240 volts.

Thanks to single phase AC and the active and neutral being at the opposite phase - hence 120 + 120.

That's not necessarily the case throughout the US though.

 

[rhizome17]

Try being left handed and going to countries that use chopsticks. You go to a restaurant, leave your sticks on the left, come back and someone has placed them on the right. No make sense.

 

[Sir Didier Drogba]

Try being left handed and going to countries that use chopsticks. You go to a restaurant, leave your sticks on the left, come back and someone has placed them on the right. No make sense.

This has to be one of the most petty travel frustrations I have ever heard

 

[rhizome17]

This has to be one of the most petty travel frustrations I have ever heard

Yep. Generally, all my travel experiences are pretty good. Just came back from 7 nights in Alice Springs and surrounding desert. What a place.