A Tip20! Original Article, by Tom Mason

When you play casino games you will most often be offered free beverages. Then there comes the dilemma… to tip or not to tip?

At the end of the day, tipping is still a voluntary practice but it is customary and relied on for income by those in the industry just as they are by restaurant servers. Without tips from patron, the workers are very underpaid for the work they do. Also keep in mind that the IRS will assume that these employees are earning tips and will tax accordingly.

At a casino, cash as well as chips are generally acceptable for tips. For dealers, it is best to tip always with chips.

In blackjack, the typical method for tipping is to place an additional bet at the front of your betting box. Don’t tip so much or so frequently that you significantly shift the odds of the game. If you’re betting $5 for yourself, a $1 bet for the dealer once or twice an hour, or when you’re winning, will do. If you win the hand, the dealer will get a $2 tip. If you lose, the house gets the money.

While playing roulette it is common practice to give the dealer a chip after hitting a 35-1 single-number payoff. Never hand it directly to the dealer, as dealers are not allowed to take money or chips from a player’s hand. Put it on the table and tell the dealer it’s a tip.

Tipping for slots is less common, but if you hit a large, hand-paid jackpot, and have received good, timely service, it is nice to tip.

Those playing Craps sometimes place bets for the dealers. Often, this is done either by having the dealer place a specific bet “for the boys”. Bets on 11 or the field are frequent choices, or by placing a bet on one of the “hard ways” and telling the dealer it goes both ways. That is, a $10 hard six both ways means the player is betting $5 for himself and $5 for the dealers that two threes will come up before a seven and before any other six. If you want to give the dealers the best chance to win, place a pass line bet for the boys.

Until recently in all UK casinos gaming staff were not allowed to accept tips. From August 2008 tipping of all employees is permitted in casinos.

Also please don’t forget to tip at the buffet. At least 10% of the tab or a dollar per guest if the server has been attentive with your beverages and plate clearing.

Whether or not it is just great Karma to tip at a casino we will leave for another day, but while gambling, a bit of extra good Karma probably couldn’t hurt.

Casino Tipping Guide

• Cocktail Waitresses $1/every drink or two.
• Dealers $5/hr.
• Slot Attendants (hand pays) 0.5% to 1% or $1-2 chip when they repair your machine.
• Roulette dealers – $5+ chip per session.
• Keno writers/runners – $1+ for first ticket. If you play a lot, tip more. 5% if you win.
• Poker dealers – $5+ chip per session. You may tip 10% of your winnings, but not to exceed $25.
• Craps or blackjack dealer – $5+ chip per session. If you prefer, you can place a side bet for the dealer up to 10%. The size depends upon the table’s minimum bet; however, it need not ever exceed $25. At a $5 table, the tip would be a $1 chip. At a $25 table, use a $5 chip.
• Of course there is a benefit to on-line casinos, you need not tip at all!

Note: At tables, you should only feel obligated to tip when you are winning, not if you are losing that is understood.

It turns out that tipping Italy is a bit of a mixed bag.

What when and where you tip largely depends on where you are. Generally speaking most people are paid a decent living wage and tipping tends to be more for exceptional service. Tipping is not expected and often the would be gratuity is included in the bill or in the form of a cover charge. Sometimes the service charge is included in the bill and it’s under position called COPERTO – the cover charge. In a sit down restaurant it is customary to leave a 10 to 15% over the service fee for superior service and as in the US, cash is generally preferred over credit card tips and leaving it on the table is fine.

In an obviously very small, family run trattoria, with family members in the kitchen, family members serving you, family members at the cash register, it is not comfortable for anybody for you to tip, as it would be if you ate at a friend’s home and left a tip. Family-run restaurants take great pride in making you feel like you are in their home.

It has been observed that taxi cab drivers in some of the more dense tourist areas such as Rome have been a bit spoiled by better than average tips simply due to their passengers not knowing the standards.

If you get great service from a concierge it may warrant a €10 – 20 tip or for a chamber maid, €1 – 2 is sufficient.

Newsweek recommends the following tipping situations:

• Pizzeria: €1 for each person, unless you are alone, then leave €2 or €3
• Restaurant: About 5 to 10 percent
• Taxi: Round the bill up, if you’re feeling generous and the taxi driver took the short route
• Hairdresser: About 5 to 10 percent
• Hotel porters: €1 to €5
• Bar: Maximum €2

Resources: ClassicItalian.com, Tours-Italy.com, ricksteves.com, msadventuresinitaly.com and Newsweek

A Tip20! original article.

From About.com Greece Travel By deTraci Regula, About.com

Tipping in Greece is confusing for most visitors. Here’s a simple guide that will let you return to any restaurant with confidence.

1. Tipping for Tourist-type restaurants: Ask for the bill – usually, it will not be brought until you request it.
2. Check over the bill for obvious errors, and bring any substantial errors to the attention of your waiter. Minor error? Decide if it’s worth trying to sort it out.
3. Confirm that a ‘service charge’ has been included. If it has, follow suggestion below.
4. Pay the bill.
5. To reward warm service from your waiter, leave a few Euro, preferably in bills, on the tray. If service has been poor, skip this step, as the waiter generally shares in the revenues from the meal and from the service charge.
6. Regardless of the general service, unless it has been memorably abysmal, ease the burden of the busboy, who often receives virtually nothing for his work, by leaving coins totaling up to about a Euro on the table.
7. If appropriate, thank the owner or person in charge for the great meal.
8. Tipping for Traditional Eating Places: Ask for the bill. Check for obvious errors, and bring any to the attention of your waiter. If it’s minor, forget it.
9. Note if a ‘service charge’ has been included – it probably won’t be.
10. Tip your waiter between 10 and 20 percent of the total. Leave this on the tray, or give it to him directly.
11. Leave some small change totaling about a Euro on the table for the busboy.
12. Thank the owner or person in charge for the great meal.
13. Tipping Taxi Drivers: Generally don’t expect tips (but won’t turn them down).
14. There is a minor charge by the taxi driver for handling each piece of luggage – this is not a tip, but an official charge.
15. Tipping Public Toilet Attendants: Tip small change and bless them, since without them, there would be no toilet paper or soap there.

Tips:

1. The’cover charge’ on the bill is literally the cost to cover the table when you sit down, and includes your bread and non-bottled water.
2. The cover charge is cannot be removed, even if you don’t drink the water or eat the bread. Don’t argue it.
3. Had a horrible experience and feel ripped off? Contact the local ‘Tourist Police’ office. They exist to handle complaints and assist tourists – not to arrest them!
4. Don’t stress over tipping – get it close to the guidelines above, but don’t break out your calculators.
5. Greeks aren’t expected to tip as often as tourists are. And the more remote the location, the less likely it is that a tip is expected.

Author: Victor Epand

The issue of tipping can cause a lot of problems, usually as a direct result of a lack of understanding or clear communication. This is not helped by the fact that policies and expectations on tipping vary widely depending on which cruise line company you are traveling with and even, in some cases, which ship you are going on.

Often it used to be the case that passengers would tip each waiter, waitress or steward a small amount each time they did some kind of service, but then found out later that 15% had been added to the bill anyway for gratuities. In this way, the passengers ended up paying twice, and it can certainly add up to a considerable sum of money, especially since many cruises are ten to fourteen days.

Some companies make it clear that no tips are expected, but that instead there is a 15% gratuity charge on each bought service. Of course, this does mean that if your steward provides you with an excellent service you are quite free to tip him or her at the end of the cruise. As a usually guide, tipping is considered to be in the region of 1.50 pounds per person per day. There are some cruise line companies that don’t include gratuities but also don’t expect tips. Instead, they add a 5 pounds charge per person per day to the cruise, and this is then divided between the restaurant staff, the stewards and waiters. Again, you are more than free to add your own tip, but this reduces the expectation and helps clear up the matter so that people know where they are.

Having said all that, it is still the case that you are likely to expect a slightly higher level of service, and a slightly more prompt one, if you are known as someone who tips. Word will spread, and it is important for you to bear in mind whether the additional cost is worth it for a very slightly sharpened service.

An alternative way of managing this which a few companies have started doing is to have a single pot of tips that are automatically included in the overall cost, but that passengers have the chance to vote for their favourite steward or waiter. In this way, you can still reward those staff you feel have provided an exceptional service, but not directly from your pocket. Those staff who receive the most votes win a proportion, or greater proportion of the overall funds available for tipping.

As you can see, the schemes and rules are very varied, and it is not easy to tell in advance what the advice will be. If in doubt, it is always best to contact the cruise line and ask. Often, you’ll find that you will be given literature which will offer you specific advice regarding this, usually to be found in a section of ‘frequently asked questions’ Make sure you look at this in advance and query anything you’re not sure of. If this is your first cruise you are likely to be somewhat flummoxed by the varied expectations, and if this is not your first cruise, you may be unsure as to the expectations since it will have varied so much in the past. Don’t assume, ask, if in any doubt at all.

About the Author:

Victor Epand is an expert consultant about luggage, cruises, hotels, and shopping. You will find the best marketplace for luggage, cruises, hotels, and shopping at these sites for bags, luggage, cruises, etiquette, tipping, and shopping.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – To Tip Or Not – Cruise Etiquette

You should always discuss your dietary needs with the staff at the restaurant. It would be a mistake to expect your server to be trained in ‘gluten-free’ dining. Though it is catching on, it is still all to uncommon to train the staff of most restaurants on a Gluten-free menu. If you are going to a new restaurant, it is best not to go during their peak busy time. You’ll want the servers full attention so they don’t “mess-up” by accident. You should ask questions about your meal, such as what comes on the plate, how it’s prepared, etc. Gluten-free dining can be a pleasant experience with a good attitude, a gluten-free restaurant card, and a some patience.

Keep in mind that often the kitchen may need to do some special preparation to get your food ready such as boiling fresh water for Gluten-free pasta. This can add extra time to your trip.

Tip20! does not claim to be experts on the subject so it is important to do your homework before trying an unfamiliar restaurant. We have put together the following resources to help you get started.

The websites below have great information on Gluten-free dining. Those with celiac/coeliac disease can see how you can enjoy travel and dining out when armed with the right information.

While on a recent road trip from Knoxville Tennessee to Minneapolis Minnesota my travel partner and I found ourselves stranded in the middle of the night (2:30 am) when the RV we were traveling in broke down. The tow truck driver was kind enough to drop us of at the closest hotel which lucky for us was the Holiday Inn Express in Nashville at 714 Spence Lane. This blog post isn’t a plug for Holiday Inn, but I feel compelled to comment on the high quality of service that we received.

From the moment we walked in we were cheerfully greeted by the night clerk by the name of Scott. Scott offered us waters right off the bat which was more than very welcome after having been stranded without food and drink in the RV by the side of the road for 5 hours. Fortunately they had a room available and the check-in process was quick and painless. Part of my plans for earlier that day was to stop at a store and pick up some things I didn’t want to bring on the flight due to the strict regulations, like toothpaste, shaving cream and a razor. We were never able to make it to the store but Scott hooked me right up with those needs.

The next day, the day clerk Greg was very pleasant and helped us out with an extended checkout time – sparing the guilt trip that I received at other hotels on our journey. When it became clear that we would be there another couple days while the RV was repaired, Greg showed me to the internet where I was able to get a great deal on a rental car (I can officially recommend Hotwire.com for finding a great buy.) Greg also took the liberty of calling a reputable cab for us and explained that there had been trouble locally with less honest cabbies. He really went out of his way. The front desk manager, Kevin was also very friendly and helped us out.

We were lucky enough to be stranded in a city as cool as Nashville so there was no shortage of things to do. Every night when we would come back to the hotel we were warmly welcomed back and offered cold bottled water. Aside from a rather old TV with fair reception our stay at the Holiday Inn was exceptional. I can recommend this hotel when in Nashville without hesitation. I wish all hotels had this level of customer service. Can’t wait to get back to Nashville!