The US tipping phenomenon effects everyone.
In Eastern Europe, especially in the more remote places, if you speak English, you must be American.
Therefore you tip and tip well.
However there is often no service and in many cases a total disdain for actually serving you at all. This reflects their recent Russian heritage.
There has to be a happy compromise.
As I have bleated about before, the service industry in the US is a result of a corrupt capitalist ideology. It believes that it’s the customer’s responsibility to pay staff wages, as well as your food, not the restaurants.
This results in most Americans tipping when overseas at the same ridiculous rate that they do at home.
Something between 18% to 35%.
This ruins it for the rest of us and creates a false expectation within the service industry in these countries.
On the bright side there is little waste, as there is in the States, due to the use of proper washable crockery an cutlery.
When we do get great service, we don’t mind rewarding the staff – with about a 10% gratuity.
Then it’s a real reward not part of their salary.
