At every restaurant I frequent, the server always asks: Bottled or Tap?
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The tip keeps going down until the coffee arrives. Also down a notch every time the says perfect. Kinda the new ya know.
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I should have done that in Budapest. At a Burger King, when I asked for serviettes, I was asked “How many do you want?”. Because those burgers can be messy, I asked for 3, and I was charged for 3 serviettes. Admittedly, the charge was nominal, but those napkins were also the thinnest/flimsiest that I ever experienced.
This was shortly after the end of Communism, so I guess that they were still groping their way through Capitalism, but… charging for napkins? Really?
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And, if there is an inordinately long delay between requesting the bill and receiving it, the tip also declines.
Made my annual trip to Texas road house for daughter. Jeez I hate that place. They should pay me to go there.
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I have always disliked that place, but after it was revealed that their hiring policies actively discriminated against “older” people, it went onto my “never again” list:
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Sometimes the fees on certain products are mandated. Certain places charge for paper or even plastic bags and that is by law. You can also bring reusable ones as well. Maybe the paper napkin thing is a law over there.
Sometimes on rental cars, taxis, etc, you get hit with a tourism tax or regulation fee. I had a $5 charge from the second I sat down in the last taxi. That paid some sort of fee or tax to the local airport authority.
MN was selling delta 8 stuff in the last few years. Now they are selling delta 9 which gets you high. And there is no extra tax for enforcement or admin. Seems the govt totally missed that. So, just reg %7 tax.
I know some people who work in the cannabis industry. I am not sure how these delta 10 and 8 products get by without regulation but they do. It is the same molecule but the double bond is in the 8th or 10th position instead of the 9th. Also, I think you can sell delta 9 if it is less than X amount per dose of product and less than Y concentration. It is just a way to game the system. I have also been told that these products are usually far stronger than what is stated on the package.
Then there are products that your body metabolizes into delta 9 as well although they don’t contain any. It seems there are a lot of gray areas with this stuff. Seeing it at random gas stations makes me wonder about the safety and quality of some though.
New Zealand, lovely place, hope to get back there. Language: When asked what I owed at a food cart, I was told “tweeny-tin.” Took three times for me to understand “twenty, ten.”
Then there was the conductor on an over-the-mountains-scenic-train announcing:
"Sorry the vendor did not provide us with sufficient “Heat Seats…” (it really was not very cold…) but he continued that “…If we had our own, we should feel free to plug these in to hear the commentary…” Oh, Head Sets!
Was also roundly lectured to by a young waiter at a lunch shop to “Please do not tip…! Do you know we get a wage of $15 NZ/hour” — his was 20 years ago. If only we had similar laws in the US.
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Carry my own water, everywhere. I know the quality of what is in my jug.
Bottled water…who knows? Less plastic too!
Heck, I was born near Chicago, 2&3 grade in Wisconsin, then family moved to Minneapolis. When on vacation stopped in a restaurant in southern Illinois, near Kentucky, could barely understand her accent.
My wife was from Sheffield England, I often had to interpret what she said for waitresses.
On that topic, my first trip to Paris was an Escorted Tour, and the local guide was a young local lady whose accent was almost impenetrable. After a lot of miscommunication during our 5 day encounters, the most memorable miscommunication took place on the way to the airport for the return flight.
Guide: “We are approaching Charles DeGaulle Airport. We will find the pour-tairre, and then we will have chicken before your flight.”
Me and everyone else on the bus: “It’s 6 AM, I don’t want to eat chicken!”
(Translation: We will find the porter, and then we will check-in for the flight.)
To try to stay on topic… Yes, I did give her a tip.
I think the only time I didn’t tip somewhere was a winery where they made you buy water. It was worse than that though. I don’t mind paying for tastings and understand that they do it to keep those wanting free wine away. Some charge only a few dollars for tastings and then apply the cost to a purchase if you buy a bottle or more. This place charged as much as a bottle of wine for a tiny tasting and didn’t apply any of the cost to purchases.
Then came the water. They wanted like $5 for a bottle of water. I asked them if I could bring my own water in. NOPE! You had to buy their water or drink water outside in your car if you wanted any. The place was a ripoff and didn’t get a tip. The wine was only so-so as well.
This winery wasn’t in the most affluent area and I don’t see how the locals are paying their prices. I wonder if the place is still in business.
Just looking at a week cruise with free unlimited open bar, included in the price of the cruise is a 200 some odd dollar tip for the bartender!
That is nice the tips are included in the price as well. This makes everything simpler.
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I don’t know how many do this but instead of a money tip, I sent my surgeon a note of appreciation for his good work. Figured he had enough money.
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I’ve done that also for medical & other professional services. Physicians particularly work very hard & long hours, and a thank-you note in the mail I expect is much appreciated. Worse case, out 50 cents for the stamp.
But it is “no problem” = everything is “no problem”. It is the new thank you. \
Meh, doctors are well paid for their services. I do thank them when invited over for dinner.
Patients rarely thank ancillary staff, just doctors and nurses. Yet without ancillary staff many diseases can not be diagnosed, monitored, or controlled.