This is an over-simplification. It is actually hard for a foreigner who has no tipping experience coming in.
It's not what to tip, It's when/where that is the problem.
So sure the general rule is this percentage is for service, but what constitutes service as opposed to the job I'm paying for in the given price?
Full table service restaurant, ok I can handle that.
Taxis... apparently, sure... but again why is there a service component separate to the fare?
Fast food joint. No they don't really do much that constitutes service. Ok fine
Restaurant where you order and pay at the counter but they deliver to table... umm I'm not sure now, plus if its service shouldn't that be judged after, not before?
Bellhops/Luggage people at Hotels.. Apparently yes, but I've had many just out right refuse to take it. Or better yet, I don't have a huge amount of bags, I don't actually want your service of bag carrying (separate from the money thing), but you're insisting and now I'm in the corner on this one.
Massages or beauty therapies.. Fuck knows. Apparently yes. but if I'm tipping you for a fantastic massage service, what I'm I paying for strictly speaking?
YumCha places (Many servers) Hah... good luck working that one out.
There's more I've encountered in my time where I just didn't know and it wasn't readily apparent how/if it worked that way.
It isn't clear cut and definitely for foreigners coming in, its completely impenetrable whether you should or shouldn't.
I've lived here my entire life and I can tell you it's definitely not this simple. I can think of a dozen examples where it was ambiguous what to do: the first taxi I took, the guy who came to repair our washing machine when I was home alone as a kid, the guy upthread here claiming that 20% is the "widely-accepted minimum", someone else on this thread talking about how a waitress complained that he never tipped on his takeout orders (you're supposed to tip on takeout orders??). It's a fundamentally idiotic system and I don't have trouble understanding at all why people like GP would find it unpleasant as a traveler.
With tax miracullously not included in price, calculating tip and final total is a fun guessing game that you have to play each time you make an order.
No. It's simple. Just don't give a fuck and never tip - social norms be damned. If they want a certain amount then they should just charge that amount and cut out the tipping BS.
So sure the general rule is this percentage is for service, but what constitutes service as opposed to the job I'm paying for in the given price?
Full table service restaurant, ok I can handle that.
Taxis... apparently, sure... but again why is there a service component separate to the fare?
Fast food joint. No they don't really do much that constitutes service. Ok fine
Restaurant where you order and pay at the counter but they deliver to table... umm I'm not sure now, plus if its service shouldn't that be judged after, not before?
Bellhops/Luggage people at Hotels.. Apparently yes, but I've had many just out right refuse to take it. Or better yet, I don't have a huge amount of bags, I don't actually want your service of bag carrying (separate from the money thing), but you're insisting and now I'm in the corner on this one.
Massages or beauty therapies.. Fuck knows. Apparently yes. but if I'm tipping you for a fantastic massage service, what I'm I paying for strictly speaking?
YumCha places (Many servers) Hah... good luck working that one out.
There's more I've encountered in my time where I just didn't know and it wasn't readily apparent how/if it worked that way.
It isn't clear cut and definitely for foreigners coming in, its completely impenetrable whether you should or shouldn't.