[iso1631]

We bought a second car at the weekend, I phoned up my insurance company and asked them to put it on. They did so, and it was cheaper than the quote I'd got online - £180 for 9 months vs £290 for 12 months.

So I immediately tipped the person on the phone £45

How ridiculous does that seem?

[lotsofpulp]

I’ve even started asking my friends and family for tips anytime I do anything for them.

US culture of tipping is so ridiculous that I think people actually derive enjoyment from tipping by giving themselves an ego boost when they do, as some sort of charity or having role played as an extremely rich person being benevolent with their wealth.

[iso1631]

That's the point. There's a friend episode where Rachel and Ross go out for dinner with her Dad. He pays the bill ($200 or so - fancy resturant) and goes to the bathroom. Ross comments he'd 'only' tipped 4%, and leaves some cash.

Great putdown when the father comes back, sees the tip, rips up the credit card receipt and tells Ross to pay the whole bill if he wants to be the 'big man'

[cm2012]

"In boxing I can punch people in the face, but in baseball it got me disqualified! How is that fair?"

You're comparing apples and oranges. Tipping is just the way portions of the food service industry works.

[iso1631]

> Tipping is just the way portions of the food service industry works.

A number of industries (but which industries - how do I tip the person who takes my order at a mcdonalds drivethrough. Do I tip my builder who put in a new window? How about the binman?), in a small number of countries (do I tip in Mexico City? Quito? Brazzerville?)

The U.S. seems to have built an expectation of tipping into its economy and tries to export that expectation around the world.