[devcpp]

The entire American tip culture seems very weird to me as a Frenchman, where it is always included as a fixed percentage in the price. It looks to me like every waiter becomes a beggar when it's time to pay. Some of them are outraged when you pay too little; other times someone leaves a huge tip because he liked the waitress and the other waiters feel bad. It's just an unfair lottery and it's always awkward anyway.

Even the logic of promoting good service seems useless. The manager could easily take care of that (it's kind of his job) and if for some rare reason I had a bad experience, I can voice my opinion and not come back.

[honksillet]

The popular American (and British?) perception of French waiters and waitresses is that they are lazy and rude because they have no incentive to provide good service. (I have never visited France so I don't know if this is true or not.)

[digitalengineer]

Experienced Paris visitor with friends there. Even the French dislike a lot of things with regards to Paris, the waiters, the way they drive (local license plates). Funny thing is: In Paris they dislike people from certain parts of the city. The way they drive, etc.)