I have lived in the Bay Area and what irks me is having to give formula tip of two times sales tax or 20% for bad or mediocre service. Unlike the philippines where tips (and bribes) are appreciated, the american servers usually show no sign of gratitude, it’s like tips are their unalienable right. Hence, they run after you outside the restaurant if you don’t leave enough tip.

My advise is the old adage, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. But never ever think that the world is Rome.

I really admire the japanese, they consider it offensive if you pay them a tip for doing their job well. Now that is taking pride in your work. Too bad not all nationalities are like that.

I’ve also been chased by a waitress in China… who hurriedly gave me back the money I left on the table. She insisted that tipping was not necessary, and that if we were indeed happy with the food or service, we would come back another time.

I agree with Rona Y, I would love an entire post on tipping! And not just restaurant tipping… tho I am curious if most people still leave tips when there’s already a 8-10% service charge. I never know how much to tip hairdressers (one who puts on the cape/apron thing, another to shampoo, another to cut hair, then sometimes another one who blow dries!); watcher car boys who never bothered watching the car, but runs to you when they see you exiting the establishment you’ve been in; and now that it’s nearing Christmas, all those envelopes from messengers I’ve never seen, but have supposedly been delivering me my bills all through the year.

https://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/19/dining/jacques-pepin-demonstrates-cooking-techniques.html?_r=1&smid=fb-nytimes&WT.mc_id=DI-SM-E-FB-SM-LIN-TTW-102011-NYT-NA&WT.mc_ev=click

If I was happy with my meal, I tack on a decent tip of around 10% (on top of anything already added), if not then I aim at 10% + change total. Local wait staff are generally paid pretty poorly as it is.

Also, there’s no real norm in the Philippines. I don’t think people typically tip here (is it an Asian thing?) but they know that being a service staff is hard and feel bad especially having a big indulgent meal. And because of the Filipino diaspora, Filipinos bring back very varied tipping habits from their host countries that just muddles the situation. Also, even though I think I have pretty decent arithmetic skills, sometimes I get flustered with the math. :)

But I do tip; I make sure service charge and my tip equals 15% of the meal (and honestly, I’ve never been to a restaurant where more was appropriate, possibly just because of my bad restaurant selections, possibly because of the general state of service Manila restaurants have).

Regarding service charge at Zubuchon, consider this possibility from economics Professor Dan Hamermesh: https://www.freakonomics.com/2011/08/04/innovations-in-restaurant-tipping-just-do-the-math-for-us/