In what circumstances are tips insulting?

[Eddy]

Originally Posted by boricuaonline

Is the 10% service charge a tip or is another dominican tax? Hotels and restaurants usually charge the 16% itbis plus the 10%.

The 10% is distributed (or supposed to be) to all employees. For example, in a restaurant, a 100. pesos meal would cost 126. 16.00 itbis (tax) and 10.00 gratuity. So the waiter who served you might get 1 peso out of the 10. Probably even less. Thus the custom to give an extra 10% to the waiter "If the service warrants it".

[Chirimoya]

In theory, anyway.

[Eddy]

Originally Posted by Chirimoya

In theory, anyway.

Actually it's called servicio. And your theory on the theory, is theoretically correct. LOL

[jrzyguy]

can i veer slightly off topic here? One thing i HATE is that every deli or take out place in nyc has a tip jar. I tip well (usually over 20%). But I am offended by these tip jars. Here in the US a waiter gets under minimum wage (about $3 dollars an hour, which basicaly sometimes cover taxes on tips) and is taxed on his/her sales. (last i knew we were taxed at 8%...on cash transactions and 100% on credit card tansactions). So if you really DO like your waiter...tip cash!

In the DR I generally tip the usual people (waiters, bartenders, barbers, bell hops (or whomever brings my bags to my room) maids etc). BUt in DR i tip 10% rather than the 20% i would in the US. If you tip over 10% people look at you like you are a crazy fool. In general i dont tip taxis in the DR for some reason. I feel they are most likely overcharging me anyway by giving me a gringo rate.

[Bayx-**]

I asked a waiter in Santo Domingo what was the 10% charge for.... and he told me it supposes to be for the waiters, but the owner keeps it anyway. So I usually tip in a restaurant a 10% on top of that.

I just think DR is getting a little carry away with the taxes. Here we pay a 7% tax and between 10% to 20% on tip.

[Bayx-**]

I know for fact that some restaurants owners do keep that 10% tip.

Good service is worth whatever you want depending on the cir****ances and one individual experience. It could be 100% or even 200% or whatever you wish.


Now a 16% tax is high for a dysfunctional country like DR.

Just my person opinion

[edm7583]

Originally Posted by Eddy

The 10% is distributed (or supposed to be) to all employees. For example, in a restaurant, a 100. pesos meal would cost 126. 16.00 itbis (tax) and 10.00 gratuity. So the waiter who served you might get 1 peso out of the 10. Probably even less. Thus the custom to give an extra 10% to the waiter "If the service warrants it".

The Ley 10% is a service charge which is esentially the same as a gratuity. Yes, it's true that that 10% they charge you is distributed to all the employees, so maybe they might get 1 peso out of the 10 as per your example, but on the other hand, they are getting a share of the 10% from customers they didn't even wait on.

To tip 10% over this is really going overboard. This is esentially paying nearly 40% more than the price listed on the menu!. When I'm at restaurants and ITBIS and Service Charge are added on to the bill, I will leave a little bit extra if the service was good (not another 10% of the bill), and (more often) when service is slow and inattentive, I don't leave anything extra. The 10% service charge is more than sufficient.

The only other people I tip in the DR are the bag boys at the supermercado, (20 pesos or so)and the porters at the airport (20-30 pesos or maybe 50 if I have a bunch of luggage) If they hassle me for more money I tell them to get lost in Spanish. They wouldn't ask for more If I wasn't a gringo. I just laugh when I see people at the airport giving 5 and 10 dollars. I might also tip the maid a little something if the service was good or they did something extra. I never tip taxis! The prices are always inflated as it is and as a gringo they'll bargain down to an extent once they realize you have a clue what the going price should be but not to the price the locals pay.

[pyratt]

Originally Posted by Chip

200 pesos is way too much. An RD50 peso tip would more than suffice for most occasions. The locals get away with RD10-20 typically. If a person gives you a dirty look, chalk it up to you being less pariguayo than them.

Who left you keeper of the propinas....time and time again on this board it's always NO TIP or TOO MUCH....is everyone from north of Niagra Falls or what????

Typically, I tip 100DRP ($3USD) to the shoeshine kids, at breakfast etc....$10USD if I get exceptional service at the front desk and 10% of any food bill in addition to the 10% ley...and I tend to frequent nicer places for my evening meal.

But then, this gringo never waits for a table at any restaurant he's been to, his room is ready and so is a free drink upon arrival, my shoe shine kids don't "bug me" all the time.....oh and I have "friends" where ever I go in SD....

$50pesos in the DR economy is a slap in the face (as it is in the U.S. economy), yet, that's the same tipping mentality we see in my home state from the folks of the same "lattitude", treat others as you wish to be treated....you'll enjoy the karma

[b.batista]

Originally Posted by pyratt

Who left you keeper of the propinas....time and time again on this board it's always NO TIP or TOO MUCH....is everyone from north of Niagra Falls or what????

Typically, I tip 100DRP ($3USD) to the shoeshine kids, at breakfast etc....$10USD if I get exceptional service at the front desk and 10% of any food bill in addition to the 10% ley...and I tend to frequent nicer places for my evening meal.

But then, this gringo never waits for a table at any restaurant he's been to, his room is ready and so is a free drink upon arrival, my shoe shine kids don't "bug me" all the time.....oh and I have "friends" where ever I go in SD....

$50pesos in the DR economy is a slap in the face (as it is in the U.S. economy), yet, that's the same tipping mentality we see in my home state from the folks of the same "lattitude", treat others as you wish to be treated....you'll enjoy the karma

He is so busy worrying about being overcharged and being a paraguayo himself that he has lost all sence of harmonious balance.

[730]

what is an 'acceptable' tip amount for hotel staff?