William Simpson
Americans are unclear about when and where it is appropriate to tip in the United States, let alone what customs apply in France. As they prepare to join the 15 million people around the world traveling to Paris for the next OlympicsU.S. tourists could benefit from knowing proper tipping etiquette at the City of Light.
Although changing tipping rules at home has American consumers frustrated with how often they are asked to leave a tipA completely different set of unspoken rules governs expectations of change abroad – and some French restaurant operators may be eager to take advantage of foreigners’ ignorance.
In restaurants in France, bills automatically include a 15% service charge to cover waiter salaries, and so waiters do not rely on tips to make a living like they do in the US. decide whether the service was good enough to warrant an extra tip of a few euros, known as “pourboire”, which literally means “to drink”.
Another cultural difference: all types of service providers, including waiters and salespeople, are typically less attentive to customers than in the US, in part because good service doesn’t come with the kind of monetary reward that accompanies it in the US. in other words, don’t expect your food to arrive promptly or with a smile.
“The expression of service is not necessarily fast and attentive like it is here in the U.S.,” said Erika Rodriguez, operations specialist at travel site Going.com, who has spent the past four summers in France. “That’s not to say it’s a bad experience, but they want to make it clear that they are not your servants. They are very direct.”
Are restaurants taking advantage?
It’s no secret that European establishments prefer Americans over tourists of other nationalities, precisely because they tend to tip generously. And some visitors to France report that restaurants are trying to squeeze extra money from tourists by encouraging them to leave the kind of tips they would in the US.
The trick was so common in St. Bart’s the last time she visited, that travel guru Melissa Biggs Bradley, founder of travel agency Indagare, referred to it as “the St. Bart scam.”
“Every restaurant was asking people if they wanted to leave tips without acknowledging that the tip was built in,” Bradley told CBS MoneyWatch.
Going.com’s Rodriguez noted that in Paris it’s a tactic more common in tourist spots than in restaurants that draw local crowds. “They bring you a credit card machine with tip suggestions comparable to the amounts you leave in the U.S.,” she told CBS MoneyWatch.
Breaking the rules
While hardly illegal, experts say it amounts to taking advantage of generous customers who are unfamiliar with foreign customs.
Brian Warrener, who has researched tipping norms across Europe and how they differ from those in the U.S., said in France he discovered what he called “a small violation of the rules.”
“Especially in places where a lot of Americans are traveling, restaurants will include a line at the bottom in English saying that tips are not included, although there is a 15% service charge,” Warrener told CBS MoneyWatch. “So they are clearly trying to communicate with people who may not know tipping forms in France.”
He noted that some operators use tablets to accept payments that include 15% to 30% tip notices, a practice he suspects is becoming more widespread in anticipation of visitors arriving in Paris for the Olympics.
“In the US, this would be an inflated tip, but in France, where the tip is not part of the compensation, it is an advantage,” Warrener said.
Bradley, from Indagare, offered advice for avoiding the tipping ploy. “If you pay by credit card and are asked to leave a tip, ask if the service is included,” Bradley said.
Be warned: “They might try to fake it, but they can’t say ‘no’ when that’s the case. They could say it’s a question of whether or not you want to give me something for good service. But it’s absolutely standard, so the assumption should be that you are paying for the service,” he added.
How much should I leave at a restaurant?
Given that a service charge is already included in the total cost of a meal, servers don’t expect much more. It is common, however, to leave some change if you are going for a coffee or a meal, to reward good service. Rounding a bill from 13.50 euros to 14 euros or leaving a few euros is usually enough.
“What Europeans are used to doing when they receive good service is rounding up the bill to say, ‘Good job, here’s a little something extra,'” Warrener said.
He adds that, as a rule, it is up to tourists to familiarize themselves with the customs of other countries before traveling abroad.
“If you go to France and don’t understand the tipping culture and assume it’s like the U.S., they’re making it easier for you to make a mistake for their benefit,” he said.
