Tipping in poor countries

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:On my last trip it was the opposite - a local lamented that Americans and Brits tip well and now the local people are not preferred in the tourist towns (like they get snubbed at a restaurant in favor of better tippers). So Americans bringing tipping culture there just pisses off the locals that are not in hospitality.

So amazing. Virtually every response so far has been excuse mongering over being cheap. Not a single post so far in favor of being generous just for generosity’s sake. Really, really eye opening.

[Anonymous]

So Mexico or Ecuador. No need to be cagey, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tipping is culturally specific. If you tip like an American in Japan, for example, you will insult them. You should find out what is appropriate in each country and do similarly, tipping at the upper end of the spectrum as you are wealthier than most.

We’re not talking about Japan, which is a wealthy country. We’re also not talking about local customs. We’re talking about going to a poor country because it’s cheap and being cheap yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So Mexico or Ecuador. No need to be cagey, OP.

I’m not being cagey. As I said it’s more than one country. The specific country has nothing to do with the general proposition. But sure, let’s say Mexico or Ecuador. Why not. They both work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tipping is culturally specific. If you tip like an American in Japan, for example, you will insult them. You should find out what is appropriate in each country and do similarly, tipping at the upper end of the spectrum as you are wealthier than most.

We’re not talking about Japan, which is a wealthy country. We’re also not talking about local customs. We’re talking about going to a poor country because it’s cheap and being cheap yourself.

Most people who move to these countries are retirees on fixed incomes. Many people get much tighter with money when they are no longer earning. Not saying it’s right it wrong. It’s just how it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just returned from several weeks in a poor country that attracts lots of North American (USA and Canada) and European ex pats for the low cost of living. I both discovered and was told point blank by the locals (I speak the language) that ex pats are terrible tippers and the tourists not much better. I mean, people are almost literally starving and living on nothing and these people can’t bring themselves to throw a server some extra change? It’s pretty disgusting.

I ended up at a bar one night having a conversation with a young tourist from South Africa. The guy basically said that my way of thinking is typically American because in countries like his there are so many desperate people that it’s impossible to help them all. Um, no, I’m not talking about “helping them all,” I’m talking about leaving someone who actually does something for you a decent tip.

I hate people who move abroad because they couldn’t make enough money or are too weird to live in their own country and then treat the locals like dirt.

I bet a lot of it is confusion over where is there actually a tipping culture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Never ever believe anyone who is asking for tips when they talk about the tipping practices of others. They do know how to pull on your heart strings to make you tip more.

I hear you but in my case you’re just gonna have to trust me that there’s no heartstring pulling going on here. It’s a fact.

Hear that everyone. Trust the random internet stranger. Got it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just returned from several weeks in a poor country that attracts lots of North American (USA and Canada) and European ex pats for the low cost of living. I both discovered and was told point blank by the locals (I speak the language) that ex pats are terrible tippers and the tourists not much better. I mean, people are almost literally starving and living on nothing and these people can’t bring themselves to throw a server some extra change? It’s pretty disgusting.

I ended up at a bar one night having a conversation with a young tourist from South Africa. The guy basically said that my way of thinking is typically American because in countries like his there are so many desperate people that it’s impossible to help them all. Um, no, I’m not talking about “helping them all,” I’m talking about leaving someone who actually does something for you a decent tip.

I hate people who move abroad because they couldn’t make enough money or are too weird to live in their own country and then treat the locals like dirt.

I bet a lot of it is confusion over where is there actually a tipping culture.

No, it doesn’t. The ex pats know that there’s a tipping culture where they’ve ex-patted to. There’s no “confusion.” It’s people being cheap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So Mexico or Ecuador. No need to be cagey, OP.

I’m not being cagey. As I said it’s more than one country. The specific country has nothing to do with the general proposition. But sure, let’s say Mexico or Ecuador. Why not. They both work.

Ha ha, of course it’s Mexico or Ecuador. Because that’s the only two places in Latin America that clueless old ladies go. Take it from somewhere who’s been everywhere. Probably Mérida or Cuenca actually, that’s how easy it is to pinpoint.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Never ever believe anyone who is asking for tips when they talk about the tipping practices of others. They do know how to pull on your heart strings to make you tip more.

I hear you but in my case you’re just gonna have to trust me that there’s no heartstring pulling going on here. It’s a fact.

Hear that everyone. Trust the random internet stranger. Got it.

It’s my thread. So, yea, one can assume for purposes of my thread that I know what I’m talking about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So Mexico or Ecuador. No need to be cagey, OP.

I’m not being cagey. As I said it’s more than one country. The specific country has nothing to do with the general proposition. But sure, let’s say Mexico or Ecuador. Why not. They both work.

Ha ha, of course it’s Mexico or Ecuador. Because that’s the only two places in Latin America that clueless old ladies go. Take it from somewhere who’s been everywhere. Probably Mérida or Cuenca actually, that’s how easy it is to pinpoint.

Why is it impossible to have a conversation on DCUM without the snark? Amazing.

It’s neither Mexico nor Ecuador. Ok?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So Mexico or Ecuador. No need to be cagey, OP.

I’m not being cagey. As I said it’s more than one country. The specific country has nothing to do with the general proposition. But sure, let’s say Mexico or Ecuador. Why not. They both work.

Ha ha, of course it’s Mexico or Ecuador. Because that’s the only two places in Latin America that clueless old ladies go. Take it from somewhere who’s been everywhere. Probably Mérida or Cuenca actually, that’s how easy it is to pinpoint.

Why is it impossible to have a conversation on DCUM without the snark? Amazing.

It’s neither Mexico nor Ecuador. Ok?

Then it must be Colombia, the flavour of the moment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So Mexico or Ecuador. No need to be cagey, OP.

I’m not being cagey. As I said it’s more than one country. The specific country has nothing to do with the general proposition. But sure, let’s say Mexico or Ecuador. Why not. They both work.

Ha ha, of course it’s Mexico or Ecuador. Because that’s the only two places in Latin America that clueless old ladies go. Take it from somewhere who’s been everywhere. Probably Mérida or Cuenca actually, that’s how easy it is to pinpoint.

Why is it impossible to have a conversation on DCUM without the snark? Amazing.

It’s neither Mexico nor Ecuador. Ok?

Then it must be Colombia, the flavour of the moment.

Sigh. No, it’s not Colombia either. Do you really want me to list every country in Latin America that I’ve visited? Let’s make it easy: I haven’t been to Paraguay. Does that help? And why does it matter which country it is?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not my fault that these countries have corrupt government officials who line their own pockets. You can't solve the worlds problems OP.

+100

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Name the countries!

I’m talking about the poorer countries south of the border.

They should be paying the US reparations for illegal immigration.