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Original poster

All inclusive American resort - tipping

86 replies

PossiblyDreaming · 01/02/2022 21:54

In a few weeks I’m going to be staying at (what looks like) a very lovely, all inclusive resort in Grenada. Looking at the reviews it looks like it’s an almost exclusively American’s who stay there and it’s American owned. There’s lots of mentions about how the staff can be a bit standoffish and unwilling to help but once you tip they all become lovely and attentive and constantly bringing you amazing cocktails, reserving tables in the restaurant etc.

But I don’t know who to tip, when you tip or how much. Any suggestions? It’s a fairly pricey place to stay - for two of us it’s about £700 per night in the cheapest room but at an all inclusive rate. I just have no idea about tipping and don’t want to piss off the staff by tipping them not enough or tipping them at the wrong time and I don’t know if I have to tip everyone and I’m getting in such a faff about it already.

It’s supposed to be an absolute trip of a lifetime but I hate not knowing what the rules are.

OP posts:
DirectionToPerfection · 03/02/2022 09:22

Those who tipped expected extra special treatment and were really demanding of the (already super attentive), staff.

Yeah, just from a quick Google last night I'm already getting that sense from a lot of Americans.

"I give the bartender $20 on the first day and he ignores a line of people to serve me every time" Hmm

I'm fine with some moderate tipping but it seems like it's expected for just about every interaction. The holiday is already very expensive as it is. I don't think I can justify bringing hundreds of dollars for tips.

gelatogina · 03/02/2022 14:11

Please try and tip in local currency and not USD, especially in Mexico. Many people don’t have passports and local restrictions on exchanging currency mean that they need this even for small amounts. They also lose out on the exchange rate. It’s not hard to get some local currency and it will go further to the person you give it to.

Even small tips of 5 or 10 pesos go a long way for good service.

BackToWhereItAllBegan · 03/02/2022 14:21

The majority of people who tip are nice, friendly, polite people who tip because it's part of their culture or part of the culture where they happen to be.
They're not tipping because they demand and expect extra special service, they're not trying to behave like colonialists and they don't have a superiority complex as suggested by some posters on this thread, Tipping is simply part of their everyday life.
Of course there's always some who behave appallingly towards staff, which is completely unacceptable but that happens all over the world, regardless of tipping.

CrimbleCrumble1 · 03/02/2022 14:30

I always tip favourite bar staff 10 dollars hers and there and get great service same with the staff who take the drink orders on the beach or around the pool. I tip the room cleaners and then often the person who does the omelettes or any other really good members of staff.

DottyHarmer · 03/02/2022 14:42

Tipping is awkward, no doubt about that.

But Brits are known as awful cheapskates. The Pil used to enjoy Saga holidays and on one occasion they were bawled out by their tour guide on a US coach trip who told the group that a restaurant had told them that Saga was no longer welcome there due to not a cent being left as a tip, despite their being repeatedly informed by the guide to leave a percentage of the bill. Mind you, fil also balked at sales tax and would approach checkouts with the exact money . He was the original Mr Short Arms with Deep Pockets.

oncemoreunto · 03/02/2022 14:53

They're not tipping because they demand and expect extra special service, they're not trying to behave like colonialists and they don't have a superiority complex as suggested by some posters on this thread, Tipping is simply part of their everyday life.

This is what I see as reality.

I don't understand traveling to countries where tipping for services is just part of the normal culture and then getting stroppy because you are expected to do it.

mathanxiety · 03/02/2022 15:44

I think the British awkwardness about tipping stems from the conceit that being served a meal or drinks isn't really part of a transaction. It's people bringing you your food because they are lovely people simply doing you a favour, and you are somehow linked in friendship.

MrsTerryPratchett · 03/02/2022 15:53

I don't understand traveling to countries where tipping for services is just part of the normal culture and then getting stroppy because you are expected to do it.

I tip. Well. I've lived and travelled all over the world. But I think tipping culture is awful. And the psychology of it is terrible. It's also linked to poor financial literacy outcomes because of planning.

It's become 'normal' in countries it wasn't part of the culture because of Americans (and Canadians and others) travelling there and doing it. Which means wages fall, people who work in service industries become dependent on it, then aggression and poor service can be the result.

In America itself, it's not 'tipping'. It's a bizarre expectation. Why isn't it just in the price if every single transaction involves it? So strange.

MrsTerryPratchett · 03/02/2022 15:54

And I think some of the resultant behaviour is vile. Female servers flirting and touching customers to get bigger tips Envy

Original poster
PossiblyDreaming · 03/02/2022 15:58

I’m not getting stroppy because I’m expected to tip. I know I’m supposed to tip, I’m just trying to work out who I need to give money to, how much and when. I don’t like not knowing what the rules are, I hate offending people and tipping makes transactions feel a bit dirty to me. Like, I know people are being paid to bring me a drink/ serve me a meal but breaking it down into tiny payments for each individual task makes it all feel a bit nasty, somehow.

OP posts:
BackToWhereItAllBegan · 03/02/2022 16:32

Please don't overthink it or let it make you feel anxious @PossiblyDreaming
The staff are all used to receiving tips constantly so it's not awkward to them at all.
If you're sat at a bar for a few drinks or laying by the pool receiving drink service for a few hours then its perfectly acceptable to tip your server at the beginning or end rather than for each individual drink if you prefer.
In the restaurants, you can leave the tip on the table when you leave if you don't like to hand money to people. Most likely your waiter will never be far away so they'll pick it up as soon as you're gone.

mathanxiety · 03/02/2022 22:36

I want to know about the poor financial literacy outcomes.

mathanxiety · 03/02/2022 22:41

And the expectation that you will be tipped is not bizarre. It is an expected part of your employment remuneration, just as health insurance is in many other roles, or stocks and shares. The difference is that you hustle for it yourself. The bussers and dishwashers and other lowly employees are also hoping the server performs well because there is often a sharing out of tips.

When you file your taxes and reveal that you are a server you will be assessed based on an estimate of your annual tips plus the employer-reported wages on your W-2.

mathanxiety · 03/02/2022 22:44

It's better than Brits not tipping because people end up with more money.

I find the idea of not tipping far more reminiscent of serfdom. Servers have the honour and the privilege of bringing you your food and asking if they can get you anything else, how is your steak, sir... and the pleasure is theirs? That's just plain servile.

coraka · 03/02/2022 22:50

Yes, I understand how it works as I worked in the US one summer and my roommate was a waitress. Her hourly pay was really low, and then on top of this she had to submit an account of all the tables she had waited and the value or their bill and she was taxed on the assumption she received a 10% tip. So she used to get payslips that were $6 or $7. She was reliant on tips for almost ALL her income.

It is a terrible system for the workers. They are really beholden to the customer or they won't get paid at all, so that explains why some women feel forced to flirt, have to tolerate bad customer behaviour etc.

Clymene · 03/02/2022 22:58

Tipping is shit. The employers should pay people to do their job, not rely on the customers to do it for them.

And the Caribbean is not a US colony. Despite what some Americans may think

Smallkeys · 03/02/2022 23:24

I hate the pressure of tipping there’s so many people you could tip or should tip. It does add a stress Id almost rather they would say it is x amount at the end payable if you felt the service was good. China is nit a tipping culture but when you take a boat down the Yangtze tipping the tour guide for the trips is expected they actually ask you to tip which was totally weird. Shame people just don’t pay workers an actual decent wage

SummerSazz · 03/02/2022 23:39

I've been to AI in the Caribbean on different islands and Mexico and Greece. Never tip on a day to day basis but go round to the staff who have been amazing at the end and give them a personal tip and Thankyou. The egg chef was probably most surprised 😄 but was marvellous.

I book AI to not carry cash and worry about paying......

We've never had anything but excellent service but some do go above and beyond and we recognise that when we say goodbye

MrsTerryPratchett · 03/02/2022 23:44

@mathanxiety

I want to know about the poor financial literacy outcomes.
Studies show a variable income is much harder to manage. As well as they found people work longer when they are being paid poorly (eg cab drivers) than on 'good' nights. Which leads to less income overall. Sort of sunken costs fallacy.

God knows where all the studies are but I used to teach financial literacy so I used to read a lot about it.

MrsTerryPratchett · 03/02/2022 23:46

@mathanxiety

It's better than Brits not tipping because people end up with more money.

I find the idea of not tipping far more reminiscent of serfdom. Servers have the honour and the privilege of bringing you your food and asking if they can get you anything else, how is your steak, sir... and the pleasure is theirs? That's just plain servile.

Someone does a job and they're paid for it properly. How is that servile?

As opposed to expecting someone to dance for their supper. Please me and I might pay you more? Yuk.

uggmum · 03/02/2022 23:49

If it's Sandals then tips are included.

Staff are not allowed to accept tips. Except the Butlers that are assigned to particular room types.

This is an alien concept to a lot of Americans as they tip as a matter of course in the US. So you may find that they do attempt to tip.

Original poster
PossiblyDreaming · 04/02/2022 07:21

uggmum I’ve said several times that it’s not Sandals

OP posts:
Dreamstate · 05/02/2022 16:54

I sit onto he side of include everything in the price so I dont have to worry about tipping. I hate it, esp at all inclusive where you've paid for everything whats the point in taking cash, if I'm going poolside I sont want to worry about leaving money on the side in bag cos I need it to tip someone if they bring drinks over.

I went to Dom Rep and stayed all inclusive didn't even occur to me I should be tipping but didn't see that impact the service I got.

chopc · 05/02/2022 17:03

Who carries so much change/ cash around these days?

thenightsky · 05/02/2022 17:43

The thing that annoyed me most about the tipping in Dom Rep was the fact that the currency I took with me was all in 50 notes. I couldn't get change anywhere in the resort (AI). I wasted ages every day begging the reception staff to break down notes for me. I wanted to leave fair tips, but it was impossible. I gave up in the end.