Tipworthy?

Who does one tip?

[mfishy]

Today I am having some hardwood floors installed. Is it appropriate to tip the two workers? Is it expected? They are contracted by the flooring company.

Also, do you tip when you order food for takeout? Occasionally, I call ahead to order from sit-down type restaurants to take the food home. On the credit card bill is a line for tip. Am I supposed to tip here?

[ronin]

European tipping customs

I think you would find that tipping customs tend to differ from country to country - it's worth checking that before you go to whichever country you're going to. In some countries neither tipping nor service charges exist (as such), in others both exist, in yet others, one or the other is commonplace.

[Hawkgirl]

> tipping customs tend to differ from country to country

We just spent a week in Greece, where we weren't sure of the tipping custom. I struck up a friendship with the head waiter at our favorite restaurant, so I asked him what was the usual custom in Greece. "You're from the States, aren't you? You people are the only ones who ever ask me that question!"

We had a good laugh about it ... but he said he really appreciated that I asked the question, rather than just assuming one way or the other.

(And yes, we ended up tipping nearly all of our waiters/waitresses ... they were excellent!)

[creative craig]

I tipped the people who cut my hair, this guy was a good laugh and he didnt make me look an idiot after he had finished ;)