TIPPING IN AMERICA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18520, 3 October 1923, Page 6

TIPPING IN AMERICA.

A UNIVERSAL SYSTEM, TRAVELLERS' EXPERIENCES Some interesting' sidelights, on • the• sys-.' ' tem of tipping as it Exists in .: the United j States, wore-given by an- old.traveller ' , J in an interview in Wellington this, week. | The system, which applies more especially ' J to America, where one is expected to give j tips— '.substantial ones—for ' the /very ,' smallest .service, is one, that- has' its humorous side, but has also other aspects. : On some of the American railways it is possible to'make, journeys which last three or four days, and the same applies to -the Canadian Pacific: line, 1 , which to . also about a. four-days' trip from coast , ; -:{ to ■ coast.'' • An old partner 'in --a New " ' | Zealand firm -was:going to England via j this route, and possibly ho may have been ,ja• little close^fisted^or.; he did not know - ; the custom.' : .This ; ,is to give '.' a -' tip to "-' , the waiters equal to 10 per cent, of your > bill. He had had dinner, and-his bill j was placed Before him.-.. Giving ', the "'. I waiter two dollars to pay JL-6o> the 36 j cents was ; brought back on-the tray. This : (he carefully counted out and placed in t i his pocket, and instantly the signal 1 went. ■ • ' -around among j, the /waiters like < free- : ■';' ; masonry. ; From that time through i the ",■ rest 'of the '■'. journey'; l the traveller); hardly :/\€ : had a hot or decent : meal.. He was the '■'.i last to ; be served, and iif •' there . were ; any ; ■' special, titbits r going he didn't get: them. 'j: At -the.station he bad diffi6ulty\in get- • '• ting■ a 'baggage man, or ' a taxi,-. aria it -•- seemed as it there had been ,'a-j conspiracy '-.;, . to make his journey as '„ unpleasant :; and' '■?•' uncomfortable -as possible. " -- ' Tipping is in, -its ' worst form in - America, it was stated, whether :in •'■ restaurants or hoteto. The custom- every- '':-•'' : where was a tip of ■;' riot, less than 10 *£■ per cent, on your bill, and.unless the cus- : : * , tom .is-adhered'-to i unpleasant "things "iaiy. ' --■ 'be looked for. 'An ; instance was quoted of where . two gentlemen deliberately decided not to give a tip, but after leav- '■;' ing the dining , room ,to go, out found a . , number of the waiters • assembled in the ' ;, hall, and as they passed through ," thai '.; waiters satirically bowed them out- "... : Most 'of r the waiters ,• in v America are "> : negroes, 'arid the -.ORinion was expressed. : ' that Americans prefer to retain the tip■ping habit as': it helps in maintaining the v. ."colour:distinction, - for. : they "do' not ■ fail :to ■■■'} ,make the negroes feel ■■ that ' they aire be- , ing"; paid ;for .their , services and ,' are ,' esV ppcted to' be servile.' ' " ,- -■• . - . - ' •■ : , '.