OT: Tip culture

[RUChoppin]

Sure, but if they know people are putting out cash in envelopes I'm sure they can adjust their schedule during the holiday season.

Our postal carrier left us a holiday thank you card the same day we left the card, so she must have had a stack of them handy.

Technically, postal carriers aren't supposed to accept cash/checks under USPS policy, anyway - so you can always leave a box of chocolate or whatever, too.

 

[RUAldo]

It's the same POS system. If you guys are going to complain about something, at least take the time to understand how these things work.

It’s a different POS system from the restaurants, but thanks. I’ll make sure to study it harder next time. Some f’in guys…

 

[Jtung230]

Our postal carrier left us a holiday thank you card the same day we left the card, so she must have had a stack of them handy.

Technically, postal carriers aren't supposed to accept cash/checks under USPS policy, anyway - so you can always leave a box of chocolate or whatever, too.

$20 maximum

 

[wheezer]

If someone orders a $35 bottle of wine, it's one thing to upsell to a $45 bottle and another to upsell to a $300 bottle in the hopes that the person doesn't go look it up the price on the menu.

it depends on the type of business.....If you are buying a car they will try to screw you as best they can, because it is not like a restaurant where you might come in once every two weeks

if your friendly down the street restaurant switched me to a $300 dollar bottle of wine, they would never see me again, and they might not get the $300 either.

With Pharmacy, back when most people did not have insurance that paid for their drugs, a pharmacy could make more money selling a $15 dollar generic than a $100 dollar brand drug, at times...the patient was happy to save, assuming they had no generic objection, and the business makes out better.... a win-win there

when I was in business I always tried to save the customer money if I could

 

[RUevolution36]

It’s a different POS system from the restaurants, but thanks. I’ll make sure to study it harder next time. Some f’in guys…

You mean the kiosk at the food court or at the Cibo expresses? You don't think that's a standard system?

 

[RUChoppin]

$20 maximum

Yeah, $20 maximum, but not supposed to be cash or cash equivalent.

 

[RUAldo]

You mean the kiosk at the food court or at the Cibo expresses? You don't think that's a standard system?

Global Marketplace

 

[ElmiraExpress]

Was in Belgium last fall. Heard about not being able to tip using a card. So when I hit the ATM upon landing to have cash on hand, I took out extra for tipping. It was exactly as you said. Most didn't give the opportunity to tip when paying with a card. One bartender asked me where in the United States do I live after giving a cash tip lol. They like Americans in restaurants there!! We seem to be the last people who tip over there . At a bottle shop in Bruges I tried to tip after a few brews with some help from the guy there. He was very thankful but refused to accept the tip. He said just tell people about this place. He said that is the best tip for them. So if you love bier and visit Bruges go Bierpaleis on Katelinestraat, 25.

I recall a bar in Norway, although the bartender was Irish or Scottish I think. Once he heard my accept, he said oh good !!!, I like that you guys pay us more money than we ask for. I got the impression that only Americans gave tips there.

 

[ElmiraExpress]

Beautiful place. Have to get back there at some point.

to me, Belgium was a bit of a strange country compared to other European counties. In the north near Netherlands, everything seemed nice, but I did notice on the train as you leave Netherlands and enter Belgium, you begin to see more graffiti, abandoned building, litter, etc., which you never see in Netherlands or Germany. The French part of Belgium is somewhat questionable safety-wise. That said, the city square in Brussels is one of the most beautiful and lively places I have ever been to - I loved it there, although I don’t think I left any tips Europeans don’t expect it, and sometimes, seem confused by the gesture.

 

[WhiteBus]

to me, Belgium was a bit of a strange country compared to other European counties. In the north near Netherlands, everything seemed nice, but I did notice on the train as you leave Netherlands and enter Belgium, you begin to see more graffiti, abandoned building, litter, etc., which you never see in Netherlands or Germany. The French part of Belgium is somewhat questionable safety-wise. That said, the city square in Brussels is one of the most beautiful and lively places I have ever been to - I loved it there, although I don’t think I left any tips Europeans don’t expect it, and sometimes, seem confused by the gesture.

Antwerp was the only place I saw graffiti. It is unlike all the other towns I visited. Full of non Belgium nationals. Brussels was a bit similar. I toured by bicycle from town to town through the Flanders region. Which is everything west to the coast. Dutch/Flemish region. These were the other towns I visited/stayed at. Mechelen, Lier, Ypres, Bruges, Ghent and Geraardensbergen. Highly recommend them all.

 

[ElmiraExpress]

Antwerp was the only place I saw graffiti. It is unlike all the other towns I visited. Full of non Belgium nationals. Brussels was a bit similar. I toured by bicycle from town to town through the Flanders region. Which is everything west to the coast. Dutch/Flemish region. These were the other towns I visited/stayed at. Mechelen, Lier, Ypres, Bruges, Ghent and Geraardensbergen. Highly recommend them all.

oh, I should have mentioned the beer, the best in the world

 

[mikebal9]

Yeah, $20 maximum, but not supposed to be cash or cash equivalent.

I give my mailman, Randy, $50 every year. I know what time he comes and I see him coming and meet him outside with the card. Randy is awesome and just about the nicest guy you could meet, so I have no problem going overboard on a tip. If he wasn't so nice, we'd probably give less.

 

[WhiteBus]

oh, I should have mentioned the beer, the best in the world

And cheap!!!

 

[Kbee3]

. These were the other towns I visited/stayed at....Ypres.....

I always struggled with the pronunciation of Ypres.
How do they pronounce it in Ypres ?

 

[WhiteBus]

I always struggled with the pronunciation of Ypres.
How do they pronounce it in Ypres ?

E-pruh or Ypra. There is a bar next to the Menin Gate named Ypra. Where every night they pay tribute to those who died in WWI.

 

[Kbee3]

E-pruh or Ypra. There is a bar next to the Menin Gate named Ypra. Where every night the pay tribute to those who died in WWI.

Thanks.
I'm confused. On the History Channel I swear they pronounced it "EEP"
Sorta like that scientist Pepys whose name I've heard pronounce PEEPS.

 

[WhiteBus]

Thanks.
I'm confused. On the History Channel I swear they pronounced it "EEP"
Sorta like that scientist Pepys whose name I've heard pronounce PEEPS.

Many pronunciations in Belgium are screwed up as you have Dutch/French/German spoken in different. Although Ypres is in the Flemish/Flanders region it is just a few miles from the French boarder. Also the spelling of almost every city is spelled differently then we do. Ypres is spelled Leper there. Bruges is Brugge etc

 

[mildone_rivals]

I always struggled with the pronunciation of Ypres.
How do they pronounce it in Ypres ?

Pronounce it her-peas. Loudly. In public.

 

[mdk02]

E-pruh or Ypra. There is a bar next to the Menin Gate named Ypra. Where every night they pay tribute to those who died in WWI.

Or you could butcher it the way the British troops did during the WWI battle and call it "Wipers".

 

[robcac26]

How many people go around opening their neighbor's mailboxes?

We usually call the post office to confirm our mail carrier's name, and then leave a card with the name and a bow on it in the box for them in the morning.

Our postal carrier left us a holiday thank you card the same day we left the card, so she must have had a stack of them handy.

Technically, postal carriers aren't supposed to accept cash/checks under USPS policy, anyway - so you can always leave a box of chocolate or whatever, too.

$20 maximum

Yeah, $20 maximum, but not supposed to be cash or cash equivalent.

I was a mail carrier in Edison one winter. Despite the lazy articles that come out every winter, you are not going to get your carrier in trouble by giving more than the $20. The postmasters are well aware of customers giving their carriers gifts and are not out to punish anyone for accepting them. I didn't have my own route, I filled in for whoever was off each day, so when someone left a gift in their box for the carrier, I brought it back to the post office and left it at their desk so they'd get it next time they're in. Of course I'm sure there are those who are not as honest. Also unfortunately, there was one total douchebag who would drive around other people's routes and steal the gifts that were for other carriers before they got there.

I had a number of incidents where I slipped and fell on icy driveways and staircases because people didn't salt them. On one of them I found out it was that *******'s house. I would think if anyone would be courteous enough to salt their driveway for their carrier, it would be a fellow carrier at the same post office, but nope that guy just sucked.

 

[WhiteBus]

Or you could butcher it the way the British troops did during the WWI battle and call it "Wipers".

And french fries should really be called Belgium fries as Americans thought they were in France when they were actually in Belgium.
Regardless, if anyone goes to Belgium Ypres is a must place to go.

 

[robcac26]

And french fries should really be called Belgium fries as Americans thought they were in France when they were actually in Belgium.
Regardless, if anyone goes to Belgium Ypres is a must place to go.

You mean Belgian fries, as in Belgian beer, Belgian waffles, etc.
America : American :: Belgium : Belgian

 

[WhiteBus]

You mean Belgian fries, as in Belgian beer, Belgian waffles, etc.
America : American :: Belgium : Belgian

Yup

 

[ElmiraExpress]

And cheap!!!

Another international tipping story. Ten years ago I was in Chengdu, China, which is in the center of the country. I was mostly alone, and there is almost no English spoken there, at least not 10 years. I would eat alone at the hotel restaurant. One night, I did notice another white guy eating alone, although I didn’t speak to him. He left a tip, but when the waiter saw it, he went running out into the street to find him. He couldn’t find him, so he looked around and saw me. He tried to give the money to me. He must of thought all white guys know each other. He didn’t speak English, but I tried to show him to put it in his pocket, but he couldn’t understand. I’m not sure what happened, but I suspect he gave the tip money to the boss there.

 

[RUChoppin]

I was a mail carrier in Edison one winter. Despite the lazy articles that come out every winter, you are not going to get your carrier in trouble by giving more than the $20. The postmasters are well aware of customers giving their carriers gifts and are not out to punish anyone for accepting them. I didn't have my own route, I filled in for whoever was off each day, so when someone left a gift in their box for the carrier, I brought it back to the post office and left it at their desk so they'd get it next time they're in. Of course I'm sure there are those who are not as honest. Also unfortunately, there was one total douchebag who would drive around other people's routes and steal the gifts that were for other carriers before they got there.

I had a number of incidents where I slipped and fell on icy driveways and staircases because people didn't salt them. On one of them I found out it was that *******'s house. I would think if anyone would be courteous enough to salt their driveway for their carrier, it would be a fellow carrier at the same post office, but nope that guy just sucked.

I'd assume accepting a Christmas gift of $50 cash vs a $20 non-cash gift is about as much of a violation as driving 38 in a 35 mph zone. I'd imagine a $10K stack of small denomination bills might raise some eyebrows, though, lol