Tipping in USA/Canada
in [Airline Travel]
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From: Martin D. Pay on 9 Nov 2007 14:26 On Thu, 08 Nov 2007 23:09:50 -0900, NO_SPAM_TO_dpharris(a)gci.net (Dennis P. Harris) mangled uncounted electrons thus: <snip> >it's an unfortunate fact of life >that the american restaurant industry has refused to pay their >employees a living wage and expects them to live off tips, to the >point that it's actually the law and they will be taxed on tips >that the govt expects them to receive even if they don't. That's the bit I find extraordinary! Can the worker reclaim any overpaid tax at the end of the year, if they can demonstrate a lower actual income than the amount on which they've been charged? (Even with the rapacious tax regime in the UK, this is possible.) <snip> Martin D. Pay Thanks to everyone who's contributed to the information on 'cash v. plastic'...
From: James Robinson on 9 Nov 2007 15:29 Martin D. Pay <martin(a)starship-excalibur.co.uk> wrote: > > (Dennis P. Harris) mangled uncounted electrons thus: >> >> it's an unfortunate fact of life >> that the american restaurant industry has refused to pay their >> employees a living wage and expects them to live off tips, to the >> point that it's actually the law and they will be taxed on tips >> that the govt expects them to receive even if they don't. > > That's the bit I find extraordinary! Can the worker reclaim any > overpaid tax at the end of the year, if they can demonstrate a > lower actual income than the amount on which they've been > charged? (Even with the rapacious tax regime in the UK, this is > possible.) The tax authority (IRS) estimates what the person should receive in tips based on the total sales of the restaurant, and tax returns filed by other people in similar jobs. If the amount reported by someone varies significantly from the estimates, the onus is on them to prove why they are different than the trend. In many cases, they simply take the easiest course and accept the IRS estimate.
From: Frank F. Matthews on 9 Nov 2007 15:32 Hatunen wrote: > On Fri, 09 Nov 2007 08:06:14 -0800, mrtravel <mrtravel(a)a.a.a> > wrote: >>Dennis P. Harris wrote: >>>On Thu, 08 Nov 2007 21:29:14 +1100 in rec.travel.air, Qanset >>><Qanset(a)hotmail.com> wrote: >>>>I'm going to cop a lot of flak on this subject, but never mind I have >>>>and open mind on accepting advice on World Travel. >>>if you have an open mind, the usual gratuity for good service is >>>15 per cent of the tab. it does not apply in fast food places >>>where you take your own food to the table. >>> >>>i understand it does not apply down under, but it does in the >>>americas and europe ******************************************* >> >>In Europe people normally give 15 percent??? No way. > Please re-read subject line. > Please re-read discussion.
From: Jeff on 9 Nov 2007 19:44 "mrtravel" <mrtravel(a)a.a.a> wrote in message news:Pr2dnfa8W5TqGKnanZ2dnUVZ_hqdnZ2d(a)comcast.com... > Dennis P. Harris wrote: > >> On Thu, 08 Nov 2007 21:29:14 +1100 in rec.travel.air, Qanset >> <Qanset(a)hotmail.com> wrote: >> >> >>>I'm going to cop a lot of flak on this subject, but never mind I have and >>>open mind on accepting advice on World Travel. >> >> >> if you have an open mind, the usual gratuity for good service is >> 15 per cent of the tab. it does not apply in fast food places >> where you take your own food to the table. >> >> i understand it does not apply down under, but it does in the >> americas and europe > > In Europe people normally give 15 percent??? No way. > The OP was planning a trip to the U.S. and Canada. (And in Europe, when there is not a service charge added to the bill, it is customary to tip as well. But each European country their customs may vary).
From: Brian on 9 Nov 2007 21:30
On Fri, 09 Nov 2007 19:49:44 +1100, Qanset <Qanset(a)hotmail.com> wrote: > Not really, I try to be flexible when observing local customs, but I >will not be bullied into tipping, which I have seen happen. >> Then as someone said, don't eat at places in which the employees depend on tips to earn their living. Do you always try to change everyone's customs when you travel? |