• This is an archive of older St Barts forum topics and posts.
    Information in this sub-forum may be out of date.

    If you are researching schedules or time sensitive materials, go to the main forum and ask other members for confirmation.

Restaurant Tipping Tips

Hey Cass,
I don't recall you actually being of French origin but please correct me if I am wrong. My VERY simple post which I am not trying to be a jerk by posting, is based on my experience living her for 6 months a year over the last 7 years. I believe I met you and your lovely wife once? Not trying to really be harsh but I live hear and take care of people the way I want to be taken care of. GOOD KARMA, Pass it on....What goes around comes around. Has always worked out for me in life and I am sticking to that policy. kr

I'm not French at all, Kimberly. And, I readily will defer to our French friends who post here regarding French habits, customs, and traditions relating to le pourboire. Were I wealthy enough to winter on Saint-Barth my habits and POV might be different. As it is, I'm just a bloke who sacrifices during the year to spend a bit of time in Saint-Barth (in modest accommodations) each year. But, I still leave a pourboire...always. Never less than 5%, never more than 10%. It's always most appreciated, as the usual pourboire, again, from my observations, is 0.0%. I've been visiting France for 20+ years, though, and leaving a 20% pourboire is hardly standard or expected. By my bonne poire comment I was referring to what servers on Saint-Barth must think of Americans who fall for that tip line on their receipt and think they're supposed to tip 15-20% like in the USA. But, perhaps if a server waits on someone who looks as if he or she can afford to winter on the island the expectation is for a little wealth redistribution. I wouldn't know. Bien à toi.
 
What's the deal with tipping in restaurants?

I've seen opposing views on tripadvisor. With one saying it's okay not to tip as you are in France, another person saying to round up to nearest 10 (5-20€ max), and another into detail about tip vs servis compris (said this at the bottom of the Langouste menu, think it meant service included, but not a tip in the traditional American sense as it doesn't go direct to waiter/staff and is taxed), and how it's also considered rude to not leave anything.

I noticed when paying with a card in some restaurants, there's a tip line to tip at your discretion where as other restaurants don't even have a tip line. I wonder if it's because they are more accustomed to Chip & PIN? The more touristy places like ER have the tip line.


Thanks!

The OP had this question. Perhaps in the future we should just ignore a Newbies question since "we" all know the answer and are complicating the topic :cool:
 
The OP had this question. Perhaps in the future we should just ignore a Newbies question since "we" all know the answer and are complicating the topic :cool:
You are correct in answering the post but as the thread gets longer it gets confusing with pourboire and all of that. Andy's post is a perfect answer or a simple " the tip as we know it is not included." IMO
 
We have complicating simple concepts down to an art form in here

+1 :up:



Kimberly and Andy,
Randy and I are with you. I think I comes from being former service industry workers, not being wealthy. We also save up for our annual trip and hope we are viewed as generous, not foolish.


mb
 
+1 :up:



Kimberly and Andy,
Randy and I are with you. I think I comes from being former service industry workers, not being wealthy. We also save up for our annual trip and hope we are viewed as generous, not foolish.


mb

MB, I'm a former professional chef ("service industry worker" also). Let's wait to hear from Pascale and Islander and our other French forum amis, but I think they'll say that a 10% pourboire is considered "generous". I'm curious as to what they'll say regarding a 20% pourboire...
 
Hi Cass,By service workers, I was thinking of those who rely on tips for a significant portion of their income. This did not include chefs where I worked. I'm curious for the local viewpoint as well. mb
 
"Why is it so hard for people to accept the fact that the French do not need to tip since it is already included in the addition?" PascaleSchmidt

"The client may (or not) leave a tip. There is absolutely no obligation to leave any tip on top of the check amount...." Islander

"It's common to leave a 5% to 10% cash on the table (after the check has been paid), but only if you were satisfied with the service. If not, leave nada." Islander

"It is true that most europeans won't leave any tip. In Europe. In St Barths, local customs, inspired by the North American way (due to the fact that a good percentage of clients come from that part of the world), are slightly different. So you will find europeans, in St Barths, leave a tip." Islander

"take some cash (euro, USD, pesetas, pounds...) and leave the equivalent of 5 to 10% of the total bill amount on the table, if, and only if, you're satisfied with the service. This is not mandatory. This is a gratuity "tip"." Islander

photo-3.jpg
JEK




 
I have received lots of great advice from this forum, and bought into the French (no tipping, except for a cash pour boire occasionally for good service). So yes, I am now more confused.
Is there any way to know if or which restaurants pay their servers in the American way (i.e., very low base pay, expecting customer tips to make up the difference), or are all the restaurants on the island required by French law or otherwise to pay their servers with a decent hourly wage, and any cash tip left on the table is for the server per French custom?
As we make an annual trip to the island, we want to do the right thing.
 
jayhawkgirl,

There is no "American way" for restaurant owners to pay their servers in St Barths.

In France (and thus on the island) there is a minimum legal salary for all workers. It is called the "SMIC" (Salaire minimum interprofessionnel de croissance).

Based on 35 working hours per week, the rate (for 2014) is 9.53 euros per hour or 1,445 euros per month (tax free).

Many workers on the island earn the SMIC (employees in supermarkets, post offices, banks, administrations, boutiques, restaurants, etc....).

Not all have positions where tips can be received because they are not in direct contact with (American) visitors.

Once again, tips are not mandatory. Service is always included in your restaurant check.

The "pourboire" remains at the client's discretion. Just like it would be at Marché U, your car rental agent, or when buying a baguette at the bakery. It is up to you to leave some extra cash or not.


See details at: http://www.pole-emploi.fr/candidat/connaitre-le-montant-du-smic-@/suarticle.jspz?id=38140
 
Pas sûr Pascale, cette question revient tout le temps sur le forum. Pour nous tout cela semble extrêmement simple, mais ce n'est apparemment pas le cas pour nos visiteurs....
Il s'agit d'un choc de cultures... :)
 
"I leave 20% wherever I go, but that's just to buy popularity, as I'm such an unpopular guy."

Every successful attempt at humor contains a kernel of truth.
 
Overtipping

If you overtip, you will not be looked on as foolish, you will be perceived as generous, you will be remembered, you will get better service next time in a lot of restaurants (hopefully at The Hideaway we treat everybody the same).

Basically my tipping quote was how it is, but as I said, I personally always leave 20 percent wherever I go...lunch. For 3 at La Plage the other day € 270... I left € 350
so that's over 20%.
I didn't feel foolish, I a always get the table I want, and they run around serving me drinks.
They even play Sweet Caroline now and then !

But as the man said "whatever you want is good".... but zero is just being cheap, and almost nasty. Anybody who can afford a trip on vacation to St Barth's can at least afford a minimum. The wait staff have enormous rents to pay, you know what filling a fridge at home costs over here... there are no cheap prices at Super U for the locals...

But I don't think anybody from the forum leaves zero.

Happy New Year All, better get back to tonight's plans...
 
Top