La Guerite

[didier]

is this thread finished yet? geez there does not seem to be any new useful information.

this is a french island, the law is that all service is included. if the people working in the restaurants do not like this, then no one has a gun to their head to stay here. plenty of islanders and others work at places where there are no tips, standard wages including health insurance. a worker on the island including the restaurants has to sign a contract before working here. they are well aware of the salary with or without tips.

I think you should tip your housekeeper, as she normally is self employed, no contract, she/he pays their own health insurance.

the waiters have health insurance and a contract, leave them whatever you wish and so will I. whether its 100,200,300 euros check, they will be getting no more than five euros tip from me.

 

[andynap]

Diana- at least you call it a tip. :wink2:

 

[cassidain]

perhaps an apropos occasion for a time-honored JEK PSA: https://www.sbhonline.com/forums/sho...l=1#post935459

How to follow the advice found herein. An oft repeated PSA of mine

1. Spend money like it is your own. It is.

2. Do what you like, when you like. It is your vacation.

3. Eat what you want, when and where you want. It is your waistline and (see #1)

4. Drink what you want when you want. If your spouse likes red and you like white, buy one bottle of each. Life is short.

5. Stay in a villa, hotel, or a hole-in-the-wall depending on your whim, desire or see #1.

6. Cook in your villa (if a villa is your desire) if you want to. Go out for dinner if you like.

7. Plan ahead at least a day for dinner, or don't. Experience flexibility.

8. Go to a beach everyday, or stay by the pool at your hotel/villa.

9. Watch US TV at every opportunity, or not. It's your vacation.

10. Seek out the places that sell days-old New York Times, or current Times Fax. Do the crosswords, or don't.

11. Bring you laptop/tablet and surf the web morning, noon and night. Or leave it behind.

12. Make sure your cell has international roaming and call your homebound friends whilst splashing in the surf to engender envy. Or leave the cell at home.

13. Charge everything on your AmEx knowing that you are getting ripped off, or use your debit card at an ATM and pay cash.

14. Wake up extra early and be the first in line at the boulangerie and bring back bread for your spouse. Or take your spouse out for breakfast.

15. Bring your iPod/streaming device and speakers, or listen to the local FM station.

16, Always rent a manual 4WD, or an automatic if you are more comfortable.

17. Bring hairdryers, curling irons and other instruments of torture, or go with the humid breezes.

18. Tip for meals, maids and massages, or not. See #1.

19. Research your villa/hotel selections and gain consensus that you have the best-of-the-best, or book on a whim and enjoy the surprise.

20. Dress for dinner, or wear cutoffs. Nobody will care except your spouse/partner.

21. When you arrive, take off your shoes, take a deep breath and become one with the island, or head out to Match for some shopping.

22. Ride a bike, go for a run or go for a walk. Or, be a beach potato.

23. Pack three checked bags, or carry-on.

24. Take your ti punch with or without ice.

25. But, please, please, please double the cash you plan bring and leave half the clothes at home!​

 

[didier]

Diana- at least you call it a tip. :wink2:

walks like a duck, talks like a duck, then it must be a duck............and I'm no frenchie, no offense intended to the people who are french or to the people who pretend to be :wink2:

 

[MIke R]

anyone been to Maya s lately?

 

[LuckyKid]

Inspired by Cass's trip through the archives. I couldn't find Andy Hall's 2002 original post, so thx to JEK
https://www.sbhonline.com/forums/showthread.php/66395-Tips?p=737551&viewfull=1#post737551

The wise(?) tall Englishman once wrote:

I think that everyone should forget about French laws. As you know in SBH, we don't follow them exactly, thank god. The waiters are paid a fixed wage in some places, and on a percentage in others. If the waiter is paid on a percentage, it normally means part of that 15% we talk about, divided between all of the service staff. (on a quiet night 15% of not a lot, is very little). So a tip helps them. If a waiter is paid a fixed wage, it is the thought of tips that will keep him eager to please on a very busy night. Most staff have very high rents to pay, and as you all know, the cost of living is very high. My staff are well paid and work hard, but they still need tips to be able to enjoy life.
If you leave 5% everyone is happy. I leave 20% wherever I go, but that's just to buy popularity, as I'm such an unpopular guy.
The bottom line is, leave what you are happy to leave if the service was good, and zilch if it was bad.
Cheers
Andy

 

[MIke R]

or to the people who pretend to be :wink2:

 

[cassidain]

The wise(?) tall Englishman [le Grand Anglais] once wrote:

If you leave 5% everyone is happy.

very sound advice, imho.

 

[MIke R]

He also wrote he leaves 20%


so I propose we split the difference between his two quotes and all leave 12.5 %


voila.....done...'moving along


now


does anyone wear shorts to dinner.?

 

[amyb]

JEK's guidelines are still 100% spot on. He nailed it.

My philosophy boils down to this "to each his own." Enjoy all the island has to offer.

ASIDE to Mike,Went to Maya's last night and it was a wonderful well served well prepared delicious dining experience. Dora is cuter than ever. Every seat was occupied. Happy voices filled the room. The billion dollar view of rocking boats with lights twinkling was PRICELESS!

 

[MIke R]

Nice to hear..i still would eat sand before I would go...LOL

 

[cassidain]

He also wrote he leaves 20%

He did. In the hope of buying their affection. And that's fine too. As long as they don't come to expect it or solicit it. IMHO.

 

[MIke R]

You obviously dont know him.....his hope for affection comment is his typical dry sense of humor with no serious intent ...like warm beer and view of parking lot

 

[cassidain]

You obviously dont know him.....his hope for affection comment is his typical dry sense of humor with no serious intent ...like warm beer and view of parking lot

he did indeed have a wonderful view of the carpark, as he called it. I don't really drink beer, but his crappy wine list was the equivalent of warm beer.

 

[amyb]

Must add that it was Andy Hall who first told me to try Whispering Angel rose--I still like it! A very good tip in the days when OTT was IT!