Service inclus?

[Srhdesign]

On our last trip to st Barths we heard contradictory statements regarding this. Is st Barths like mainland France where tip is included at restaurants or not? I know even in the south of France waiters say it’s not to get Americans to tip. Not sure if the same strategy is done in st Barths. We always tip but it’s good to know for future visits.

thanks

 

[amyb]

The check includes a service charge. Tips are left in appreciation of servers and staff. We pay service on the credit card bill. The tip we prefer to leave in cash.

 

[cassidain]

always a lively subject.

0% - correct from a French POV
5% - nice gesture that doesn't go unappreciated except in tourist traps targeting Americans
10% - buying your love
20% - buying lots-o-love or ​demonstrating that you're an uninformed American tourist

as Amy says, the pourboire or tip (solely at your discretion and for good service) always in cash and handed to your serveur/serveuse

 

[Cwater]

I agree with Amy.

 

[didier]

you cannot put a tip at Maya's restaurant on the credit card. the tip must be in cash, but most restaurants you can leave a tip on the card.

locals leave 5 percent, some leave a little more. trust me if you leave a 20 percent tip or more, the waiter/waitress will not think you are an uninformed american, they will just be happy, happy, happy. also please don't forget to tip your maid, minimum tip for the maid is 5 euros per day. most of the maids are self employed.

 

[andynap]

I always get euros at the ATM for tips. Whatever is left over I apply to my rental car charges.
Diana- 5 euros/day for a maid? Is that per bedroom? My maid/tip is 10 euros/day.

 

[cassidain]

a quick site search for "tipping" reveals testimonials of first-time US visitors tipping 20% because they didn't know any better.

 

[GramChop]

The check includes a service charge. Tips are left in appreciation of servers and staff. We pay service on the credit card bill. The tip we prefer to leave in cash.

What she said. :up:

 

[KevinS]

At Orega , like Maya's, a tip cannot be put on your credit card. Cash works.

 

[JEK]

I always get euros at the ATM for tips. Whatever is left over I apply to my rental car charges.
Diana- 5 euros/day for a maid? Is that per bedroom? My maid/tip is 10 euros/day.

We do 10 euros per bedroom per day. Paid mostly in advance along with a couple of bottles of champagne. The service gets better with prepayment

 

[cec1]

The service gets better with prepayment

That's funny . . . I'm sure it's true, but hadn't thought about it! How do you deliver the tip, John . . . in the maid's hand . . . or left on a table or elsewhere in the villa?

 

[JEK]

In hand with a wish for a nice lunch or dinner! I even leave a daily tip at the Holiday Inn Express in El Dorado Hills!

 

[cec1]

I even leave a daily tip at the Holiday Inn Express in El Dorado Hills!

. . . ditto! Service people everywhere need the support.

 

[Srhdesign]

At Orega , like Maya's, a tip cannot be put on your credit card. Cash works.

many places ask if you would like to leave anything so if the bill is 120 euros before they run it they simply charge 130e or whatever you wish.

I have no problem tipping, specially in these times, but a little honesty from the servers will be nice when asked if it’s included or not.

Seems like 5-10% is customary/acceptable. Thanks for the responses

 

[lvbookworm]

I think we may have inadvertently reinforced the expectation of Americans tipping large amounts. Funny story about our recent dinner at L'Esprit. We were short on cash, and when it came time to pay the bill my husband asked to put a tip onto the final amount before the credit card was run. He had been dutifully practicing his french all week and told the waiter to add "trente euros". As I raised my eyebrow in confusion the waiter gleefully added the amount and walked away. Turns out my husband thought "trente" meant twenty, and was a little shocked when I told him what he actually said. We both got a good laugh out of it, and I'm sure our server was thrilled!

 

[cec1]

Funny! Illustrates why I don't try to do numbers in French beyond Un Deux Trois (the name of a famous restaurant in NY where I used to go on occasion).

 

[Eve]

always a lively subject.

0% - correct from a French POV
5% - nice gesture that doesn't go unappreciated except in tourist traps targeting Americans
10% - buying your love
20% - buying lots-o-love or ​demonstrating that you're an uninformed American tourist

as Amy says, the pourboire or tip (solely at your discretion and for good service) always in cash and handed to your serveur/serveuse

perfect!

 

[amyb]

Funny! Illustrates why I don't try to do numbers in French beyond Un Deux Trois (the name of a famous restaurant in NY where I used to go on occasion).

I was just remembering a Christmas in NYC at Un Deux Troi with the whole restaurant divided into choral groups for the singing of the 12 nights of Christmas. What a hoot!

 

[cec1]

I was just remembering a Christmas in NYC at Un Deux Troi with the whole restaurant divided into choral groups for the singing of the 12 nights of Christmas. What a hoot!

. . . such a fun memory, Amy. If you were to go there today at the holiday season, it would be very much the same. And the folks at a Un Deux Trois would still remember me well . . . and my bad singing voice!

 

[Jim Kelly-Evans]

Our maid told us how happy she was to see us after a one year absence...we always tip her generously in advance.