I was born in Europe, but I moved to the U.S in my teens, lived there for quite some time and got used to these customs. So much that I just kinda naturally do them now.
No big deal, really, but when I moved back to Europe and spoke with native European accent but behaved as an American, people were so damn confused!!
Especially about number 1 and 6; People think I dislike them because I'm very friendly, so friendly it's suspucious to them; and they often think I'm sarcastic when I use big adjectives generously.
I have to tell people I used to live in the U.S and then things tend to get a bit better.
23Reply
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· 9 years ago
I was recently in London, and saw a few Americans in a shop, and I don't think I've met any people more friendly and willing to help me reach stuff on the top shelf when I was struggling and most others just ignored me. Long story short, god bless you Americans, for without you, I wouldn't have had my sandwich that day.
Tipping usually has to do with how well your server was.
Then, you have the power to decide what percent of your check you're going to give them.
So like a 15% tip from a $100 bill would have you pay $115
And also depending on how good or bad they were at service.
For example, if your waiter left you hanging with the menu for over an hour (happened once to my family) there'd be minimal or no tip. Fast service is something usually expected, but unusually fast and/or kind and friendly may net a bit more.
This tipping is mainly done in America because the employers often pay the waiters the bare minimum. The tips help to offset the awful wages by a slight amount.
Most places, waiters are paid 3.25$ per hour. Minimum wage at McD's is 7.25$ per hour. BUT waiters in restaurants can make so much money in tips. The tips are considered pay. They have to fill out tax forms. A friend who was a bar tender was paid 4$ per hour but made about 50$ in tips in an hour. If the tip was on the bill & paid by credit card, its taxed differently then if cash.
Many are protesting the tipping policies & places, trying to renovate the business. If you are traveling in the US, check the receipt to see if it already includes tip or has a tip recommendation at the bottom. Different restaurants have different policies. I've axidently given a 10$ tip on a 8$ lunch.
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· 9 years ago
I think it depends on the state. Here in Oregon, we don't have a lower servers wage. They get the same minimum wage as other jobs. And since people know that, they don't get tipped as well here. I used to be a waitress so I like tipping well anyway but a lot of people just give the minimum.
I really can't agree with the loud summary, at least not for myself, I'm generally very quiet and respectful I guess mainly due to the fact that if I was too loud I'd have a stampede of crazy cattle to deal with!
I very rarely talk since I have no one to talk to and even when I do speak my voice is deep and low volume. In fact probably 8 times out of 10 I have to repeat myself.
1.) THEY'RE ALL SO QUIET
2.) WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T HAVE REESE'S PEANUT BUTTER CUPS?
3.) Y'ALL GOTTA LEARN HOW TO USE A GUN
4.) WHAT'S WITH YALLS ACCENTS?
5.) WHY DON'T YALL TIP?
6.) YALL GOTTA EAT MORE
7.) YALL BE TOO POLITE
8.) KILOMETERS ARE CONFUSING
9.) WHAT IS IT WITH YALL AND THE TOPLESS WOMEN EVERYWHERE?
10.) YALL NEED TO SMILE MORE
11.) YALL GOTTA BE FRIENDLIER
12.) WHERE ARE YALLS FREE REFILLS?
13.) YALL NEED MORE DORITO FLAVORS SERIOUSLY WHY CAN'T I FIND MY FAVORITE IN EUROPE?
14.)YALL AINT VERY CREATIVE WITH FOOD. YALL NEED MORE COMBONATIONS
15.) YALL ARE POLITE. VERY POLITE. TOO MUCH POLITE.
Everyone northeast is mean, then. Living in Baltimore, mean's all I ever knew. I took a trip to Florida last week and I was extremely confused why everyone was so nice.
I'm about as far north as you can get without crossing the border and I'm a very nice person, in fact I spent close to an hour helping a person who's car broke down, I even gave them two gallons of coolant after I patched a hole in a radiator hose.
No big deal, really, but when I moved back to Europe and spoke with native European accent but behaved as an American, people were so damn confused!!
Especially about number 1 and 6; People think I dislike them because I'm very friendly, so friendly it's suspucious to them; and they often think I'm sarcastic when I use big adjectives generously.
I have to tell people I used to live in the U.S and then things tend to get a bit better.
Then, you have the power to decide what percent of your check you're going to give them.
So like a 15% tip from a $100 bill would have you pay $115
For example, if your waiter left you hanging with the menu for over an hour (happened once to my family) there'd be minimal or no tip. Fast service is something usually expected, but unusually fast and/or kind and friendly may net a bit more.
Many are protesting the tipping policies & places, trying to renovate the business. If you are traveling in the US, check the receipt to see if it already includes tip or has a tip recommendation at the bottom. Different restaurants have different policies. I've axidently given a 10$ tip on a 8$ lunch.
2.) WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T HAVE REESE'S PEANUT BUTTER CUPS?
3.) Y'ALL GOTTA LEARN HOW TO USE A GUN
4.) WHAT'S WITH YALLS ACCENTS?
5.) WHY DON'T YALL TIP?
6.) YALL GOTTA EAT MORE
7.) YALL BE TOO POLITE
8.) KILOMETERS ARE CONFUSING
9.) WHAT IS IT WITH YALL AND THE TOPLESS WOMEN EVERYWHERE?
10.) YALL NEED TO SMILE MORE
11.) YALL GOTTA BE FRIENDLIER
12.) WHERE ARE YALLS FREE REFILLS?
13.) YALL NEED MORE DORITO FLAVORS SERIOUSLY WHY CAN'T I FIND MY FAVORITE IN EUROPE?
14.)YALL AINT VERY CREATIVE WITH FOOD. YALL NEED MORE COMBONATIONS
15.) YALL ARE POLITE. VERY POLITE. TOO MUCH POLITE.
The farther north you go, the meaner and colder the people get. Like the weather.
Or maybe it's just Baltimore and New york.