Is Tipping 20% Too Much in the Philippines?

[bastonjock]

On my first trip to the Phil's I went to a resort on samal we checked the bill and it had a service charge on it ,we had aĺready spoken to the staff  and new about it and that they did not receive one peso from it ,we also found out that if we gave the staff a tip the owner would demand that money for her self

So we quietly slipped the staff 500p each ,that worked out at 100 p a day

[Viking]

29 minutes ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

If I understand you , you are saying it is the local Filipino culture but it is not. 

Well, in my experience, tip is often expected in Philippines, but it does not have to be big. They are happy even if it is only 20 p.

[Dave Hounddriver]

There was an old expat in a Philippine restaurant that tipped his body 20% to the left but the waitress ran and straightened him up.

A while later the same old expat tipped his body 20% to the right but the same waitress ran over and straightened him up.

When he got home, his wife asked him what he thought of the restaurant.  He said the food was good but the dang waitress would not let him fart.  

[JJReyes]

Everyone should be grateful that they are receiving excellent service in the Philippines because they are foreigners.  The reason is the reputation that foreigners are big tippers compared to tightwad Pilipinos.  

[Jollygoodfellow]

2 hours ago, bastonjock said:

So we quietly slipped the staff 500p each ,that worked out at 100 p a day

Let me ask you after you are living here for a few years if you still do the same thing. 

[Jollygoodfellow]

2 hours ago, Viking said:

They are happy even if it is only 20 p.

Yes 20 peso seems like nothing to you but a lot to them. All they need now is about 20 more tips like that and they doubled their daily salary and are in the high earners bracket if working in a busy place.

[bastonjock]

1 hour ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

Let me ask you after you are living here for a few years if you still do the same thing. 

No , the staff had given us excellent service , I would not normally tip at those levels a 20 peso tip is more in line for a meal at a restauarant

[bows00]

10 hours ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

As some said there are places who the owner keeps the tips, others correctly share

I wonder if there are circumstances where an employee can get fired for keeping under the table tips.  

[Jack Peterson]

15 hours ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

Jack, this is the tipping topic. No one is meant to agree with me 

 Ok so I will do the Lines

 

[Dave Hounddriver]

8 hours ago, bows00 said:

I wonder if there are circumstances where an employee can get fired for keeping under the table tips.

Oh yes.  And they get searched when leaving the premises.  But the smart girls stick the bills in their bra.  Coins they have to report and share.

As for the 20 pesos tip.  I have asked a few different waitresses, here in Dumaguete, what they thought.  The conversation always goes something like this:

Me (apologetically):  I noticed that other foreigner left you a 100 peso tip but not all foreigners are rich.  I am happy to leave a 20 pesos tip if you are happy with that.

Waitress (with big smile):  Oh yes sir, 20 pesos is a lot to us.  Many of our customers leave 20 pesos and we are quite happy with that.  There is no need to leave 100 peso tip.

(EDIT:  It could be that I am more gwapo than the other guy  but more likely it is because I ask questions and listen to the answers.  Many do not.  They just guess.)

Edited November 5, 2018 by Dave Hounddriver