Thursday, December 1, 2011

I'll Give You A British Tip... Or Will I?

Here in the United States, if you don't tip a bartender, a waiter, a taxi driver, a delivery driver, for take-out.. the list goes on.. then you're essentially exiled from your community. Or at least temporarily from your social circle. In my wise old age, however, I've adopted the attitude that "if the service sucks, why should I pay extra for the overly priced [insert whatever] anyway?"



Well, perhaps I should move to England where tipping at bars is not customary. Yes, that would be brilliant! Since those are the establishments that I tend to frequent anyway, I might as well capitalize on the hundreds per year that I throw down the drain at such watering holes. However, while it is rare, I'd assume the extra cash is greatly appreciated.

Here are a few other tips to consider if you plan on visiting the land of the Queen Mum:

  • If you're ready for the bill, simply call the waiter by feigning a motion of writing your name on a piece of paper with both hands.
  • Never stare; privacy is sacred.
  • Although movies often depict British athletes as loud and crazy, such behavior is considered extremely rude.
  • Never cut in line. Think about how you feel when this happens to you in the United States, and then multiply it by 10.

If you have any other British behavioral tips that you'd care to share, please leave a comment.. We're willing to digest all of the knowledge that we can get.

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