A lot of times, people ask me about tipping. How much is appropriate? Do they tip in the Philippines? Now, what I will be saying does not apply so much to Manila, because it is a cosmopolitan city that is more “worldly” than most other places in the Philippines. I am talking about the Philippines, outside Manila.
As a rule, you don’t have to tip here. Nobody will look down on you and think you are cheap if you don’t leave a tip. That said, I always leave a tip anyway. But, generally speaking, it is not the size of tip that you’d leave in the USA or another first world country. Back in the States, the standard tip is usually around 15% of your total bill. If the service is very good, 20% is not too much.
If you are in the Philippines, leave those percentage tips behind! For a normal meal, a tip of even P20 is appreciated. For me, if service and the food is very good, I leave a tip of P100, and that is a very good tip here. I have left a bigger tip than P100, but it would not be normal of me to do so. Something has to be very special to give more than P100. Generally, I will leave P20 if the food or the service leaves a bit to be desired. I will leave P50 if everything is OK, but nothing spectacular. If it’s a great meal, and good service by a friendly staff, I will leave P100. I don’t generally care or worry about what the total bill was, that doesn’t really enter into my tip calculation. My only concern is how the food was, and how the service was. Nothing else.
Now, there is one exception. In a major hotel, or a very nice restaurant, it has become pretty customary that they will add a percentage service charge to your bill. If a service charge is on the bill, all rules are off. A tip is not required if a service charge is already being paid as part of the total bill. If there is a service charge, and I came away still very impressed with the service, I will leave a tip in addition to the service charge. In this case, I will generally try to slip P100 or P50 to the waiter without being seen, and I will tell him “this is for YOU.”
All in all, tipping is not the issue that it is back in the States!
as a rule, i make sure to ask the waiter if they have a service charge because sometimes it can be difficult to tell in the receipt. then i make the necessary adjustments in my tips.
normally in some hotels and restaurants, the tip you leave in the table will be put in a tip box and will be shared among the rest of the staff at the end of their shift. i think this is because a lot of customers don't tip and this allows each of the staff a "fair" share. not exactly a great reward system, but its what they do to balance out the fact that tipping is not customary here. something to think about when tipping. it doesn't take much. a $1 to $2 tip goes a long way here.
i enjoy tipping here because you can really see that they appreciate it because it is not expected. it shows that their work is appreciated and you may even get better service the next time.
When I'm on vacation in the Philippines, I tip as I do here in the States – which my siblings try to stop me from doing as they say I'm spoiling the waiters and they'll expect it from them, too – the locals. My feeling is if the service is good (doesn't matter where I am), I tip appropriately. I admit I may be a bit too generous for other people's standards, especially in the Philippines, but good service is good service. Being from the hospitality industry, I know what this little amount does for their morale.
This may change when I retire and decide to settle in the Philippines, but for the most part, tipping appropriately brings me as much joy as it does the recipient, especially Filipinos like myself ;-).
Hi Macky – I do believe in leaving a good tip, and I always do so. However, I feel that percentage tipping is not how the system works here, so I don't do that. I agree with you, a tip of $1 or $2 is a big thing here. Many of the locals don't leave any tip at all, so I am sure that P50 or a little more is much appreciated!
Hi Tina – I know your type! 🙂 In December my Mom was here, and she was tipping like mad! One time we went and ate somewhere and she left the guy a P1000 tip, which was more than 20% of the bill. While I don't have a big problem with that, and am happy for the waiter, it does make me feel that when I go back to that place, they will be looking for another BIG tip! So, I can understand your family's reaction too. Overall, though, I do believe in leaving the appropriate tip depending on the level of service!
I seem not to have any problem with tipping. Since my wife is in total control of all of the money matters, any tipping is left with her. 😉
Still, I have a kano twinge every now and then when she tips less that I would have (I would tend to follow your guide, Bob, but she is a little tighter with the purse strings.)
Hi Paul – When it comes to tipping, Feyma and I kind of decide together how much we think we should give. We compare notes and come to a figure together. I would say that we each tend to be generous, unless the food or service is bad.
I am in the same boat as Paul. The wife controls the payments, tips, etc… I believe she tips well for the service offered But, then again at other times she tips way to much. I am not courteous as you, Bob, I believe in tipping 10-50, Would not go over 50 unless the circumstances called for it. (i.e. a large party, 8 or more people and absolutely the best service the staff can offer).
Hi Mike K. – For me, if I go out with my wife and another couple, it's not easy to spend P2,000 to P3,000 for our meals and drinks. I just couldn't even consider leaving a tip of P50 on a P3,000 bill. Everybody's ideas on tipping are different, though.
Hi guys, tipping here is not really customary, as Bob said. But if you are dining in hotels and restos, and you feel that you need to tip: there is only one rule: Minimum of 20($0.50) pesos maximum of 100($2) pesos. Any higher that that and you might find yourself the next kidnap target. If you are dining out with your partner in a mall and you shell out no less than 1000 pesos, a 20peso BILL is enough. Try not to give 20 pesos in coins, though. 😉 If you are dining out in a very plush resto, 100 is enough. For hotels, bellboys expect atleast a 50 pesos tip. If you are a pack rat, give a 100. other hotel staffs do not expect tips, give them a 100 as a bonus if they are extra nice to you. Giving more than 100pesos is pretty unusual here. Giving 1000 pesos is waaaaay to generous! People might thinkyou are a millionaire of some sort. If the lucky waiter told his co workers, expect them to pass your table annoyingly often.
Dont think that people might think of you as cheap bec believe me, only foreigners who have been here for a short time leave tips. as you grew more *acclimatize* here, you might not even consider leaving a tip at all. Another reason why alot of people live here, hehehe.
Hi Jerico – Thanks for adding your tips (pun intended) to the post! I agree with everything you are saying. I've been here 7 years and still leave a tip almost all the time, though.
20Pesos for a good & courteous service.
50Pesos for a good & courteous service with lifting or carrying.
😎
Hi Kiarizona – I think that is a good guide. I might get a little over-generous, like Mike K. was alluding to! 😆
Hi,
I think in the States, tipping is considered "good etiquette" — for most of the service industry. So I've taken on tipping as routine, I don't dwell on whether I should do it or not. I just do it, unless *I'm extremely provoked* by rudeness or poor service! Then I don't tip on those instances and I might even write on the bill "zero tip, poor service." Again, I also write (in addition to tipping) on the bill, short notes… "thank you, excellent service." or "thank you, fine dining experience."
Or I take a survey form and fill it out and put in the name of the waiter or other service staff that I want to acknowledge… Or when I come home, I might go to their website and send some good comments about my experience.
It's my way of reinforcing good service, or good business practices, in addition to tipping them.
Of course, in the same token, I can do the same for bad experiences or services poorly rendered. I don't hesitate to take the case up the management chain if I have to. It goes both ways.
Standard tipping for me is 20% of whatever the bill comes up to. Unless tipping is mandated by the business concern and they give you an amount expected, then that's just my simple rule. It's easier for my brains not to deviate from my rule.
I tip for almost everything… dining; delivery people; cab drivers (when I have to occasionally use a cab); my parlor (hair, nails, etc); my dry cleaner.
Last but not least, watch out, tip generously on those cruise ships, they're mostly staffed by our kababayans. Have you noticed? You think you're on a floating ship in Manila! It's such a good feeling to be among kababayans on the ocean, esp. when the singer at a bar starts belting out Tagalog songs. How nostalgic!!! It's such a thrill to watch the sunset while listening to familiar tunes. Except you're nowhere near Roxas Blvd.:sad:
Hi Angie – for service in the States, I agree with your policy 100%.
Hi angie, i just had a good laugh when i read your post. Not that i dont agree, i just imagine someone writing in the bill "zero tip, poor service.” in bold red letters, hehehe that would surely get some attention. Have you done it before to a waiter, poor guy! hehehe.
Hi Jerico – I can just see the look on that waiter's face! 😯
Hi Jerico,
Yes, I have done it (the zero tip, poor service note) — you better believe it! Although I tend to always find the good in people so I find myself writing more notes of appreciation.
I do the "poor service" routine if I am really provoked. Otherwise, I am not necessarily looking to find fault. I'm just as willing to cut them the slack — I quickly assess the circumstances and I act accordingly. (We're all humans after all, just trying to do our best with all the tools at our disposal. So don't think I'm unreasonably mean. I'm not 🙂 On the other hand, one has to really be assertive nowadays…)
At bigger establishments, like 5-star hotels, where I'm expected to pay the price for fine dining, I equally expect to get my fair return on the money. That's a fair exchange, isn't it? I'd say, at these kinds of places, though, I've always been satisfied with the outcome. The times I have actually complained to a maitre d'hotel, for instance, I had always been promptly attended to and my meal replaced to my satisfaction (and the tab dismissed!). But that's just good business practice. It's not uncommon. As a matter of fact, I expect that.
Hi Angie – What you write reminds me of an incident that happened to me about a year ago. There was a particular restaurant that I enjoyed a lot here in Davao. The name of the place was Thai Ming, and I used to go to their location at NCCC Mall several times per week. I really enjoyed their Thai Chicken Salad there. I went there with a friend one night, and ordered a Thai Chicken Salad and a drink. The salad was served promptly, and I enjoyed it a great deal. When I was almost finished with the salad, I got down to the plate, and saw a big long black hair on the plate, under the salad. I called the waiter and pointed it out to him. He laughed. He just walked away, went to the counter, and obviously told all the other waiters about it, and they all let out a huge laugh! I was astounded. I was given the bill – the FULL bill for the salad and drink. I paid it, left no tip, and have never returned to the place again. I was in NCCC the other day and noticed that Thai Ming restaurant is out of business now. I wonder why?!?
I was a good customer there, going there multiple times every week, had a bad experience, and never returned. Probably this happened with other customers too. If they had taken the plate, apologized, and maybe given me a gift certificate for my next visit, or made the salad complimentary, I would have kept going there. Everybody makes mistakes. But the way they dealt with it left me no desire to ever go back again. 😥
Bob,
There may have been miscommunication. Perhaps the waiter thought you were trying to pull one of those get-out-of-paying-bill trick. After all, the salad was FINISHED when you pointed out the hair. In any case, the wait staff were totally out of line, and the store deserves to be out of business.
I agree with the previous poster that restaurants/hotels that charge premium price should be held to a higher standard. But all too often, I notice that the premium price has to do with the physical assets of the restaurant–the building, the enterance, etc.–and not with the food. But the service is usually top notch at these places, so I am torn. I don't want to tip because the food is bad for the money, but the service staff had nothing to do with it. So I end up not going to these establishments unless I know for fact that their food is really top notch.
Hair in the food? The chicken not cooked throughly? If the wait staff don't correct these situation immediately, of course I would not tip.
For the usual restaurants with aircon, I usually give 10% of the bill (the bill is not large to begin with, so my minimum tip would be 40p for 2 people). If there is service charge included in the bill, whether it is 6% or 10%, I give 50p flat for 2 people, no matter what the bill is.
Even then, the confusing lack of tipping standard leaves me stressed at times.
One note. Sometimes (actually quite frequently), the wait staff incorrectly fills the order, like bringing mango shake when I ordered melon shake. And the mistake is clear as the order sheet says melon shake. What to do? Tell them to take back mango and get melon? If I know that the waitstaff made an honest mistake and not because his/her head is somewhere else, I usually don't ask for exchange. Becuase I know that the cost of shake is a significant portion of his/her salary for the day, and the store will probably take it out of her pay.
Hi Jae – Thanks for your comment. There should have been no misunderstanding, or thinking that I was trying to get out of the bill, because I was a regular customer who went there several times per week! And, I always left a very good tip there, so I can't imagine that they would have even had an thought that I was trying to get out of paying.
Oh well…
Yeah, I agree with you. It's not often a foreigner, a regular at that, would try to weasel out of a few bucks.
It's just like this past weekend when I went to Puerto Galara for a quick vacation. I went to Portofino, one of the better hotels there (they charge 150pesos for a mango "condensed milk" shake plus VAT plus svc charge, if you can believe that, thus the price being 180pesos for a yucky mango shake!!), and ordered chicken barbeque. A standard dish right? You really cant mess that up.
Anyway, the taste was strange and I found out that the chicken was bloody in the core, due to rapidly cooking a frozen meat! I showed the waitress this, and her response was "wheew!" That was that! No apologies, no offer to recook, no offer to exchange, refund! Just "wheew!" and a smile (?).
So of course no tip! But sadly, I had to pay the mandatory service charge on the bill. No more trips to Portofino that's for sure!
Hi Jae – If the had happened to me, I probably would have asked to see the manager and at least had the service charge removed from my bill. I rarely do that, but this is outrageous! 🙁