On Tipping

[Floater]

I just heard a radio program about tipping wait staff in Sweden and was quite flabbergasted whey they stated we have a tipping culture and even told the listeners what percentage we are supposed to pay. I must say this was news to me, being an experienced restaurant goer. The only people I have ever seen (or heard of) tipping, rounding up the amount to the closest 10 SEK or so excluded, are "amateurs" who eat out once every three years and believe they are expected to tip and eedjits, aka spoiled brats, who do it with sole purpose of impressing people with their wealth.

They even told the history of tipping as expressed by the word "tip" being an acronym for "to insure promptness".

Bah! Humbug!

Or I just go to the wrong type of restaurants.

[Towknie]

Originally Posted by Floater

I just heard a radio program about tipping wait staff in Sweden and was quite flabbergasted whey they stated we have a tipping culture

So what happens if you try to tip your server and he/she won't fall over?

[Dr. Dave]

Originally Posted by Floater

They even told the history of tipping as expressed by the word "tip" being an acronym for "to insure promptness".

Just wonering- did the program us ethe English word tip and the alleged acronym, or did they claim that the Swedish word for tip was an acronym or Swedish works that mean something similar to "to insure promptness?" Or was the whole thing in 'merican?

[Floater]

Originally Posted by Dr. Dave

Just wonering- did the program us ethe English word tip and the alleged acronym, or did they claim that the Swedish word for tip was an acronym or Swedish works that mean something similar to "to insure promptness?" Or was the whole thing in 'merican?

They used the English word and the UL to illustrate how old the custom is. The Swedish "dricks(pengar)" is, I belive, a loan of the German word "Trinkengeld", meaning a handout so the waiter can buy a glass for himself.

ETA

So what happens if you try to tip your server and he/she won't fall over?

In that case you had better trip them instead.

[Jay Tea]

It's just a cultural revision attempting to further cash in on punter's wallets. I entirely believe Floater when he describes being unaware of this 'historical tipping culture' and this suggests that it's bogus - The resaraunt scene is just trying to cash in on increasing numbers of people travelling to countries that do expect tips, and indeed the increase in domestic external diners dammit!

As for 'to insure promptness'? How does that work? If you're not prompt, you'll be lucky if I pay the bill let alone tip the wait staff