myTobago – your questions, review and comment about Tobago

Hi Steve,

I read your section and advice about tipping in the forum as well as other readers. Being from the US where tipping is out of control (I say this with some authority as I was in the restaurant business for a number of years) trying to understand the local custom caused me some anxiety. Here is where my question lies. My wife and I were eating at Patino's one evening and the server was filling in for someone. After he ran my credit card and gave me the card receipt for a signature he neglected to give me the restaurant bill too (I did not look at the bill when he originally presented it to me) so I asked him if the gratuity/service charge was included. He did not know so he went to ask the owner. The owner told him that the service charge was included but not the tip. Well this confused me and I enquired about this with the owner. He told me that the service charge is for the use of, or helps pay for, items like silverware, linens, glasses etc. He went on to say that the establishment takes a percentage of the s/c for this purpose and the rest is given to the servers. He also said this is standard practice and to ask any other restauranteur on the island and they will tell me the same thing. Well all this sounded like a bunch of BS to me but I may be wrong, hence my question to you all. It also occured to me that quite a few restaurants in Tobago do not add in the s/c and tipping is up to the patron, so obviously the practice of the establishments taking a percentage is not universal on the island. If you or any of the myTobago readers have any information about this please respond. The restaurant is Patino's located at the Enchanted Waters Hotel which is also owned by the same individual. Thanks Steve et al.

Regards,
Cliff

Hi Cliff

Oh dear, oh dear! This is just the sort of thing that disgusts me about the whole tipping scene.

Sadly this is not a practise restricted to some establishments on Tobago. I believe that the practise of including a 10% service charge was first adopted by top London restaurants many years ago. The charge had two primary purposes: Firstly, it saved patrons the embarrassment of handing money to the staff – an act which many people, myself included, consider demeaning to both the giver and the taker. Secondly, it enabled the restaurant to distribute the gratuities amongst ALL the staff involved, not just the front man or girl. After all, at a top restaurant you will be served by several people. Are you going to tip them all? How tacky!

No, the practice has nothing to do with linen, silverware (or stainless-steelware), etc. That just proves how much the original concept has been distorted and abused. I run an e-commerce consultancy. My invoices don’t include a separate surcharge for electricity and printer cartridges, etc. Mind you, it’s an idea! No, sadly it does make one wonder how much of the “service charge” gets to the staff – if any.

Where the menu clearly shows that a service charge of x% will be applicable, I think you have little choice but to pay it – or leave before ordering. Yes, reward the waiter/waitress with a little extra if they have given good service – but bear in mind that they will hopefully be getting some (?) of the service charge.

It’s a difficult situation and I know that you, like me, simply want to express our gratitude to those who have given good service. I don’t know the answer to be honest. I would be fascinated to hear the views of others on this horny issue.

I think it is usual for snobby places to make a cover charge. This is the extra bit for the napkins etc. (Why this isn't in the food charge beats me?).

Service (to my mind) is for the service. Although they may try to add it on it is usually up to you to pay it. If the service was appauling you may well be justified in deducting it if already added.

I would normally leave around 10% added to the bill unless service is already included. Here in the UK prices are high enough anyway and staff don't (shouldn't) rely on tips for their living. It may be different around the globe.

One hotel in Cornwall collects the tips over the season and divvies it up evenly to all staff still there when it closes over winter. I know this happens in some restaurants too. The idea here is to allow non visible staff (pot washer) to get a bit extra too.

Hi Richard

Thanks for you input.

On re-reading my response above, I would hate visitors to think that I am suggesting that waiting staff, etc., on Tobago should not be rewarded for good service. Just the opposite! What I was trying to say was how much I hate the practise of hotels and restaurants who include a compulsory so-called "service charge" within the bill. Personally, I have little confidence that much of this gets to the staff - in Tobago or anywhere in the world.

May I just reiterate what I said in my article on the subject - reward good service, but please, please do so discretely so as not to upset local sensibilities.