"Tipping" isn't a place in Colombia.

Paisa/Calena/Luver says on Mar 27, 2009, 11:10:

Tipping is NOT common place in Colombia in the NON TOURIST AREAS, but unfortunately that is getting smaller and smaller daily, but these days in the tourist areas get ready to start leaving SOMETHING or you will get the EVIL EYE... Some places ALREADY add service charge so DONT double tip. Some rural areas if you do leave a tip for FANTASTIC service, get ready for a big surprise smile..

"PAY ATTENTION! I wonder if that person knows that when we push the FUNNY button, its because we are reading something outrageous, trying to be cynical, derogatory, sarcastic and/or obnoxious!"

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Desideria (Moderator) (Trustee board) says on Mar 27, 2009, 11:45:

You are supposed to tip at the reataurants if the service fee is not included. You don't tip the taxidriver, but people usually round it up to nearest thousand since these guys never have any change anyway. You are supposed to tip your hairdresser, manicurist etc. Or has the custom changed in the last three years?

A fronte praecipitium a tergo lupi

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whitewidow says on Mar 27, 2009, 13:07:

i hear that voluntary tips are not shared with the workers. total BS if true.

I'm no doper! I just play one on TV.

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dwmte7 says on Mar 27, 2009, 14:12:

caution....do not pay service charges in restaurants...tell them to take it off the bill. THEY DO NOT GIVE IT TO THE MESERAS. give it to the service yourself.

patriarch

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Cheers Terry says on Mar 27, 2009, 14:20:

Douglas, I've taken off the service charge myself when paying a couple of times (when there was exactly zero service) and you would have thought I raped the manager's sister, the nun. Oh, the drama.

Do you regularly ask for it to be removed and tip the server(s) directly?

Cheers,
Terry

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dwmte7 says on Mar 27, 2009, 16:26:

not one damn penny goes to the staff. forget that. i don't care if it's the intercontinental hotel or dann carlton. not happening. it's better to inform the staff at the outset that you don't pay service and you will compensate your service personal according to your satisfaction and pleasure. other than that, screw them. they cheat their staff just like most businesses there.

patriarch

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Paisa/Calena/Luver says on Mar 27, 2009, 16:38:

I never even thought to ask where the service charge goes, but for now on I will put them through the ringer. They will hate me with all of my antagonizing questions in order to get to the truth on WHO gets the service charge.. lol

"PAY ATTENTION! I wonder if that person knows that when we push the FUNNY button, its because we are reading something outrageous, trying to be cynical, derogatory, sarcastic and/or obnoxious!"

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BillBigD says on Mar 27, 2009, 18:10:

I am very surprised that most on PHB did not know this.

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Sam Salmon says on Mar 27, 2009, 18:28:

I try to put the cash directly into the hand of the wait staff in restaurants the same as some other countries.

' a la orden!'

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griffbos says on Mar 27, 2009, 19:44:

okay I have to ask what this serivce charge is I have never noticed it . Aslo I always tip the taxi driver, it usually like 100 pesos, unless it is late at night and driving me far I givem 1000 pesos. THe guys that cut my hair I always give 1000 pesos, the place charges only 3000 pesos, and I never see the colombians there tipping anyone there, but this one place cuts it how I like it every time, my first trip to Colombia my wife and I took a large group out for dinner, the bill come to 100,000 pesos, the waiter was there the whole time for anythiogn we needed, we tried to get those that lived in the area to tells us how much we should leave for a tip, they said nothing, so the wife( she waits tables in the States) usally tips well and we gave 20,000 pesos( they guy waiting on us didn't cover any other tables for the 90 minutes we where at the resturant.) when they people we were with saw this they tried to make the waiter give the money back, we refused and said he earned it,, the waiter went and bought 4 shot glasses inthe gift shop with the tip money and give them to my wife and I.

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Catfish35 says on Mar 27, 2009, 22:27:

I too have wondered about that. You see it on there and when you ask the server they tell you they get nothing of that. I thought maybe they were lying. Huh. I am glad I have always tipped my servers very well. being in the industry, fellow servers and bartenders and such tip heavy..or they should out of professional courtesy, like when I get out of my speeding tickets! ha..

Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end."

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Catfish35 says on Mar 27, 2009, 22:30:

Widow..what are "bsing" about?? what are they going to do with that 50 peso coin you toss around. You have gotten so good at flipping that damn thing at everyone sorta like Nelson Rockefellerish!! I seen you chuckle chortle and sneer when they miss and it rolls down the street.

Remember, aduanas, last year? You did that same damn thing when we were in line together. just glad my funny lil hunny got me outta there before anyone associated me wit jew!

Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end."

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dwmte7 says on Mar 28, 2009, 05:20:

back in the days of bein flush. i was a tippin fool....didn't mean it that way, but the result was a host of devoted/loyal followers. and as many above have commented, including my family, everyone, to a man, tried to get me to stop. can you believe it. the whole country in the same boat...without money...and they didn't want me to help somebody out.

in my colombian beginning, the peso was 400 to a dollar. and so it was a lot different...meaning that the workers got so much less. general laborers got about 18,000 a week can you believe it. i doubled that for all my workers and got nothing but grief from other colombian employers, friends of mine. they'ld tell me 'you're gonna fuck things up' how? by helping folks eat, clothe their kids and pay for doctors? the rich in colombia can be as cold as ice. that doesn't mean i don't have a host of rich col. friends, but i never could grock their attitude regarding their fellow humans.

patriarch

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kenblanquito says on Mar 28, 2009, 07:28:

It is a shame but the more money they have, the meaner they seem to become and they do not appear to care about the poor. They worry about themselves and their families only. They do not like to acknowledge that people sleep in the streets or in tin shacks and would never travel on the Metro Cable.
We have some friends from poorer barrios and they never arrive empty-handed: bottle of wine, fancy loaf of bread, a small gift etc. We have asked them not to do it but they continue: they are people with BIG hearts and enjoy doing that. We get our own back in other ways.

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dwmte7 says on Mar 28, 2009, 09:11:

pity

patriarch

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Catfish35 says on Mar 28, 2009, 11:51:

Doug,
The technique does pay off. My little server I over tip takes care of me with my Jose Cuervo Reserva at San Carbon in Park Urass.
At $100 a bottle US I need all that help. he doubles me down everytime.

Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end."

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dwmte7 says on Mar 28, 2009, 15:02:

"

enjoy

d

patriarch

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pablo says on Mar 28, 2009, 22:35:

dwmte7 says, "caution....do not pay service charges in restaurants...tell them to take it off the bill. THEY DO NOT GIVE IT TO THE MESERAS. give it to the service yourself."

Doug,

Your comment piqued my interest so I asked both the waitress and the administrator at Crepes y Waffle tonight whether or not the "propina" that was added onto my bill went towards my waitress. Both ladies said that it did. It does however (at least at C y W) go into a pool and is equally shared among all the employees. The business does not take a cut. If a cash tip is left for the waitress at the table she is not required to contribute that into the pool.

C y W's propina added on the bill is less than 10%. I object more to the mandatory blasted tax / impuesta of 16%!

ʇı dןǝɥ ʇou ןןıʍ sıɥʇ ǝʞıן ɹǝʇndɯoɔ ɹnoʎ ƃuıpןoɥ

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dwmte7 says on Mar 29, 2009, 06:23:

pablo.....not to wave the flag of 'naysayer'....i'd personally ask one of the employees when they weren't at work if they were really getting some of the spoils. this is a known malignancy of colombian business practices. i had a bar and restaurant in llanogrande it's actually on the antioquian tour map "bar FLOT". but the girls who had worked in many clubs, bars, restaurants all told me it's like 'never'. the only proceeds they got were what patrons gave them and even then they said that the owners would try and get their hands on some of that. pity.

patriarch

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pablo says on Mar 29, 2009, 07:08:

I think I recall a waiter that worked at Al Rojo in Parque Lleras a few years ago that told me he did not get his tips from the "pool" so I don't doubt you.

I never liked the idea of employees having to share tips because it takes away some of the incentive to excel in good customer service, at least to those shortsighted ones. I think your advice is good however; deduct the propina off the cuenta and tip the mesera directly, rewarding them accordingly.

ʇı dןǝɥ ʇou ןןıʍ sıɥʇ ǝʞıן ɹǝʇndɯoɔ ɹnoʎ ƃuıpןoɥ

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dwmte7 says on Mar 29, 2009, 07:49:

another thing i used to do, pablo, as i used to be a big steak eater....if i had a chef who really did it great consistently, i would have him called out of the kitchen and tip him separately. they just loved it...not just the plata, but that someone liked their work and service and brought notice to it.

there was a restaurant in poblado way back that was opened by a trafficante' that was fantastic. it was on calle 11 about 4-5 blocks above ave. oriental (poblado). beautifully designed and decorated and lavishly appinted.. i'd go there probably five times a week and order a lomo (punta de anca) and that guy would do it SO RIGHT. hell, this guy was on my payroll. and i'd make sure the bar back was taken care of also. there's not much to pouring a ron y coke, but he did it and did it with a smile and he was one of my boys, as well. GOD i love colombia.

patriarch

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Lowell says on Mar 29, 2009, 14:22:

One person I make sure I tip is my butcher at Carefour.
My meat quality has risen at least 50% Yseterday i planned on giving the soda/water bottle delivery guy a decent tip- The order was screwd up. Ok. However, when he didn't return with the correct order without our recalling, he lost his tip.

Alfred E. Newman. "What. Me Worry?"

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Miguel_Clavo says on Mar 29, 2009, 14:29:

Most tourist trap restaurants in Cartagena include the volunt propina, which is split between the owner and a pool of servers....only the cash tips do they get 100%....

RVW orderded me to remove my tagline congratulating the PBH Mods New Golden Boys. Lame.

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dwmte7 says on Mar 29, 2009, 15:33:

yseterday? right.

patriarch

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