Tipping habits of expats

Some higher quality restaurants and many hotels in foreigner-friendly areas have taken to charging a 5 percent "service charge".

When that is included in my bill for already inflated prices, I definitely don't tip, no matter what the circumstances.

Some people tip their barber/hairdresser, but again, if the prices are already doubled because I'm in a foreigner friendly area, I don't tip.

For example, I've figured out that the un-inflated price for a shave and a haircut and ear cleaning should be between about ₫60,000 VNĐ and ₫75,000 VNĐ (₫20,000 to ₫25,000 per service).

In Đà Nẵng it was common to see prices near the Mỹ Khê Beach area running ₫50,000 VNĐ per service.

This isn't the same as higher prices at upscale establishments primarily for  Vietnamese customers.

You have to know your area to figure out which is which.

Also, I don't always tip on a 5 percent scale.

It helps to understand the prices of goods and services for Vietnamese people on the local economy.

₫10,000 will likely get them a bahn mi sandwich. ₫20,000 to ₫30,000 buys a good, full breakfast.

No matter what class of hotel, I tend to leave ₫20,000 for housekeeping every day.

That one is a hard habit to break, as it was my Dad who taught me to always look out for housekeeping "because they literally take care of all your sh*t for you".

panda7 wrote:

This has probably been discussed before but times change and so do habits so I'm putting it out there again.

I'm just wondering if the Vietnamese tip when going to a coffee shop. I have some Vietnamese friends that do if the service is good.

Also wondering about the tipping habits of expats ? do you tip ?

I usually leave about 4000 dong for the staff if I just order a coffee in a cafe. Leaving too much of a tip though or at an inappropriate place (like a street stall) and you look like an idiot plus make those around you feel uncomfortable.

4000 dong? seriously? that's like less than $0.25. Might as well not tip. Sheesh!

QuidProQuo wrote:

panda7 wrote:

This has probably been discussed before but times change and so do habits so I'm putting it out there again.

I'm just wondering if the Vietnamese tip when going to a coffee shop. I have some Vietnamese friends that do if the service is good.

Also wondering about the tipping habits of expats ? do you tip ?

I usually leave about 4000 dong for the staff if I just order a coffee in a cafe. Leaving too much of a tip though or at an inappropriate place (like a street stall) and you look like an idiot plus make those around you feel uncomfortable.

4000 dong? seriously? that's like less than $0.25. Might as well not tip. Sheesh!

You are wrong. Ask the locals if a ₫4,000 tip from a foreigner is better than zero tip from locals.

Also, ₫4,000 will buy some veggies (a cucumber and a tomato) or a little fruit in a local market, or a couple plain baguettes.

Within the prevailing economy for locals, if a waiter in a coffee shop (the OP, in context) were to get ₫4,000 from every customer served, they could easily end a busy morning with ₫100,000 in tips, and I'd bet they'd be pretty happy with that.

It's a bad mistake to devalue the small VNĐ bills in your wallet, unless you only live in an expat cocoon.

However, it's a common mistake for foreigners, especially Americans.

Because 17 cents (current value of ₫4,000) is virtually worthless to you, you then assume it is worthless to a Vietnamese citizen.

Bad logic.

We often get questions on this forum about the cost of living.

The responses are almost certainly skewed high because many of the respondents are talking about the cost of living inside an expat bubble.

exactly and they can also use it to pay for parking etc...

I tip at western style restaurants, usually around 25k vnd, and give 200k vnd after an excellent massage.

If a coffee shop has a tip jar, I usually put in the small notes under 10k from my change.

I might leave some small notes at certain Vietnamese style restaurants but they usually have large numbers of staff randomly operating so the person who brings the bill or clears the table is usually not the same person who took your order or served the food, etc. In cases where it is the same person throughout the meal, I sometimes directly hand back a 10 or 20 from the change.

I am a tipper. In hotels, I always tip the cleaning staff and sometimes front desk. They seem to feel comfortable with it. I have stayed in a thousand hotels and for a time, I worked in one. Tipping seems normal in that venue.

However, yesterday I left the excess change for friendly and efficient staff member at a coffee shop in Vung Tau and I got a scowl and refusal. That made me feel uncomfortable. She looked around at the staff and they all laughed. The tip, which I picked up, was about 10percent. I have been in Vietnam for 7days and I will be watching to see what others have to say. I am a newbee in Vietnam.

I just put the tip under the coaster and leave. I never give direct. I think the general practice is to put the tips in a jar and divide them amongst the staff at the end of the day.

Thanks

Captnw4 wrote:

I am a tipper. In hotels, I always tip the cleaning staff and sometimes front desk. They seem to feel comfortable with it. I have stayed in a thousand hotels and for a time, I worked in one. Tipping seems normal in that venue.

However, yesterday I left the excess change for friendly and efficient staff member at a coffee shop in Vung Tau and I got a scowl and refusal. That made me feel uncomfortable. She looked around at the staff and they all laughed. The tip, which I picked up, was about 10percent. I have been in Vietnam for 7days and I will be watching to see what others have to say. I am a newbee in Vietnam.

Just a "guess":

Many Vietnamese I attempt to tip refuse at the first offer, and often at the second offer as well. However, when I insist the third time, then they always accept (my experience) and are generally grateful.

I try to never leave a tip on a table/under a coaster, etc.

I do my best to offer the tip with two hands, and when facing the individual if possible.

For those who don't regularly receive tips here, *I think* they want the right to refuse twice before accepting the third time offered properly.

If we simply plop a tip on the table for them, we deprive them of the ability to say "you gave me what I earned. That is sufficient".

amada1280 wrote:

I would like to recommend you some nice and quality cafes here (link removed)

Please stop spamming. You did it in your first forum post and you've done it again with the link you posted here.

Besides, the link you have shared is OFF TOPIC.

panda7 wrote:

exactly and they can also use it to pay for parking etc...

...or two trips to an attended WC...4 will get you two 2's...

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

Captnw4 wrote:

I am a tipper. In hotels, I always tip the cleaning staff and sometimes front desk. They seem to feel comfortable with it. I have stayed in a thousand hotels and for a time, I worked in one. Tipping seems normal in that venue.

However, yesterday I left the excess change for friendly and efficient staff member at a coffee shop in Vung Tau and I got a scowl and refusal. That made me feel uncomfortable. She looked around at the staff and they all laughed. The tip, which I picked up, was about 10percent. I have been in Vietnam for 7days and I will be watching to see what others have to say. I am a newbee in Vietnam.

Just a "guess":

Many Vietnamese I attempt to tip refuse at the first offer, and often at the second offer as well. However, when I insist the third time, then they always accept (my experience) and are generally grateful.

I try to never leave a tip on a table/under a coaster, etc.

I do my best to offer the tip with two hands, and when facing the individual if possible.

For those who don't regularly receive tips here, *I think* they want the right to refuse twice before accepting the third time offered properly.

If we simply plop a tip on the table for them, we deprive them of the ability to say "you gave me what I earned. That is sufficient".

I must disagree.

Looking at the actions above, what I see is a westerner imposing their culture on Vietnamese.

"See, I' the rich westerner and you should appreciate this extra money, as it means so little to me"

the first time I tipped, against my wife's advice, I too got the scowl. However, I didn't take it have some deep meaning that meant, "Oh, I really wnat that tip", but instead took it at face value (which has served me well in the dozens of countries I've visited over 40 years), which is to mean, "What, you think I would not do a professional job if you did not tip?"

Now, if you want some "extra services", tips are expected.
So I think ultimately, in many instances away from the tourist areas, a tip to a woman can be quite an insult.

Wxx3 wrote:

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

Captnw4 wrote:

I am a tipper. In hotels, I always tip the cleaning staff and sometimes front desk. They seem to feel comfortable with it. I have stayed in a thousand hotels and for a time, I worked in one. Tipping seems normal in that venue.

However, yesterday I left the excess change for friendly and efficient staff member at a coffee shop in Vung Tau and I got a scowl and refusal. That made me feel uncomfortable. She looked around at the staff and they all laughed. The tip, which I picked up, was about 10percent. I have been in Vietnam for 7days and I will be watching to see what others have to say. I am a newbee in Vietnam.

Just a "guess":

Many Vietnamese I attempt to tip refuse at the first offer, and often at the second offer as well. However, when I insist the third time, then they always accept (my experience) and are generally grateful.

I try to never leave a tip on a table/under a coaster, etc.

I do my best to offer the tip with two hands, and when facing the individual if possible.

For those who don't regularly receive tips here, *I think* they want the right to refuse twice before accepting the third time offered properly.

If we simply plop a tip on the table for them, we deprive them of the ability to say "you gave me what I earned. That is sufficient".

I must disagree.

Looking at the actions above, what I see is a westerner imposing their culture on Vietnamese.

"See, I' the rich westerner and you should appreciate this extra money, as it means so little to me"

the first time I tipped, against my wife's advice, I too got the scowl. However, I didn't take it have some deep meaning that meant, "Oh, I really wnat that tip", but instead took it at face value (which has served me well in the dozens of countries I've visited over 40 years), which is to mean, "What, you think I would not do a professional job if you did not tip?"

Now, if you want some "extra services", tips are expected.
So I think ultimately, in many instances away from the tourist areas, a tip to a woman can be quite an insult.

na disagree, my Vietnamese friends will tip if the service is good and they take good care of you like keeping your glass topped up.

It's clear that tipping in Vietnam is not as straightforward as in Western countries. I think we have to consider each situation and context. Sometimes I tip for a service I did not tip for somewhere else, for example. If I had a good Grab Driver I might round up and give him (her) the extra 5.000 because they were friendly and drove well. If they were a bad driver I'll take back the exact change. After 10 years I still take a few seconds to weigh whether or not a tip is called for, and how much.

QuidProQuo wrote:

panda7 wrote:

This has probably been discussed before but times change and so do habits so I'm putting it out there again.

I'm just wondering if the Vietnamese tip when going to a coffee shop. I have some Vietnamese friends that do if the service is good.

Also wondering about the tipping habits of expats ? do you tip ?

I usually leave about 4000 dong for the staff if I just order a coffee in a cafe. Leaving too much of a tip though or at an inappropriate place (like a street stall) and you look like an idiot plus make those around you feel uncomfortable.

4000 dong? seriously? that's like less than $0.25. Might as well not tip. Sheesh!

With 4000VND still can buy two Vietnamese brads.

Zac Herm wrote:

It's clear that tipping in Vietnam is not as straightforward as in Western countries. I think we have to consider each situation and context. Sometimes I tip for a service I did not tip for somewhere else, for example. If I had a good Grab Driver I might round up and give him (her) the extra 5.000 because they were friendly and drove well. If they were a bad driver I'll take back the exact change. After 10 years, I still take a few seconds to weigh whether or not a tip is called for, and how much.

Agreed with you,  frankly talking tip is to EVALUATE the quality of service, not for habits. But in some case tips comes to the part of service and they were expecting that too.

My my wife has made me Vietnamese, I never tip and let her review the bill. 

I don't tip period. Doesn't matter where. You don't make enough money take it up with your boss.

vndreamer wrote:

My my wife has made me Vietnamese, I never tip and let her review the bill.

Ah yes, the 'Bill Review'. That additional step of extended scrutiny  when eating out with a Vietnamese wife.

gobot wrote:

vndreamer wrote:

My my wife has made me Vietnamese, I never tip and let her review the bill.

Ah yes, the 'Bill Review'. That additional step of extended scrutiny  when eating out with a Vietnamese wife.

I've had more than one first-time date do this too.

I always check the bill. Numerous times there have been mistakes, sometimes I have been undercharged.

Vietnamese women are so very good with money. I think they come with that ability/propensity without being taught to do so.