To all our friends and colleagues in the service industry who are eagerly awaiting the Formula 1 fans from around the world to converge on Texas- Please be aware that tipping for service is a very American custom, and does not exist or is limited in scope in many other countries. Although many savvy travelers from abroad are aware of our customs, many are not. If a non-American guest does not leave you a tip, do not take it as a personal offense or that the customer is “cheap”. They may simply not understand our customs.
For those Formula 1 fans who are coming to Austin (or the US) for the first time, please be aware that it is customary to leave a 15% gratuity for average service, 18% for good service, and anything above that is at your discretion. Frequently restaurants may include the gratuity as part of your bill, especially if you are in a group of 6 or more people, so please be aware of this as well. Aside from servers in restaurants, it is also customary to leave a tip on the bed each morning in your hotel room for the cleaning personnel, valets who park your cars, and bartenders who serve drinks.
Also, many other countries include sales tax in the price of their items, and when someone from one of these countries sees a price on an item, that is usually what they expect to pay. When they receive a check for more than they expected, please explain to them that sales tax is an addition to the final bill. A savvy server or bartender will inform a customer of this beforehand to avoid any surprises later.
As in any successful relationship, communication is key. Yes, many of the foreigners visiting us for the first time may speak English quite well, but that does not mean that they will understand all our customs and traditions. Please use patience and understanding and remember to show our guests real Texas hospitality when they arrive.
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