Regarding tipping when having Chinese food

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Regarding tipping when having Chinese food

14 January 2016
 Categories: , Blog


It's not easy to know what the rules are regarding tipping when living in a country where the minimum wage is of the sort that nobody has to resort to living off their tips. It might still be good to tip if you think you've gotten extraordinary service, or if you're in a restaurant where you tend to return frequently. This will keep you on good terms with the restaurant owners and the waitresses. However, at fast food places, or country specific restaurants, it's hard to know exactly how much the people in the restaurant expect you to spend on their tips. You might vary because of culture or you might not be sure if you want to tip at all because of the cheap price of the food. When buying Chinese food, there are a few things you should consider.

How much to tip

A number to follow when wondering how much money you should give the person handling your food in the end of the night is 10% of your bill. This is not a determined number, but rather that many people in the restaurant business feel is appropriate. If you're getting Chinese food delivery from a place like Express Dragon Traditional Chinese Restaurant, you might want to put a little bit extra in for tips, as the waiter has drove a far way to get you your food. In restaurants, you should just tip what you feel is appropriate for the service you've just been given.

When to tip

When eating in a Chinese restaurant, you should tip only as you feel you have been served. Nobody is going to think less of you for not tipping. If your waitress has been extraordinary, or if the food was very special, then you can tip. This is a bad rule of thumb for when you're getting Chinese food home delivery, as the only thing you can judge the waiter's performance on is how fast they can get to your door. Therefore you should disregard food being too cold, or if you've gotten the wrong order. The person serving you the food has still done a good job, and tipping is good manners.

What to pay with

Make sure to only pay your tips in cash. Many restaurants have the option of tipping via credit card, but as this goes straight to the bank of the restaurant, the person you initially want to give the tip to will only get a percentage of it. Tip the waiter in cash regardless of where you're eating to make sure the money always go to the right person.