Euroland...

[The Vagabond]

Originally posted by Zkribbler
I remember when the first McDonald's opened in Moscow.

The locals were shocked by its cleanliness. What does that say about their other restaurants?

But that was almost twenty years ago... Now things have changed, very much.

In fact, I was among the first visitors of the first McDonald's in Moscow. We had to wait for about 2 hours in a long queue in the Pushkin square before getting in. What stroke me was not only its cleanliness and splendour (yes, it was perceived as splendour), but also the taste of the food. But it was damn expensive by those times. Not an everyday endeavor, for sure.

Since then I've tasted plenty of interesting food of various cuisines, but I still love and enjoy McDonald's. McDonald's is the feast which is always with me.

[BeBMan]

That does say even more about your other restaurants....

[The Vagabond]

Incidentally, McDonald's is damn expensive in Euroland. And the menus don't even include ketchup. You have to buy it separately (for 40 eurocents by the way).

[The Vagabond]

Originally posted by BeBro
That does say even more about your other restaurants....

Remember, it was 20 years ago.

Now Russia is awash with brilliance in such places as supermarkets, pharmacies, restaurants, etc.

[The Vagabond]

An advantage of restaurants in Euroland is that they generally don't expect tips as high as in the US. Isn't it?

[Dinner]

So capitalism has provided more for the people then communism? Who would have thought?

[Jon Miller]

we like good service

but yeah, here I generally tip ~20% for good service
25+% for great service
~10% for low service (like a buffet)
only going below 10% for attrocious service

I think in euroland, people tip less than 5% unless the service is amazing

Jon Miller

[The Vagabond]

Originally posted by Oerdin
So capitalism has provided more for the people then communism? Who would have thought?

Hell yes! Now we'll bury you from our new, capitalistic stance.

[The Vagabond]

Originally posted by Jon Miller
I think in euroland, people tip less than 5% unless the service is amazing

Yeah, this is my impression too.

[Zopperoni]

We round, so if it's 72, we'll round to 75 or so.

[Drogue]

Originally posted by Jon Miller
we like good service

but yeah, here I generally tip ~20% for good service
25+% for great service
~10% for low service (like a buffet)
only going below 10% for attrocious service

I think in euroland, people tip less than 5% unless the service is amazing

Jon Miller

In the UK, 10% is normal, but if it's bad service usually we don't tip at all. If it's good service, whatever you want, really. Leaving a small tip just seems a bit pointless. Often "service charge" is added to the bill, which while optional, basically is the tip (it's usually set at 10% or 12.5%).

I always think tipping like this is a bit weird though, as the amount it common to tip doesn't change much. For example if I have pretty poor service, but not bad enough to leave nothing, tipping at 10% is still normal. Similarly if the service is good, but not great, tipping at 10% is customary. Which just seems weird. But still, it has to be amazing service for me to leave 15%+, especially somewhere nice.

This is very different from the continent though. I remember trying to tip in Paris when I went out for dinner with Spiffor and Verres, and they wouldn't accept it, they insisted on giving me my change. Although I think that's different in very posh restaurants, but I've never been to anywhere stunning on the continent.

[The Vagabond]

Originally posted by DRoseDARs
Well of course Euroland sucks: It employs lazy Eurotrash.

Apparently there is too much socialism in Euroland. Shops close damn early. After the US and Russia, where plenty of big supermarkets are open until midnight (or maybe even 24/7), this is perceived like an anomaly.

[The Vagabond]

No surprise that Britain is more like America, in this regard too, than Euroland.

[Pekka]

KH's analysis is precise.

Except for the part where people don't take credit cards. I don't know what the hell that is all about, I've never encountered a place that didn't accept credit card, in fact they usually are the de facto payment methods.

That is, Visa is the best card in Europe . Most common I'd think, if they take credit cards, they take Visa.

Vagabond made a nice observation, McD's and the likes are a bit expensive in many places. No, seriously, a meal can cost like 7 euros in here. There's no dollar menu and if there is, it's only like "one cold and old potato".

Fast food does not mean cheaper necessarily, so that's kind of weird. That's exactly what it should mean.

[The Vagabond]

Originally posted by Zopperoni
We round, so if it's 72, we'll round to 75 or so.

This seems to me quite a reasonable way of tipping.

Personally I am disturbed by the necessity of giving tips. Not because I am so greedy, but rather because it somehow doesn't feel convenient to judge someone's job in this way. I'd rather prefer it all be included into the prices.