TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Tipping - Dutch Side

OK, then. Never eaten at Bon Appetite and I will never do so.. Nuff said..

" (even though there's always that one table)"

Pat, I could write a book. Recently a customer asked for a manager. I went to the table and asked how I could help. She said our Caesar Salad was awful and tasted like fish. So does our tuna, words I wish I could say. She must have been familiar with Kraft Creamy Caesar.

Reminds me of the story that Greg (of the Palms) told us about the customer complaining that the whole snapper was served....whole.

Most fish dishes that taste like fish have been mishandled. Tuna should not taste like fish, but of the sea.

the tuna was a joke, anchovies have a fishy taste. We only serve white meat albacore tuna for salads and sandwiches.

If they've added 15%, regardless of what they call it, "service charge," or other, it seems reasonable to give them another 5% to 10%, unless the service was horrendous. People should expect to pay at the very least 15% when they are in a restaurant. If you leave no tip at all, in a place where there is no built-in 15%, and you do so because of poor service, I think that's just as douchey a move as a waiter giving you that poor service to begin with.

When I make reservations for a large group at most restaurants in the US it is stated clearly that an 18% (or whatever) service charge will be added to the bill. That is the calculated and expected tip.

No difference with the service charge in SXM except it is usually misrepresented as something different. If I see a mandated service charge added then I treat it the same as in the USA and move on.

Just as "duuchey" as starting with an incorrect premise, then calling names? You are applying a US standard to the rest of the world. Europe has a very different salary / gratuity system than the US. And here, you are on a European island, not a US island. For the record, I am born, raised, proud to be an American, but really get tired of some of my countrymen thinking the world revolves around our way of doing things. It is a big world out there and one size does not fit all! (end of rant)

It is not a "standard" in SXM. It is a misrepresented practice found in SOME restaurants. If it was a "standard" it would be the same in all eating establishments.

"If you leave no tip at all, in a place where there is no built-in 15%, and you do so because of poor service, I think that's just as douchey a move as a waiter giving you that poor service to begin with. "
You've got to be kidding. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" /> I would never leave a tip for bad service. I would write a note instead telling them why I didn't just in case they didn't get the message. Or maybe just a nickle to get the point across.

Right on! I would never leave a tip for bad service and it's even worse to be charged that 15% when it is bad. That's when it is time to speak op.

<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" />

I think we have run this one to death. Tip what you choose. The informed SXM diner will decide what works for him or her.
(IMO) It's not a science and it can be influenced by bias, booze or guilt.
Enjoy your meal. Enjoy SXM.

Exactly that's why I tried to give a short quick explanation---but no one was listening!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />

Sorry for the length of post but here goes...

I have to agree with SXMBND and there are a lot of new European owners who either have taken over operations of previous places or started a new one in its place and are used to the service charge fee besides the ones who are still protesting the increase that was supposed to be only temporary by adding a charge.

I owned a small restaurant in SXM for 6 yrs and closed in 2012 and at the time I decided to do this there were 362 operating restaurants on 36 square miles of rock. I wasn't insane and my plan included other services to supplement the business income.
It was small 50 seat capacity place and no, I didn't charge a service charge. I couldn't raise my prices to absorb the 5% increase due to the competition for what kind of menu I served. I had only 2 waitress bartenders at once and I didn't pool their tips, the tips were theirs as they should be. All I asked of them is that they each consider giving 30% to the chef because his speed and presentation helped make those tips. They did this without argument.

All servers on this island make minimum wage (or less) which is too low to handle living expenses. Rent, gas and groceries are not cheap as you know.
Over the years I met (and got more than business friendly) with a lot of business owners of larger places so I could gain insight of how things work down there. You folks would be a bit surprised on a number of things or issues that spur a lot of talk here...

The whole tipping issue is actually a small one, and you need to remember that there are a fair amount of travelers from around the world that visit here as well and do not tip at all or wouldn't even think about it so to an owner a service charge isn't any kind of crime, sometimes can only be a survival tool.

And I can honestly tell you that only some, but not all service charges equate to tips for the wait staff, that is the ugly truth.
Most of it goes to fees to credit card companies, offsetting a manager's pay, maybe utilities or a food bill and of course to offset or cover the turnover tax.

And another fact is that larger places that pool tips for the entire evening divide it up in percentages among the entire staff, including management, back of house etc. With the original server ending up with much less than anticipated. To me this is wrong to include management.

The comment of the owners being greedy bastards is just nonsense.
with rents as high as 8 to 9 thousand a month and no way to close for long periods of a low season, all business have to try to hang on after making any kind of money only 5-6 months of high season traffic out of an entire year. Running a place on this island is nothing near running a place in the states. Unless you are setting up in a very rural setting with minimal restrictions or rules, because it's really close to that analogy.
To be able to dine on a beautiful island vacation in so many ways and varieties as opposed to other similar destinations can sometimes come with a few extra dollars cost and really up to the individual to tip or not. but I would say rarely one is really out to "get you" at any of these places and should never ruin one's visit.

I'm in NYC where there is no service charge and tips are not added for parties of less than 6. Restaurants here also have managers, food bills and utilities etc. The menu prices are supposed to cover all operating expenses. Believe me, you wouldn't believe what restaurants here in Manhattan pay in rent.

All the factors you mentioned are just the price of doing business. Just increase the menu prices to reflect the costs and if you can't stay competitive then do something else. Same for any business. Tips are a gratuity you give because you want to give a reward. It's not to subsidize a business expense.

NYC is the least comparable location that you can give.
NYC is in the US so of course normal for no service charge, nor would laws and regulation allow it to be used like a tiny island nation does either. NYC restaurants get an enormous amount of traffic year round unlike a tourist island and don't get all of their food goods and meats shipped from overseas as well. There's no relation in menu prices compared to NYC... Did I leave out anything?

I agree and said I did not charge any 15% to any one except parties of 8 or more due to my size which is an American practice.

But Its not America, and I just happened to be an American owner. Its a predominantly European based island doing this practice, and your opinion does not matter to the people who charge it.
Everyone has the right to not frequent any establishment they deem to be unfair to you. But if you like it , you'll go back. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

I think the world should revolve more around paying a minimum of 15% when you go out to a restaurant. Less than 20% for bad service makes sense. Zero does not. (END OF RANT)

[quote]SXMScubaman said:
"If you leave no tip at all, in a place where there is no built-in 15%, and you do so because of poor service, I think that's just as douchey a move as a waiter giving you that poor service to begin with. "
You've got to be kidding. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" /> I would never leave a tip for bad service. I would write a note instead telling them why I didn't just in case they didn't get the message. Or maybe just a nickle to get the point across. [/quote

Paying 15% makes it clear to any wait person that they gave poor service. Giving them zero reflects more on the patron than the waiter.

Gee, I don't know, "paying 15% makes it clear to any wait person that they gave poor service"??? Really?? I think this one is done..