TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Another two days…..

Especially when a menu, like on Jais menu and many others, state that it is a 15% "gratuity" but a server will tell you differently.

If they hide it or if the server is telling you different than that is dishonesty, I don't support that behavior.

Carol, tipping certainly is out of control noting there are self serve places in the US that still seem to think they should get a tip. But it is the way servers make the bulk of their income in US and similar structured countries. But you don't tip much if any in so many countries such as France, The Netherlands, New Zealand, and the list goes on. These people are traveling to a Dutch island not the US, why would they think that US style tipping is normal? Yet St Maarten is pretty much set up like the US in this way. Could be that St Maarten needs to change to something similar to the French side but that is unlikely.

I don't take auto tips as an attack on US visitors, instead I look at as a way to protect income for their staff from travelers that don't have the same tipping habits that US Citizens have.

"Could be that St Maarten needs to change to something similar to the Dutch side but that is unlikely."
Similar to the Dutch side. Don't you mean French side?

Todd--Like Scuba, I am confused by your statement about St. Maarten changing their policies. These issues with tipping are pretty much confined to the Dutch side.

As far as auto-tipping being an attack on US visitors, no, I don't see that. In general, Americans tip very well. The other thing is that if there is an auto-tip, there is NO guarantee at all that this money is in fact going to the server. My perception--which I really don't have any evidence to support this--is that businesses are instituting auto-tips and keeping a great majority of the money for the business, and then leaving it up to the server to beg for more tips. I would much prefer they just raise their prices, and then leave it up to me to tip the server an appropriate amount, in which I have some degree of confidence that the money is actually GOING to the server. And auto-tip takes away any incentive for the server to do a good job.

Corrected my post to French side.

Carol, then are you not paying more to compensate for those that don't tip?

If the money isn't going to the staff the that is a "them" problem, good staff is always in demand so they have other options. Not my problem.

Todd--I don't have a problem if they charge what is a reasonable fee for the product. I DON'T like all this 'smoke and mirrors' with charging service charge, which isn't really service charge, and doesn't go to the SERVER, and is just to cover their costs. So you THINK the cost is lower than it is, but they tack on fees on the end, to make it seem cheaper, when it isn't. That is deception to me, and that's what I object to. I don't like auto tip on principle. And it does mean that the best servers will not stay there.

Aloha Carol,
There is a management employee relationship that really is not yours or my issue, I don't engage in that and see no reason why any customer would or should. Not my problem and I won't let it become my problem.

It the restaurant adds a line item clearly or makes the effort to show that there was a service/tip charge added that certainly is not smoke and mirrors. If they add a charge and either try to disguise it or claim that it is not part of the tip then that is certainly something to complain about and I could see a smoke and mirrors reference. I don't return to those types of places.

The math I see is if out of 100 customers 20 don't tip or tip as some would on say the French side, the other 80 people have to make up that short fall. Change the percentages but that is the math.
The restaurant still needs to make money and the staff still need to get paid or they don't survive or they don't keep their staff which usually equates to them not surviving.

In most places in the US I don't like auto tip either, but in cities that have a heavy international clientele such as a Miami or NYC, they often do add the line item to protect them and their staff from people that don't tip because that is their culture from where they are from. No harm intended by said foreigner but that again is they way they are used to handling it.

I am in the freight business, some people claim to me that they presently don't pay for liftgates as that is included per their contract with their other carrier. Well, it still cost to provide a liftgate but it gets massaged into the overall rates. We still have to make margin, so when it comes down to it all the shipments they do that don't require a liftgate are paying for those that actually need a liftgate.

Also, not sure how to read the words that are in all caps, it makes me wonder if you are mad about this and I am just discussing my views. Hopefully you are not angry about this as that is not my intent.

On a jet, bouncing around so please excuse spelling and grammar errors. Not that I am ever good with spelling or grammar but I have an excuse this time.

Cheers,
Todd

Yes, it aggravates me when people don't deal with integrity.

It should

It should

Trying out different places for meals can be hit or miss sometimes. It's frustrating when a restaurant doesn't meet your expectations, especially when it comes to service charges. I totally get the whole principle thing.

Hi Pat,

Sorry for the slow reply, I'm running on island time and not on the electronics as much, but I wanted you to know that I had reached back out to the owner/manager of Dinghy's BB&G and their reply is below. I think the response more than speaks for itself. Your gracious response to it happening to you and John a second time also speaks for itself. I would hope that the issue is now corrected and visitors can go there and enjoy the facilities and not have undue anxiety. And those that say they'll never go there, the business is probably better off.

Based on my post in the "Dinghy's Umbrellas" thread, it appears to me that the owner is really trying to do the right thing. I will be heading over there in an hour or so.

I would agree 100%. I hope most people would give them a fair shake and understand that there are honest mistakes, best intentions that fall short and growing pains for most small businesses. I hope you have a wonderful time and enjoy your day at Dinghy's.

You know bedeeley, what he should have done was to not assume that people were lying to begin with and done some investigation up front.

Thanks, and I hope they follow through on what was posted.

CXHill, where on God's Green Earth do you make the connection that he thought anyone was lying? He is doing what any good manager/owner would do, when made aware of a problem with his business, he is addressing it with his employees and trying to correct it.

Because he denied it was happening.

So when he states that there is not to be any SC except for large groups does he mean not even the 15% for smaller parties that many other Dutch establishments add on? I guess Linda will find out today.

No he did not. And, "that's the facts Jack"

I guess we will eventually find out here from a first hand patron providing they are a smaller group than 6.