tipping. Do you tip?

[ITZTRU]

Lastly, a major pet peeve of mine, regardless of location, are businesses without table service that have the nerve to put out a tip jar.

definitely in agreement with this statement.

Imagine walking into McDonald's and seeing a tip jar for every register...

[GoktimusPrime]

I don't think "customer service" is a word that exists in the Chinese language (or if it did, it must be archaic ). Japan on the other hand has the best customer service I've ever encountered -- but the Japanese don't tip and they don't accept tips either. They just take pride in their work and it's an honour to serve. One time I made a purchase at a bookstore in Japan, and the change was like 1 or 2 Yen... so I told the clerk to keep the change. He kept trying to give my change back to me but I insisted that he keep it. He asked me why he should keep it and I told him that I didn't want it. He then said that the money didn't belong to him and thus he had no right to keep it. I then said that I was giving this money to him as a gift, and thus it was his to keep - and then walked out of the store before he could continue the argument. When I was about half way down the road from the store I turned around to see the clerk running after me so he could return my change. He repeatedly bowed to me and apologised profusely for taking my money before returning to his store.

So umm... never tip or ask a clerk to keep change in Japan. They find it bizarre and it makes them feel bad cos they feel like they're robbing you! In my experience Japan and China are on the two extreme opposites of the customer service spectrum.

[UltraMarginal]

wow, Gok, that was an interesting story, I've never heard of that happening to anyone.