Well obviously... "I'm from Barcelona Mr Fawlty" ;)

but seriously, in my experience in Spain the bartenders are VERY generous when pouring spirits... especially compared with Sweden where the old thimble comes out... still knock you off your bar-stool when you get the check 'though :cry:

Basil Fawlty would spit in your drink in a heartbeat. Especially if you're German.

The vast majority of drinks I had in Spain were generously proportioned, which is why that little joint on Las Ramblas stands out.

So, you're a Catalonian living in Gothenburg? I was there once with a group of Andalusian students, and about the only complaint I have about the city is the price of booze. I came as close to being a teetotaler as I ever have during my stay there.

Perhaps also someone might enjoy hearing my viewpoint. :innocent:

Nonetheless, of all the controversial threads I've read, such as listening to music while riding, using mirrors, taking the lane, running red lights / stop signs, etc. I don't think I have ever seen anyone publicly change their minds.

Calm down, amigo. Can't we disagree with becoming disagreeable? :)

I can. Did someone spit in your drink, or were you simply postulating?

I can understand the incomprehensibility expressed by people who live in places where tipping is not customary, about places where tipping is not only normal, but expected. This is a prime example of culture shock!

Upon reflection, the system of hidden charges, including taxes and tipping, is unfair to consumers. The true cost is never the "sticker price," but the indicated price + an arbitrary percentage. Many societies have evolved vibrant and viable political and economic systems without hidden charges. There is nothing "normal" about it, except that many of us have become habituated to shelling out extra.

When I travel to the United States, I notice that the rules of tipping are slightly different than they are in Canada. A shuttle bus operator in Los Angeles told me that he could easily identify Canadians because they never tip him. (This was the first time that I had heard that anybody tips bus drivers. Now, when I go to the United States, I make sure that I arrive with $10 in singles so that I am prepared for the inevitable unexpected tips.)

As visitors to foreign places, we have a responsibility to pay attention to the strange and incomprehensible rituals of our hosts!

I suppose at the other end of the spectrum, there is the phenomenon of haggling. The "sticker price" is not the price, but a starting point for negotiations. When I travelled in India, I witnessed Westerners freaking out because of the constant, unrelenting need to bargain. And learning when and where to not bargain is half the battle. It wasn't always easy, but I eventually cottoned on.

As always, for bicycle tourists (or any other kind of traveller), the rule is always, "while in Rome, do what the Romans do."

No, sorry for the misundrstanding, I'm not from Barcelona, I was referencing Truman's bartender's excuse being that he was (like Manuel in "Fawlty Towers") from Barcelona... obtuse attempt at humour...

Yepp, booze in sweden is not cheap... but on the other hand we have at least 10 months of lousy weather each year :)

If the budget is limited then most of food is going to be cooked ourselves :) But if we are in a restaurant I would probably tip *more* on tour than not on tour because of the extra service (sometimes!) needed by bike tourists. Ie can you give me directions to the local laundromat? Is X road going out of town busy? Could you fill up my four water bottles? (of course I'd do it myself but some restaurant bathrooms don't have cold water or can't fit the bottle under the tap) We're *reaaaally* hungry (they manage to get us extra large portions) You know you get the idea.

I don't know if they have or not, but I do know such things happen. I worked in restaurants in San Diego back in the 70's, and the wait staff didn't cotton to folks who stiffed them or left less than what they expected. By the way, as a bus boy, I was to be given a percentage of waitresses' tips, and there were several who'd come up with the flimsiest of excuses to give me less than my cut. "Oh, you didn't do this. You were too slow doing that, so I'm going to have to give you less today..." They, as it turns out, were the ones who *****ed and moaned the most when someone left little or nothing.

Excellent answer IMO. :thumb:

I re-read the OP:

I confirmed my initial impression that the question reeks of moral superiority--I TOUR (by bicycle); therefore I deserve a subsidy from you people (who probably drive cars). :notamused:

>Spain the bartenders are VERY generous when pouring spirits... especially compared with Sweden where the old thimble comes out... still knock you off your bar-stool when you get the check 'though

Ya rly. I think Grenada was the only place I've ever abandoned a paid-for mixed drink. A quick G&T before heading to bed turned out to be a highball 3/4 full of gin, and a bottle of tonic beside it. I got through about half the gin before deciding I didn't actually need to get drunk the night before an early morning bus...

From memory it was about 3.5 euros.

+1

I generally tip better, especially in eateries, while on tour than any other time. Mostly because I'm hungry and genuinely appreciative for the food. Also because bicycle touring is a relatively inexpensive gig and I feel like I can spare the tip money. If I find a half decent stealth campsite for the night, get up and head for a local breakfast place and get good service and food, I'm probably going to leave the best tip the waitress gets all morning. Especially if shes pretty.

I used to know a fellow who would tip more if the service was poor or if the waitress was homely. He figured she would need the money more than an efficient and pretty girl.

I tip a little more than most people who tour, simply because of my poor sense of balance. I've rarely tipped over, however. Neil Fein can attest to it. :thumb:

This threads question is a sad commentary on the OP.

Anywhere you would normally tip in normal day to day life, you tip while on tour. Many service workers depend on tips as a major part of their income. Personally if I was a waiter and you didn't tip I would certainly say something out loud and embarass you. There really is no excuse not to tip. It should be considered as part of the price of what you are buying. Coffee, yes. Grocery bagger, yes if there is a tip jar, then it is expected. Restaurants or diners, in the US, always.

Yes it is. I guess it is not in the UK though and I made the mistake when I first moved there to always tip and never understood why I kept getting strange looks for weeks until I realized its not customary to tip there.

I would fire you if you worked for me and did that.

This whole thread reminds me of a conversation from the movie Reservoir Dogs which is way to laced with profanity to post here. Personally I tip because I believe in karma.

And I should be taller.

The organized tour I went on even offered an on tour mechanic. He even changed flats at a really reasonable charge. We sure did then.

Then why isn't it included in the price?

+1

"Then why isn't it included in the price? "

In some restaurants it is automatically added to the bill, though it is rare where I live.

The reason is that the service provider has a split loyalty. Everything from how time is alloted to various people and tasks, to whether they promote specials that are in the establishment's interest but perhaps not yours. Tips even that out, so that you are paying for the service directly and can influence the server so that you get good service.

So, you have to pay a bribe to get good service!

You know, the more I think about the tipping system in the United States, the less sense it makes to me. Thanks to the OP for bringing this up.