http://www.lomolink.com/why-do-you-pay-for-good-service
Here’s what most people say. Because the staff are overworked and underpaid.

When you are paying your tip you do not give 7% to the waiter and 7% to the chef. The biggest waiter is the Chef because he does not only serve table number 9, but the whole restaurant. That Chef, I think is by far the biggest waiter.
What if you define “service” as the person who seems to come around every 5 minutes kindly asking if you want to buy more overpriced drinks or expensive desert?

There is a principal of 10% of the bill. What if a family come with kids and ordered a bunch of cheap stuff and asked for several refills forcing you to come back and forth, the bill is $70 so you leave $7 (10%). Now a single man walks in and orders expensive wine and steak and the bill is $90, the waiter will EXPECT a higher tip even though less energy and service.

Why did I assume he would tip more?

Maybe there is another explanation. A psychological one.
[tt][/tt]
People like to feel generous. Giving a tip when you know you don’t have to makes you feel better than if it was in small print on the bill. It is a chance to prove to yourself and your boss at the table that you are the honest and honourable type.

As is so often the case, there’s no right answer,  just a choice.
http://www.lomolink.com/why-do-you-pay-for-good-service

Actually the tip should be in the Bill or cost of service or product you are paying for I really don't believe in this tipping thing. Its so American- i mean after paying for something you then bring out money again to 'tip'

There is a principal of 10% of the bill. What if a family come with kids and ordered a bunch of cheap stuff and asked for several refills forcing you to come back and forth, the bill is $70 so you leave $7 (10%). Now a single man walks in and orders expensive wine and steak and the bill is $90, the waiter will EXPECT a higher tip even though less energy and service.

Gross!!

Dis Guy:

Actually the tip should be in the Bill or cost of service or product you are paying for I really don't believe in this tipping thing. Its so American- i mean after paying for something you then bring out money again to 'tip'


Gross!!

Well it's to say that, BUT, do you not think that the management will tax the waiters tip so there is an incentive to still underpay the waiter.
Even if they do decide to include the tip in the bill, will they not add an extortionate amount - would't you like to be able to choose to tip or not in these circumstances.

Especially in Nigeria

This tip thing has never seems to stop amazing me, Haba, i go to a restaurant, Pay for the expensive me, and then, i'm told thats its customary to DASH the waiting something, (a % of what ever my bill is),

Haba, where on earth did that culture come from, the drinks you buy in these outlets are way cheaper in the stores and super-marts, why do i have to TIP a guy who is working for his daily bread??, why do i not get TIPPED at work 'xcept for my salary and the end of a working month

Na wah oh, the concept is lost on me,

What's the article got to do with Nigerians?

lomolink:

Well it's to say that, BUT, do you not think that the management will tax the waiters tip so there is an incentive to still underpay the waiter.
Even if they do decide to include the tip in the bill, will they not add an extortionate amount - would't you like to be able to choose to tip or not in these circumstances.

Especially in Nigeria

Nigerians dont call it tip . . . its bribe

Nigerians tip very well just that it is not included in the bill. Go and get ur driver's licence and tell me if u wont tip. When u go to a beer joint and your about to leave, don't u ask them to keep the change, etc etc etc.

@OP I think over time the reality of our economic situation has eroded whatever sentimental values we attach to tipping. I speak for myself and the class of 2000, we tipped at every restaurant we visited. It was not obvious but we left the receipt with whatever change was left to the waiter.

These days, the menu starts from N3, 000 for the tasteless dishes and from N4,000 - N5,000k for the good ones, double that by 2 and you will not fancy the idea of leaving any change behind

nigerians do tip, but not as much as d western world, now flip d coin again n ask, why dont europeans give children money whenever they go for a visit? so it's all about d society ur from,

I live in Addis Ababa and tipping is a normal thing here. Its not a compulsion but everyone, everywhere does it.

I think its because our country is not driven by service. People do their jobs like they are being forced to do it. The customer is not treated as the king he is. There have been many instances where customers and waiters/waitresses have exchanged words. I think thats bad for business.

Here in Addis, the waiters/waitresses want to kiss you. .grinning from ear to ear as the approach you. For naija, na so so bone dem go dey bone. . .


#Javalove. . .unless otherwise stated. . .!

ill give you a tip, stay in addis ababa.

I DONT have to tip - it is my prerogative. depends on how impressed I am with the service . . . .and how much money I have left in my pocket.

It is a choice.

i regularly give a tip of 15 % which i leave with my bill but noticed that a lot of Africans dont tip as well

kokoye:

I DONT have to tip - it is my prerogative. depends on how impressed I am with the service . . . .and how much money I have left in my pocket.

It is a choice.

actually tipping makes a lot of dif to the waiters and co cos basically most of them dont even make up to minimum wage but make up via tips

I think the right question should be 'WHY DONT NIGERIANS TIPS AS MUCH AS AMERICANS (OR EUROPEANS)? And why should Nigerians tip,dont waiters get paid?

ill give the waiter a tip, bring my food without a scowl. thats the tip

milehigh06:

actually tipping makes a lot of dif to the waiters and co cos basically most of them [b]dont even make up to minimum wage [/b]but make up via tips

Are you sure? isnt it illegal to pay below minimum wage

The wage of the waiter should be the concern of the employer not the customer

Depending on the tier of restaurant, tipping does exist in Nigeria.
For the low-cost bukas and quick service restaurants in Nigeria, tipping is not the norm at all. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if tipping wasn't outlawed in the likes of Mr Biggs and co. The counter waiters and waitresses give me that impression, like you should take your food and just go. Which is kind of a good thing anyway.

In the high profile places, of course you're expected to tip, though if you don't nobody will do anything. When you visit the likes of a Jade Palace or Ocean View, it's polite to leave a tip. It's even kind of embarrassing not to, since you get relatively good service at those places.

Ironically, I find that Americans seem to be more aggressive towards non-tippers than Europeans. I've eaten at restaurants and diners in the US, and it was almost like, you have to tip or else trouble. In Europe, not at all. They have better customer service, and aren't rude. Most places like Nandos don't even ask for tips. Wagamama even has the tip built into their POS system, when you want to pay by credit card, you can enter how much you want to tip. You can even put zero if you like.

Tipping is a choice and not a must.

Tipping is more appreciated in Nigeria than abroad though because next time you are there for the same or another service, you will be recognised and probably be given a better and a prompt service. From bars, restaurants, supermarkets, banks and even barbing salons, it’s more like ‘egunje’ anyway. If you tip a cashier in the bank, trust me, you won’t have to join that long queue on Fridays again next time you are back there, lol.

While in abroad, I don’t really think they give a damn about the last tip you gave because it doesn’t go directly to the person that serves you. They all share it at the end of the shift or it sometimes goes to the management. They are not allowed to ‘pocket’ the money like Naija but I still do give sha, depends on my mood. Some of the bartenders can be dodgy too, sometimes in the club or restaurant when they know you’ve had few drinks, they’ll handover the payment terminal to you with the option of adding tip amount before you enter your pin, that’s ridiculous and it’s a deal breaker for me, I won’t add a dime to it. @ AjanleKoko, that wagamama terminal is actually optional, you don’t really have to see that option but the waiter just want to trick you into tipping, lol

In a nutshell, tips in Naija will go a long way while tips in abroad doesn’t really count as much. Just my opinion though. And I rarely go to a restaurant or bar without tipping either in Naija or abroad except the service was really bad.

And I totally disagreed with Javalove, there are many places you will go in Naija with very good customer services and you will be impressed to even give some tips. Customers are king to some businesses in Naija too o, not just in Addis Ababa, lol

sulad82i:

Nigerians dont call it tip . . . its bribe

True talk. na we bribe tip pass.

Tayo-UK:

Some of the bartenders can be dodgy too, sometimes in the club or restaurant when they know you’ve had few drinks, they’ll handover the payment terminal to you with the option of adding tip amount before you enter your pin, that’s ridiculous and it’s a deal breaker for me, I won’t add a dime to it. @ AjanleKoko, that wagamama terminal is actually optional, you don’t really have to see that option but the waiter just want to trick you into tipping, lol

Yeah, it is optional, there's a menu option to ask if you want to leave a tip or not. I wasn't tricked, I felt it was a tasteful way to ask for it, rather than squeezing face or being outright unpleasant like many service people do in the States. So I did leave a tip that one time.

I agree with you, tipping goes a long way in Nigeria. The only issue is, you prolly have to keep tipping every now and then, or the goodwill will 'wash' eventually. We are an expectant people, and once you 'cut off' that expectation, the 'righteous' would change the ambience for you

buzugee:

ill give you a tip, stay in addis ababa.

 Lol  

who says nig dont tip? we tip alot, though we don't call it tip, we call it 'drop something'.

lol @ drop something

Nigerians Tip

Nigerians Tip Alot and it mostly depends on the individual

I don't think it's Nigeria, I think it varies on people and more like to men/women. For instance, my sister and her husband are always arguing /fighting about tips (they're not arguning about how much to be left, but why should her husband leave a tip). Unlike me or my friends, we tip a lot unlike women I've met., they don't. So it all depends on people, the place etc. I get on a taxi, they get a tip, I cut my hair, he gets a tip, I go out for dinner, the waiter gets a tip unless if its bad service.

The last time i checked, Nigerians tip a lot. Except i dont understand what type of tipping the poster is talking of. Where i live in the Uk, 'blacks' are known to be the highest tippers. Nigerians have the highest population of blacks here.

The last time i checked, Nigerians tip a lot. Except i dont understand what type of tipping the poster is talking of. Where i live in the Uk, 'blacks' are known to be the highest tippers. Nigerians have the highest population of blacks here.

@Ajanlekoko

There is a big reason why tipping is very important in America. Tips are sometimes the salary of most people. They could be paying the people minimum wage and then most of the money they get would depend on the tip of the customers. So basically not tipping is like you are not paying the salary of the person who served you . Imagine if your boss decided to withhold salary indefinitely you too go frown now.

However, I think Nigerians tip and its kind of in our culture. However the tips are an incentive to build favor or to show that we are a big Man. The tips in the west is courtesy- to show that you appreciate and respect the service of the person serving you. I kind of prefer the Nigerian one too- you get something from it, while you get nothing in the west.