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As an American, you can find volumes of travel books instructing you how to behave when you visit other countries—which seemingly innocent hand gestures are vulgar in Romania, for example, or how close you can stand to a Japanese businessman. But what about when foreigners visit our country?

It’s not easy to find out what the non-English speaking world thinks of us, as it is another unique peculiarity of Americans that most only speak one language. But Google speaks many, even Russian. So with Google’s help, I set out to learn more about “???????????? ??????,” or, Russia’s take on American etiquette. (Note: Some of my interpretations of these translations may be a bit liberal, and we welcome any translation help from Russian-speaking Flossers.)
1. On Giving Gifts to Americans

Short Version: Don’t worry about gifts. It’s not a big deal to Americans and can even make them feel bad. If you do gift, go really Russian, they love that. Also did you know bribery was illegal in America? Be careful of that.

“Gifts: Americans do not expect them. On the contrary, an unexpected gift while conducting business can put an American in an awkward position. Such things for Americans suggest reciprocity."

"If you do gift, it is desirable to bring something purely Russian when you visit the United States. But make it 'purely Russian' for modern America - not nesting dolls and samovar. Instead bring a good book about Moscow or Russian history, art and culture. Americans appreciate a good education and have great respect for cognitive literature.” (??????? ?????? ??-???????????)

“Business gifts in the U.S. are not acceptable. Moreover, they often cause suspicion. Americans fear that they could be construed as a bribe, and in the United States that is strictly punishable by law.” (???????????? ??????????? ??????? ? ???)

I’d just like to say, I would love a samovar. And oh, one of those awesome fox fur earflap hats would probably really help grease the wheels of international commerce between our companies.
2. On Talking to American Women

The short version: American women are a little uptight. They might call the cops if you look at them too long. And don’t be gallant, that creeps them out.

“US etiquette prohibits flirting with a woman who is not your girlfriend or wife. If you are not acquainted with a woman, whether she be in a restaurant, on the street, or on the subway, do not look at her legs, etc. Americans could easily call the police on you, even for just ogling her.” (?????? ???)

“Welcome and introductions: men and women tend to shake hands. Mutual kissing and kissing ladies' hands is not accepted. Also, women play a greater role in business. Often they insist to be treated exactly as an equal and not as a lady. In this regard, it is not acceptable to be excessively gallant, and you should avoid personal questions (do not find out whether she is married). (???????????? ??????????? ??????? ? ???)

It’s weird how one nation’s flirting is another nation’s motivation to use pepper spray.
3. On Socializing With Americans

Short Version: Americans are delicate buttercups by Russian standards, so be gentle. They get all touchy when you show up at their house uninvited and get their feelings hurt just because you hang up on them when you’re done talking. They also do this thing with their legs that is so annoying. Bring them a badminton racket, they go crazy for those. Oh! And when they say, “See you later,” they’re totally lying. And whatever you do, don’t mention the magnetic storm.

“Showing up at a business associate’s home uninvited in the United States is not acceptable. You may be invited to a picnic –if you’ve known each other for several years and are social outside the office. As a rule, the invitation will be only on a weekend, and you don’t have to prepare for something extravagant. Everything is the same as ours, only with far less booze. Bring something sporty - ball, badminton, Americans are certainly fervent fans of these things.” (??????? ?????? ??-???????????)

"Americans generally do not like long intros and prefer to go directly to the subject matter, especially if it's a phone conversation. In Russia we talk about general topics before moving on to the reason for the call. Conversely, Americans are often surprised by the Russian habit of quickly breaking off a conversation and hanging up. Phone etiquette in America usually involves the gradual end of the conversation, confirmation agreements and standard closing remarks. By the way, 'see you later' should not be taken literally. That is a courtesy, and no more.

"Russian conversational patterns often sound harsh to Americans. Statements such as, 'You’re wrong,' can be offensive. This can be interpreted as 'You are telling lies!' Therefore it is better to say, 'I do not think I can agree with this.'" (???????????? ??????? ??????)

“When Americans are talking, they might put their foot on a nearby chair, or even a table. They might cross their legs so that one foot rests on the opposite knee. In American culture, it is considered an acceptable norm, but often causes irritation in other countries.” (???????????? ??????????? ??????? ? ???)

“You should not discuss their health unless you are visiting a friend in the hospital. What seems caring can be regarded as an invasion of privacy, lack of tact. You have to have some justification to show interest in their health. Do not ask the effect of a magnetic storm (not many Americans know what that is) on their well-being.”
(???????????? ??????? ??????)

4. On American Optimism

Short Version: These people do not stop smiling. Also, they don’t want to hear your problems because it interrupts their smiling. “Surviving” makes you a hero over there. Here it just means you were unlucky, but not unlucky enough to have died.

“Americans and Russians say different things when faced with the same situation. Seeing the man who had fallen in the street, an American asks, 'Are you all right?' Russians will inquire: 'Are you ill?' We see a victim of the incident; they see survivors. Survivors are perceived as heroes. Where we 'aren’t sick,' they 'stay well.' We discuss the problem. They discuss issues and items on the agenda." (???????????? ??????? ??????)

“US etiquette requires that you smile in each and every situation. If you want to travel to America, be prepared to give a smile not only to friends and acquaintances, but also to all passers-by, in shops, to the staff at the hotel, police on the streets, etc.

"US etiquette also forbids lamenting the troubles of life, or sharing your problems with others. Sharing in this country can only be positive emotions—sorrows and frustrations are impermissible. In the US you only complain to acquaintances in the most extreme cases. Serious problems are for close friends and relatives only.

"However, it would be wrong to believe that the Americans with their smiles only create the illusion of well-being and that their smiles are stretched with false joy. This is not so. Americans: they are a nation that truly feels happy. These people get used to smiling from the cradle onwards, so they do not pretend to be cheerful. The desire for a successful happy life is inculcated from childhood.” (?????? ???)

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The ? are for cyrillic script

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Originally posted by Niki2:
Re-read it and here are my thoughts:

The gifting thing I found strange; I've been visited by people from other countries, and some brought a small gift, some didn't; it never mattered one way or another, I thought the gifts were a sweet thing to do…but yeah, I do see the "reciprocal" thing in American culture (my mother had it to a TERRIBLE degree; she couldn't even enjoy a gift unless she could come up with something in return--and it had to be of "equal value", score was carefully kept, birthdays and Xmas included). I've never been in a "business/gift" situation.

The "women" thing I found really strange. I flirted all my life: "US etiquette prohibits flirting with a woman who is not your girlfriend or wife"--are they kidding?? Maybe the world's changed since I left the social sphere (which, admittedly, was some twenty years ago), but I enjoyed flirting with guys I worked with, and vice versa, and that was up until ten or so years ago.

Showing up at someone's house uninvited, yeah, I'd be upset by that, so I assume it's a customs difference. The "gradual end of conversation on the phone" thing I don't get at all, nor the thing with legs.

Going straight to the subject matter I'm DEFINITELY aware of; when we lived in Afghanistan, my mom learned the custom of socializing with the bazaar owner--to the point where they sit down and have choi (their version of tea) together, ask about the family, yada yada before ever talking about price, and it was embarrassing to have American visitors walk into the shop, ask the price without preamble, and then not even haggle! It was like that in other social situations, too, a much less direct conversation, which was nice once we got used to it. Americans in some ways are always in too much of a hurry...which relates of course at least in part to our hurried pace of living I'm sure.

I don't know about the health thing, I think it differs from person to person, group to group, maybe place to place. But damn, everyone I've ever KNOWN yaks and yaks about the miseries in their lives, so I dunno where that "survivor" thing comes from!

But the smile thing I totally agree with; it's just a natural thing to smile at anyone when I catch their eye, and they smile and/or nod back. Saw a column once by one of our favorite columnists, Jon Carrol, in which he talked about meeting people on the trail when hiking. We nod, mutter "hi" or "good morning" or some such idiocy, and he said "it translates to 'I don't choose to kill you today'"…never forgot that, and that's how it feels. I actually DO have a tendency to make a face AFTER I've passed someone I've nodded to who didn't smile/nod/mutter back at me, or mutter under my breath "don't smile, God will smite you if you do" or somesuch. So they definitely got that one right.

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Originally posted by Magonsdaughter:

What about German peculiarities

Hmmm, I can think of a few but I'm interested in what you have to say.

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The United States is one of the most popular travel destinations for Australians: more than 863,000 trips were made there in 2012, ranking it as our third-most popular destination (after New Zealand and Indonesia). US culture often seems familiar to us after a lifetime of imported TV, music, movies and games, but there are some peculiar quirks of travelling to the States which aren’t always so apparent.

I’ve been thinking about these issues in the run-up to our World Of Servers visit to TechEd North America — these are problems that our winning bloggers are going to have to bear in mind. However, they’re equally applicable to anyone travelling to the US. We ran a more basic version of this list back in 2010, but given the many changes since then an update seemed wise.

10. You’ll pay more than the listed price

Despite Australia’s proximity to China, many items are still cheaper stateside (clothes being one obvious example). The ongoing near-parity between the Australian and US dollar also makes shopping sprees very tempting. Have at it by all means, but remember one crucial point: unlike Australia, the price tags you see won’t include sales tax. That will vary from state to state, with the typical rate hovering between 4 and 6 per cent. I usually assume a 10 per cent markup — that’s almost always an exaggeration, but it’s an easy mental calculation and makes it simple to assess if a bargain is still a bargain post-tax.

9. Don’t make jokes to airport security

Yes, this rule applies in any airport, but the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) can be particularly humourless. The process is annoying (you always have to remove your belt and shoes), but we have some sympathy here. People make “jokes” on an astonishingly regular basis about “having bombs”, something we highlighted by putting all the reported comments on a map. Having to deal with people carrying loaded firearms in hand luggage is also a daily occurrence. Tamp down your inner comedian and put up with life in the queue; it will be easier for everyone in the long run.
8. Stock up on dollar bills for tipping

I’m not a fan of having to give dollar bills to shuttle bus drivers and add 15 per cent to every restaurant bill, but tipping is an inescapable fact of life in the US. Many minimum-wage jobs presume that tips will form a large proportion of overall income. In theory, that should lead to better service; in practice, that varies widely. But tipping is expected, and stocking up on dollar bills (the US has dollar coins as well but they’re much rarer) is the easiest way to handle tipping the doorman who gets you a taxi. Note: some restaurants will automatically add a gratuity to your bill to make sure you pay it. Check that before adding anything extra yourself.

7. International transit is not a thing

The US sometimes pops up as a transit stop en route to other countries (particularly Canada and South America). The bad news: if this happens, you will still have to clear US customs, even if you’re immediately heading to another flight and your baggage is already tagged to your final destination. It’s a nuisance and something that happens almost nowhere else in the world, but US airport design means it’s never going to change. If you do book a trip with transit via the US, allow yourself an absolute minimum of two hours between flights, and make sure your bookings are connected, so that the airlines involved will be looking out for you.

6. Know your body scanner rules

Both Australia and the US now use body scanners to check passengers for banned items, but there are some key differences. In Australia, the scanners are currently only used for international flights and aren’t used on every passenger, but you can’t opt out; refusing to be scanned will see you kicked out of the airport for 24 hours.

In the US, scanners are used for domestic and international flights, and everyone passing through the airport is subjected to them. However, you do have the option of asking for a pat-down scan instead. Personally I wouldn’t bother — the body scan is much quicker — but the choice is there if you have health or privacy concerns.

5. You won’t hear airport-wide flight announcements

Australian airports are small enough that airport-wide boarding calls are usually made for every flight. That isn’t the case at US airports: the only announcements that are made are at the gate itself, so you won’t hear them if you’re lurking in the shops or at a bar. Take note of the boarding time on your card and make sure you’re at the gate on time. US flights are often overbooked, so you risk getting booted if you don’t show up, especially if you don’t have checked baggage.

Again, this isn’t unique to the US, but it’s worth noting. If you have access to an airport lounge, note that they typically don’t make flight announcements for domestic flights either; international flights are often called, and some lounges will highlight boarding flights on a separate screen (as in the picture), but this depends on the airport and airline.

4. Your accent may be a problem

Americans are friendly folks, but many of them haven’t travelled, and their only routine exposure to other accents is via South America. I might have an exaggerated view of this because I speak far too quickly at the best of times, but I’ve often found it easier when ordering coffee or a meal to simply drop into an American accent rather than being repeatedly questioned. The mere process of having to remember to do the accent slows me down.

3. If you must lock your bag, use TSA locks

As well as scanning your body on the way in, the TSA also often inspects luggage after it has been checked in. If this happens, you’ll find a note in your bag to that effect. However, if you have locked your bag, you’ll know well before that, because the lock will have been broken open.

The only way to work around the lock ban is to use one of the TSA-approved locks, which can be opened with a master key. That means baggage screeners can inspect your baggage if it does set off security processes, but it will remain impervious to other outsiders. I’m cynical about the usefulness of this — there must be a lot of master keys around — but if you like locking your luggage, it’s the only way to do it.

2. Be sparing when using your phone

The US is no exception to the rule that mobile phone roaming rates will bleed you dry. Check out our top 10 tips to avoid roaming rorts for specific advice on how to minimise this problem. Free Wi-Fi is definitely your friend; it’s increasingly common in US hotels, but check carefully as some hotels will charge a “resort fee” to cover it. If you want to acquire a pay-as-you-go mobile hotspot for data access in the States, we’ve rounded up some of the better options. Hotspot picture from Shutterstock

1. Make sure you apply for an ESTA

Most Australians don’t need a specific visa to travel to the US for holiday or business trips lasting less than 90 days. However, you do need to apply online via the Electronic System for Travel Authorization for electronic approval prior to your trip.

The process is relatively speedy and can be done entirely online, but it isn’t free; you have to pay $US14, and payment via credit card is the only option. This may seem fiddly, but there is one advantage: if you have an ESTA, you only have to fill in customs paperwork on board your flight, rather than separate customs and immigration forms.

Apply for an ESTA well in advance of your trip; if you arrive at the airport and don’t have an ESTA (or a visa), you won’t be able to board your flight. An ESTA remains valid for two years. The official minimum time period is 72 hours.

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Don't take cuts in lines ("jump the queue"). If you are waiting to get a drink at the pub, and the bartender mistakenly offers to serve you before somebody who has been waiting longer, then tell the bartender that the other person is next in the queue. Don't worry: you won't have to wait long. The pubs are generally not under-staffed in this country.
Don't challenge people. Australians tend to avoid confrontation. Fights and heated arguments are very rare. For example, if you accidently bump into somebody else, the other person will likely say "sorry mate" even though it may have been your fault. If somebody tells you to do something, then you should probably just do it. Don't argue with them or demand to speak to their manager. You usually do not have to worry about Aussies trying to cheat you: they are very trustworthy people. I have only had one person try to cheat me in Sydney: it was a taxicab driver who was himself a foreigner, and he thought he could lie to be on the cab rate since I had an accent (and you have one too, by the way!) and I was leaving from the international airport.
Don't laugh at anybody. In America, if something embarrassing happens to somebody, we tend to have a laugh with the person to make them feel comfortable. This behaviour is not so common in Australia. Instead, turn your head and pretend like they didn't see it.
Politeness goes far. In America, especially in large cities, we often use money/status to get good service. For example, we leave big tips or we raise a large sum of money to get the bartender's attention at a bar. In general, you will get better service if you are just polite. In fact, too much display of money/status could work against you: you don't want to be the "tall poppy"! (explained below).
Treat everybody equally. Here's a good example of this one. Once when I was walking back from the grocery store, some guy starting walking with me, asking if I could spare some change so that he could get a train ride back to his home. In America, we tend to look down on such people. At that time, I did not feel like arguing so I just ignored him as if he was not there. My action was actually a huge insult, and he yelled profanities at me because of this. This is one of the few times I've seen an Aussie get angry. In retrospect, it would have been just easier to say "Sorry, mate. I can't help you today." By calling him "mate", I am treating him as an equal person - and most likely, that would have been the end of the conversation. More info about equality is given below.
Speak softly. Being loud is not the way to make friends or create conversation.

Whereas America is the "land of opportunity", Australia is the "land of equality" - a truly egalitarian society. This comes through in the language: the word "mate" is like the way Asians bow to indicate "you are just as good as me." Don't be shy to use the word "mate." It seems a bit more common to use it when talking to a man, but women are treated as equals as well. In fact, Australia was the second country to give women the right to vote: New Zealand was the first! America followed some time later.

Equality is not limited to people of the same financial status. Whether a person is homeless, or whether he is the prime minister of Australia, you treat them the same. Maybe this is a little bit of an exaggeration, but not too much!

You will find that Australia has quite a diverse population, with people from all over the world. Although there is some racism (not much), people generally get treated as equals regardless of race or accent, so long as they behave properly. The equality attitude has also attracted a large gay population to Sydney.

The main lesson one should take from this issue, is not to try to portray yourself as better than anybody else. Doing so will make you a "tall poppy". In contrast to America where the succesful are idolised, the Aussie hero has traditionally been the loser. They call him the "little Aussie battler." This is the guy who fights just to make ends meet, but never attains much success. The theory is that although the little Aussie battler never achieves much, at least we know he is honest. On the other hand, you never know about how honest the tall poppy has been to get where he is today. A true Aussie always cheers for the battler (i.e. the under-dog), hoping that some day he will "chop down" the tall poppy. This is called "tall poppy syndrome."

I believe this attitude is changing a bit. With the great success of Australia in sport (example: Australia was one of the top countries in the 2000 Olympics when you look at the ratio of medals to population, and they also have been very successful in rugby and cricket recently), at least some successful sporting figures are true Aussie heros.

One very important question, is how do the Aussies view the Americans? There is no easy answer to this. I find Australia mostly pro-America, but often very critical of American politics, for example the Iraq war. Although Australia was a very important supporter in the war against Iraq (they were one of the few countries that actually sent troops), most Australians were against the war. I remember an interview by a very intelligent little girl at a war protest, where she was asked what she thought about the war in Iraq. Her view was that she thought it was good that they are supporting America, but she really didn't see that the war was necessary, especially putting the lives of Australian soldiers at risk when Iraq does not seem to be a threat to them. This attitude seems to be held by many. There are others who are completely pro-America including the war, and others who are generally anti-American.

Australians seem to have a strong appreciation for the arts/music coming from America. Whenever a American band is playing, it will always attract a large crowd. They also appreciate the technology coming from America. To them (and us!), seeing "made in America" is a sign of a good product.

As long as one behaves well and is not too loud or arrogant, you can expect to be treated well regardless of where you come from. There are of course exceptions. Sometimes being American can be a major plus, and other times a negative (example: America is the "tall poppy" of the world).
Language.

The Australian accent can be difficult to learn. They have an easier time understanding you because they view American movies/television all the time. On the other hand, there are not many movies that have thick Australian accents -- though Crocodile Dundee is one exception. You should really watch that movie several times and try to understand what he is saying.

Learning the accent is something that you just have to overcome with time. I don't really have much advice on that other than a comment about the "r" and the "i" when the "i" is pronounced as in "bike". The "r" is very subtle, much like that in Boston. If you don't understand a word that seems to end in "h", then think of it as if it ended in "r". For example, "cah" means "car". The Aussies can hear a difference between the two, but I can't. I once tried to immitate the accent, but when I said "cah", they thought I said "cow" so I gave up! As for the "i" as in "bike", it is a bit difficult to describe. It sounds to me like they start the sound out with their mouth in the shape that we would make an "o" sound for, and then they quickly switch to an "i". Listen to Steve Irwin say "Crikey, mate!" It sounds like "Croikey, mate" to me, where the "o" is very quickly switched to an "i".

There are also a number of common expressions which you also need to learn. Here are a few that you will need to know:

Alright. This has more of a meaning than in America. When you enter a shop, the employees will not say "may I help you?" Instead, they will say, "are you alright?" which means, "are you okay on your own, or would you like me to help you find something?" If you don't need any help, just reply "I'm alright, thanks."
No worries. Think of this as "no problem."
Advice. This one confused me a number of times. In America it generally means a recommendation or an opinion. In Australia, it generally means just information which may not mean a recommendation or opinion at all. Have a look in a dictionary: both definitions are given, but which one is meant largely depends upon which country the person you are talking to is from.
Uni. Short for "university". Australians often abreviate words by cutting them in half and putting a "y" or "i" at the end. For example, gambling machines are called pokies, which is short for "poker machine". I really suggest you avoid pokies.
Concession. Not sure if this is used in America the way Aussies use it. If you are a senior citizen, a student, or a minor, then you get discounts on public transportation, medicine, etc.... This is called a concession.
Hotel. Often "hotels" are just drinking establishments, i.e. bars/pubs.
Bloke. Bloke means man/guy, and is okay to use. Calling a woman a "Sheila" is not okay: it is analagous to calling a woman a "broad" in America.
Pommy. A person from Britain.
Sticky beak. One who is nosey/interferes with another's personal business.
Schooner of beer. A regular sized glass of beer. The "h" in schooner is silent.
Midi of beer. A smaller sized glass of beer.
Shout. If they say "your shout", then it is time for you to buy the next round of beer.
Cream. Do you want cream on your ice cream? This means "whipped cream."
Tomato sauce. Tomato sauce is ketchup. Australians call a lot of things "sauce" that we Americans don't call sauce.
Chips/french fries/crisps. Crisps are potatoes chips, but you can call them potato chips if you want. Chips are french fries sometimes, or potato chips other times. Depends upon the situation. If they say "hot chips", then it is definitely french fries.
Jelly. Jelly is jello. If you want American jelly, then ask for jam.
Lolly. Lollies are synonymous with candy.
Biscuit. Means cookie or sometimes cracker.

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Originally posted by Magonsdaughter:
Hahhaha.

I've been looking up tips for Americans visiting Australia, and it appears predominantly that Americans hate Australia, it's far away, expensive, we're rude, racist and sexist, we don't believe in god, dont tip, hate rich people, you can't understand anything we say, and you'll probably die from something chomping you or flooding you with venom. Oh, and we trick you into thinking that you'll come somewhere that's like home, and then there's no Mexican food. So don't come, basically.

I found one site a little less angry with us for being us....

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Restaurants and Food.

One very important point about Australia is the restaurant service is very different. Do not expect that a waitor/waitress will interrupt you asking if you want any more of something or the other, but instead attract the person's attention when you need it. Also, at the end of the meal it is usally the case that you just go up and pay for it yourself rather than waiting for a check/bill from the server. There may be a tip jar at the cashier where you can leave a tip, but you don't need to.

The exception to the above paragraph is that a very nice restaurant might have service where you are waited on more actively, and you may have a mild obligation to leave a tip. It doesn't have to be much however, and certainly it would never be higher than 10%.

Americans often find the Aussie lack of tipping funny. Australians find the American system funny. They say, "why doesn't the owner just pay their employees better so that people don't need to tip?" The Americans view tipping as a reward system: you get paid according to how well you served the people.

Australian food is somewhat like American, but one thing I really miss is American pizza. Yeah, they have the popular chains like Pizza Hut and Dominoes, but it's not quite the same.

Be careful about your hamburgers: they often will put "beet root" on them. That's typical Aussie style, but most foreigners don't like it. I didn't really like burgers with eggs on them either, but you might.

Speaking of eggs, you don't get the choice of "over easy/light, medium, over hard/well done" when you order fried eggs. You just take it the way they cook it when you ordered fried. Oh yeah, I should also mention that the eggs at the grocery store are in brown shells, not white.

Australia has an excellent selection of Asian foods, due to its proximity and the large number of Asian immigrants. The Europeans go especially nuts over the thai food.

In a lot of places in America, like the mid-west, we tend to go to chain restaurants. There is a certain sense of "trust" when you go to a place you know, that is well established. This is less so in Australia. There are wonderful individual restaurants and cafes throughout the country. You can generally trust many smaller businesses: people usually open restaurants here not for attaining great wealth, but instead because they have something special they want to cook, or because they just like the people atmosphere.

I once ate kangaroo that tasted quite good the way it was prepared. Every other time I tried it, it nearly made me sick.

Steaks are an Australian specialty. A lot of places emphasise "grain fed" steaks. Just do a little research on mad cow disease and you will find out why. Australia has never had mad cow disease.

At all costs, avoid the vegemite. God has blessed Australians with a special coating on their taste buds which gives them a natural resistance to the horrifying taste of this aweful spread. If they try to get you to eat it, tell them "only if I can put a layer of peanut butter and layer of nutella on top." That will gross them out just as much as vegemite will gross you out.

If fast food is your thing, then try Oporto's. I like their spicy chicken roll.

Also try the Tim Tams: A pretty good Australian biscuit. It is a favourite dessert/snack among Aussies.

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Originally posted by AURaptor:


The whole tipping thing is probably a biggie. We're not trying to impress anyone by throwing our $ around ( well, not most ) but simply letting it be known we appreciate good service. That's just the culture here. And tips are basically what servers live on in the States.
/b]

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Originally posted by AURaptor:
Colored money is for board games ( monopoly )

A simple rule of thumb for tipping is 20% of the total. Some may say as low as 15%, others will say 25%, so I just split the difference. If service is good, then I'll bump it up some. So a $50.00 tab would get a min. $10 tip from me.

And if it's an odd number, say like $ 23.50, do your best Jayne impression. lol

Seriously, just move the decimal over one, then x2, and do a bit of rounding, and you're set. ( 2.35 x 2 = 4.70, or $5.00 ) I try never to give change w/ a tip. Waiters and bartenders , while they may not 'hate' it, would rather deal in neat #'s. If I'm short of $ and really WANT to give them more in tip , but all i have is quarters, I'll do that, as a last resort.

Oh, and when I can, I'll just put the bill total on the card, and then tip with cash.

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Originally posted by Wishimay:
I don't see ARVO or Maths or Bogans on those lists...

I actually spent a year talking the teen girl in chat that's from Australia.
I learned a few things...
Oh, and she was a Senior at 17 and it takes years before you can drive on your own alone and yer drinking age is 18...

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Originally posted by Magonsdaughter:


And you guys, what's with dropping the 'h' in herb. Are you suddenly French?

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Originally posted by Magonsdaughter:

Thanks hon, I do get the concept of tipping. It's just that it's not as a big a part of culture here. And that is what we were discussing.

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Originally posted by Wishimay:

Don't even get me started on stone weights... Can they not comprehend 100 pounds without breaking it up into odd weighted packages??? Why bother????

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