We asked 100 people between the ages of 18 and 70 about their tipping habits.

One percent say they tip their waiters less than P10; 4 percent tip P11 to P20; 11 percent tip P31 to P40; 24 percent say they tip P41 to P50; 24 percent say they tip their waiters P51 to P100; while 10 percent tip between P101 to P150. One percent say they do not tip waiters.

“It depends on the service. If I’m satisfied, I give P100. If okay lang, P50,” Nikki says.

Forty percent say they calculate their tip based on the bill while 46 percent do not.

Fifty-three percent say they do not tip if they were given bad service; 40 percent tip less.

“I give him a tip. My tip is, ‘Galingan mo naman ’tol next time,’” Gino says.

Ninety-three percent say the quality of service affects the amount they tip, while 57 percent say they tip depending on how much cash they have in their wallet.

“I tip more when the service is good and when they go the extra mile… Most times, I rely on my gut when determining how much to tip. Sometimes, I’m forced to tip certain amounts because of perceived ‘acceptable tip levels’ and due to the absence of bigger or smaller bills in my wallet,” Abigail says.

Twenty-nine percent of respondents do not tip if the restaurant adds a service charge to their bill while 59 percent still do. But where does the service charge go?

“We collect a minimal 5 percent service charge from our customers and we distribute it to all our employees, both dining and kitchen staff,” Princess Pilarta, who owns Bistro Ravioli and Pizzeria Amore, says.

Her restaurants’ customers still usually leave a tip in the bill jacket, which her staff drops into their tip box. “The tips are divided equally among the employees who were present during the day,” Princess says.

“We don’t collect service charge,” Jojo Salomon, who runs Iago’s Grill and Lugawan Republic, says. “Tips are shared equally by both front and back of the house. Personal tips are not allowed but some guests insist on tipping their server and even encourage the server to keep it to himself. In this case, the server may accept the tip but as soon as his guests leave, he is expected to put the tip in the common tip box. Failure to do this is equivalent to “tip pocketing” which is a violation.”

The Bistro Group, which operates TGIFridays, Italianni’s, Fish & Co., Krazy Garlik, Bulgogi Brothers, Village Tavern, Watami, Modern Shanghai, Tonkatsu by Terazawa, Murray’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, Texas Roadhouse, Moe’s, Denny’s and Plank, collects 10 percent service charge.

“By law, 85 percent is given to employees, 15 percent for breakages,” Lisa Ronquillo, Bistro Group’s VP for Marketing, says.

Tips aren’t collective. “We do individual tipping,” Lisa says.

Some establishments have a tip box but only 13 percent of our respondents say they use them every time. Thirty-six percent say they sometimes use it, 33 percent say they rarely use it, 5 percent say they only use the tip box when they have coins while 11 percent never use the tip box.

Bartenders

Thirty-three percent say they don’t tip bartenders (“I didn’t know bartenders here had to be tipped,” V says) while 20 percent say they don’t tip food delivery guys.
Three percent tip food delivery guys less than P10; 23 percent tip P11 to P20; 21 percent tip P21 to P30; 6 percent tip P31 to P40; 16 percent tip P41 to P50; while 6 percent tip over P50.

Three percent say they tip supermarket guys (baggers who usually help them bring their groceries outside) less than P10; 25 percent tip P11 to P20; 15 percent tip P21 to P30; 4 percent tip P31 to P40; 11 percent tip P41 to P50; 3 percent tip P51 to P100; while 1 percent tip more than P100; 31 percent say they don’t tip supermarket guys and, according to J, who works at a big chain of supermarket, customers aren’t supposed to.

“Bawal po ’yun, ma’am,” he says. “Pero may mga customer na mapilit.”

And if the customers are persistent, do they accept it?

“Depende na lang sa tao ’yun. Pero ’pag nahuli ka, tanggal ka sa trabaho,” he says.

One hundred percent of the respondents say they tip their barber or hair stylist.

Four percent tip P11 to P20; 7 percent tip P21 to P30; 3 percent tip P31 to P40; 21 percent tip P41 to P50; 39 percent tip P51 to P100; 15 percent tip P101 to P150; 4 percent tip P151 to P200; 2 percent tip P201 to P250; 2 percent tip P251 to P300; while 2 percent tip P451 to 500.

Eight percent say they do not tip salon assistants who shampoo and blow dry their hair while 6 percent do not tip nail technicians who do their manicures and pedicures.

Four percent of respondents say they give nail techs P11 to P20; 9 percent give P21 to P30; 4 percent give P31 to P40; 29 percent give P41 to P50; 24 percent give P51 to P100; 14 percent give P101 to P150; 1 percent give P151 to P200; while 1 percent give P201 to P250.

“Twenty pesos ’yung madalas na tip sa amin, minsan P50,” R, who has been a nail tech for over 10 years, says.

Salon workers

For many salon workers, tips are an essential part of life, especially for those who work in establishments that pay them as little as P100 a day. “Sa tip talaga kami nakaasa,” R says.

Some regulars give them as much as P300 to P400 in tips.

R recalled the time a client tipped her P1,200 while A talked about a foreign client who gave her $100. “Akala ng asawa ko play money,” she says.

But just because they work in high-end salons doesn’t guarantee good tips. There are clients who hand over P5 or P10 coins or, sometimes, nothing. “’Pag walang tip, ang tawag namin ’dun, nganga,” R says.

“Naku ma’am, minsan mas malaki pa mag-tip ’yung sine- service namin sa vulcanizing shop ’pag day off namin,” A says.

Five percent of the respondents say they do not tip after a massage. One percent tip P21 to P30; 4 percent tip P31 to P40; 22 percent tip P41 to P50; 40 percent tip P51 to P100; 14 percent tip P101 to P150; 5 percent tip P151 to P200; 1 percent tip P201 to P250; while 3 percent tip P251 to P300.

Ten percent of respondents say they tip taxi drivers less than P10. Thirty-six percent tip P11 to 20; 11 percent tip P21 to P30; 7 percent tip P31 to P40; 7 percent tip P41 to P50; 5 percent tip more than P50; while 6 percent say they do not tip taxi drivers.

“Plus P50 because most drivers demand it,” V says.

“The change is usually the tip,” Jazz says.

“Depende kung magkano ang fare na siningil niya sa ’kin. ’Pag alam ko na sobrang taas niya maningil, ’di na nagbibigay. Pero kung mabait siya at alam kong tama lang ’yung sinisingil niya, sinosobrahan ko, minsan umaabot ng P100,” Lycelle says.

Forty percent of respondents say they don’t tip Uber drivers.

“I only tip if I used them for airport,” Bien says.

“Depends on the surge,” L says.

Sixteen percent of the respondents do not tip valet guys or parking attendants while 12 percent do not tip car wash guys.

Fifteen percent say they tip car wash guys P11 to P20; 10 percent tip P21 to P30; 6 percent tip P31 to P40; 26 percent tip P41 to P50; 14 percent tip P51 to P100; while 1 percent tip over P100.

Anthony, who works at a car wash in Makati, says, “’Yung iba nagbibigay P50, P100, P20; P20 ang pinakamababa.”

Asked about the biggest tip they’ve received, he says, “’Yung mga Koreano nagbibigay ng isang libo tapos keep the change na.” Because their car wash service is just P100, they get to keep the P900.

Thirteen percent of respondents do not tip hotel bellhops, 22 percent do not tip room service staff while 34 percent do not tip the housekeeping staff.

Hotels

“We don’t encourage tipping. Our staff is expected to offer good service without waiting for tips in return,” a hotel executive says. “Besides, we collect service charge and that’s distributed to employees.”

Seventy-three percent of our respondents say they tip enough, 19 percent think they don’t tip enough, while 4 percent say they tip too much.

Karen says, “I think tips should be given only with quality service, not because it’s a culture or the feel of obligation.”

“If I know their salary is sh*t, I tip higher. Employers should give fair compensation to their employees,” Tammy says.