位置:首页 > 英语口语 > 礼节美语 Business Etiquette
礼节美语 254 Tipping 2
日期:2013-07-24
Lily跟同事Kyle和Jerry在聊西方给小费的文化,Jerry是从中国来的,觉得美国给小费的习俗很不方便。Lily说,

Lily: I can see how the custom might make visitors uncomfortable. I've heard stories about restaurant staff getting angry at tourists. Some Americans might not realize that tipping is not a custom in many places around the world.

Kyle: In Japan some people get offended if you offer them a tip. Tipping is not a part of their culture at all. They feel quality service is their duty.

L: Every culture looks at this issue very differently.

Jerry: Yeah...back in China tipping goes the other way around! Restaurant owners will often give free drinks or food to customers as a reward for loyalty. So, what happens in Canada or the U.S. if the service is really awful? Can you skip the tip?

在小费方面的文化差异,有时还会引起纠纷,如果外国游客不给小费,有些不明就理的餐馆服务员就可能感到气不过。与此同时,在日本,给别人小费,则会让人觉得这是一种侮辱,而在中国,Tipping goes the other way around! 不是顾客给服务员小费,往往是餐馆给那些老顾客一些好处,让他们经常来照顾生意。Jerry问,那如果服务特别差,是不是就不用给小费了呢?Kyle回答说,
 
K: Um..not really. I know some people might reduce the amount as a way of demonstrating they were unhappy. But you pretty much always have to leave a tip.

L: In Canada, we don't tip as much as they do in the U.S. - ten or 15% is fine.

J: But in the states they expect 20%.

K: Yeah that's true. Back in the 1980s it was also about 10 or 15%, but everything has gotten more expensive.

J: Do you really think tipping inspires better service?

Kyle说,给小费已经是约定俗成的了,即使服务差,多少也要留一些,美国的小费高一些,多达消费总额的20%,而加拿大稍微少点,10%到15%就够了。给小费的做法真能刺激服务员,提供更加周到的服务吗?Lily觉得:

L: Even though I'm not such a big fan of the practice...actually, I think it does.

K: Yeah, I would have to agree. The staff knows that there is the potential for getting a nice tip if they treat the customers right.

L: The staff will often be more attentive, and will make sure they get all the little details of your order right, because sometimes a generous person might leave them a sizable gratuity.

J: I guess - just like everything - tipping has its pros and cons.

Lily说,虽然 I'm not a big fan of the practice....虽然我不是特别认同给小费,be a big fan of something 是热衷,支持某事的意思,这里所说的 the practice 指的就是给小费的习俗,但是她觉得服务员确实会为了多拿小费而提供更周到的服务,对顾客更加 attentive 无微不至,如果碰上个大方的顾客,就可能拿到 a sizable gratuity 一笔数目可观的小费,gratuity is spelled g-r-a-t-u-i-t-y, gratuity也是小费的意思。