Do you tip in Singapore?

[zzm9980]

They don't really go down to the individual employer, but to "areas" as it would be too much of a manpower drain

And just imagine if instead of wasting their limited resources on those who actually rely on tips to earn a living, they focused on the "bigger fish" (sorry another bad pun )... You know, the guys driving their Hummers through loopholes in the tax codes meant for farming equipment and such.

[sundaymorningstaple]

That's exactly what they did to the watermen I was referring to.

[JR8]

And just imagine if instead of wasting their limited resources on those who actually rely on tips to earn a living, they focused on the "bigger fish" (sorry another bad pun )... You know, the guys driving their Hummers through loopholes in the tax codes meant for farming equipment and such.

The father of friends of mine owned a fruit farm in England. A half mile of metaled drive from the road to a garage for his tractor were all written off vs tax as agricultural expenses. The garage just happened to be right bang next to their farm-house and have space for two cars as well. Handy!

I think the moral of the story is have a simple tax-code (unlike UK and US!!), and then whack anyone who is a tax-cheat.

[aster]

Jeffrey Archer's "A Prison Diary" has a bit about a London restaurateur and how he got "done" for taxes. Apparently the taxman knew he was underpaying but didn't know how to get to him. That is until someone there decided to find out the average revenue each table generates and then got to the laundry company to count how many tablecloths they have to do each month. Turns out he was declaring sufficiently less to get convicted...

[JR8]

Jeffrey Archer's "A Prison Diary" has a bit about a London restaurateur and how he got "done" for taxes. Apparently the taxman knew he was underpaying but didn't know how to get to him. That is until someone there decided to find out the average revenue each table generates and then got to the laundry company to count how many tablecloths they have to do each month. Turns out he was declaring sufficiently less to get convicted...

I heard of something similar at a kebab shop. To open a grilled doner bread before filling it, you slice off a piece of the side (and discard it) to form a pocket. The tax-men went through a few days rubbish bags counting the offcuts, and knew precisely what the sales volume of kebabs was...

[sundaymorningstaple]

Ya gotta gib it to 'em. Dem rebenewers damn smart. Had to dismantle de still as well!

[JR8]

Hot diggity dog!


[Did I do that correctly? ]

[Expat_guy]

I learned that serving staff are taxed on both salary plus a projected tipping rate (calculated on the sales by their employer), and so if you don't tip you are actually likely costing the server money.

Whoa, where is this the case... US?

I know that in Vegas casinos the drinks you get aren't really "free." The waitress is actually charged the base cost for issuing them, so if you don't tip then the drink is actually... on her.

Sounds really interesting!!

[sundaymorningstaple]

Dawg, Bubba, Dawg!

[zzm9980]

One time, I gave a taxi driver $10 on an ~$8.60 charge. I told him to keep it. He said "no no", and insisted on giving me at least a $1 back. True story, and yes, this was in Singapore.

When I told some local coworkers, one looked disgusted and the other said that I'm an example of ang mohs ruining it for everyone else. I couldn't tell if they were joking or not. I suspect not.

[sundaymorningstaple]

zzm, I've also had it happen to me as well on a number of occasions. And yeah, your colleagues response is typical.

[aster]

One time, I gave a taxi driver $10 on an ~$8.60 charge. I told him to keep it. He said "no no", and insisted on giving me at least a $1 back. True story, and yes, this was in Singapore.

I think today that scenario would be as rare as asking a cabbie to take you to Orchard Road and having him turn around to you and ask, "where is that?"

[Hidy Ho]

I actually wondered if beer girls at the hawker center makes tip or not? Also servers at local coffee shops.

[sundaymorningstaple]

One time, I gave a taxi driver $10 on an ~$8.60 charge. I told him to keep it. He said "no no", and insisted on giving me at least a $1 back. True story, and yes, this was in Singapore.

I think today that scenario would be as rare as asking a cabbie to take you to Orchard Road and having him turn around to you and ask, "where is that?"

That did happen, or damn close to it. My wife and I with a couple of overnight bags & suitbags caught a Taxi at our flat and told the taxi driver we wanted to go to the Fairmont Hotel. (a staycation for our 25th Anniversary - 3 years ago) He didn't know where it was. In fact, then told him it was in Raffles City. He still didn't know which hotel it was and I literally had to instruct him how to get there. All things are still possible here!

[JR8]

One time, I gave a taxi driver $10 on an ~$8.60 charge. I told him to keep it. He said "no no", and insisted on giving me at least a $1 back. True story, and yes, this was in Singapore.

When I told some local coworkers, one looked disgusted and the other said that I'm an example of ang mohs ruining it for everyone else. I couldn't tell if they were joking or not. I suspect not.

Reminds me of the argument that clearing away trays in food courts will put the tray clearing aunties out of work so you shouldn't do it.

It's like arguing that it's in society's collective interest not to be gracious...