The art of tipping

Question 1

tipping

Answer 1

giving someone extra money as a ‘thank you’ for good service. Well, I wouldn’t put it quite like that. But yes, it’s giving money to waiters and waitresses, hairdressers, taxi drivers - money that is more than the actual bill.

how do you feel about tipping? It’s a nightmare! I never know who to tip, how to tip, by cash or by card, how much to tip – is it 10, 12.5, 20 per cent or even if I should tip at all because in some places a service charge is automatically added to the bill.

Question 2

i.e.

Answer 2

Short for the Latin phrase ‘id est’ and means ‘in other words’ or ‘that is’. It’s used to indicate that what comes next is a clear definition of what was just said or written.

It is cultural, i.e. it differs from place to place. I mean, we have restaurants in London, we have a restaurant in Manchester, we’re also opening a restaurant in New York and those three cities have quite different attitudes to tipping. In London, the norm is … .

Question 3

differs

Answer 3

is different.

we’re also opening a restaurant in New York and those three cities have quite different attitudes to tipping. In London, the norm is, it’s there, it’s on your bill. That’s not the norm, for example, in Manchester and it’s not the norm in New York where we’re going to open a restaurant later this year.

It is cultural, i.e. it differs from place to place

Question 4

the norm

Answer 4

normal or usual.

In London, the norm is, it’s there, it’s on your bill. That’s not the norm, for example, in Manchester and it’s not the norm in New York where we’re going to open a restaurant later this year.

Question 5

tacit

Answer 5

not spoken or written but still understood.
Something that is tacit is not said but is nevertheless understood.
Also check: Implicit rules

New York exactly the same. There’s a tacit pressure to tip. But theoretically you just stand up and walk out. You don’t, everybody tips 20% or, there is a theory of an option. But people like that.

Question 6

theoretically

theoretically possible

Answer 6

adverb used to describe something that can be done but probably won’t be.

New York exactly the same. There’s a tacit pressure to tip. But theoretically you just stand up and walk out. You don’t, everybody tips 20% or, there is a theory of an option. But people like that.
He says that’s theoretically possible. That means although it may be possible it’s actually very unlikely because of the tacit pressure and the way we behave.