r/pakistan • u/kurious-panda • 3h ago
Discussion Is tipping culture getting out of hands in Pakistan?
We visited Pakistan few months ago and we took our families out for dinner. We reserved the place in advance and all was good. Bill was around 40K PKR and additionally, I think 8-10% services charges. Where we live everything is included in the cost and no tipping/service charges culture here.
We settled the bill and as we were about to leave, staff started asking for tip, my husband said we already paid and they said we didn't pay, my husband said we paid the service charges, they said that's not tip, that's service charges. My husband said, please explain the tipping then, isn't tip means appreciating the services, so what's the difference between tipping and service charges, then they said, Sir, wo tu management k liye hai, hamara tu alag hisab kitab hota hai. My husband said, go and fight with management. We already paid 4000 extra, what else are you expecting from us.
We had a good time in the restaurant but the ending left a bitter taste. What would you guys had done? It's not about being cheap, it's about there should be a limit? There was one person standing at the door, for opening/closing, expecting tip, there was a security guard, trying to open the car door, expecting tip. there was a gate keeper, saluting and expecting the tip.
I mean, where's the end? The experience was different for us. We also felt some judgement from the surroundings, it's like Pakistanis have accepted this culture and don't argue or fight back. If there were no service charges, we would had happily tipped but once service charges are included, then why tip?