In most western countries tipping is a custom and a way of rewarding a person or a team for good services. Tipping is voluntary, most western countries offer a gratuity of 15% – 20% of the amount of the customer’s check before being taxed.
In Tanzania it is pretty different, most of locals do not offer tips at the end of the services but we see foreigners doing so. Tipping in the country should always depend on the quality of the services offered and most importantly it is a choice whether to tip or not but just be careful not to tip the wrong person or the wrong amount.
Some Restaurants and Coffee shops have tipping jars, where the money collected in jars is divided equally to the workers in the restaurant or coffee shop. It is also a good idea, since not only a waiter or waitress has put effort into providing good services but there are people behind the scene putting it into hard work for you to have the best services. So in some cases use the tipping jars to show generosity.
I encourage both local and foreigners to appreciate good services but also to draw a line between tipping fairly and tipping excessively so as to achieve balance of the local economy. Consider this example a senior tour guide has taken years of experience, a certificate and perhaps multiple jobs to provide you with the best services, a bellman is very necessary and his/her job in a luxury camp is to unload luggage at car side upon guest’s arrival and deliver the luggage to the guest’s room once checked in and yet he/she doesn’t have to be very educated neither does he/she carry the same duties like the senior tour guide. So imagine tipping a bellman to a total of more than USD500 monthly. If this happens often it will distort the local economy and will result to Senior tour guide to give up the job, loss of commitment and perhaps wanting to become a Bellman causing a decline in the camp services and disrupting the tourism economy. Tipping too much can result to a lot of problems in a working environment.
So an advice to you before you tip, try to keep your tips proportionate basing on the services offered to you. Check on the exchange rates frequently since currencies value differ from one country to another.
When to Tip?
Tip at the end of the services i.e. At the end of your meal at a restaurant or stay in a Hotel or campsite or tour.
Who to Tip?
Bartender, Parking attendants, Doorman, Bellman, Waiter or Waitress, Tour Guide, Driver and many others based on the services offered to you.
N.B If you are tipping a large amount at the end of your long stay please remember to place the tip in a sealed envelope and hand it directly to the person intended.
When not to Tip?
I understand it is important to be kind but there are situations in which it is better not to tip. For example, in most developing countries, children are forced to stay out in the streets with the expectation of receiving money from people that includes (tourists). Not sounding rude but handing out money to these children only increases the problem since they will never go back to school and to that you will only keep depriving them of the education they need for their future.
In a situation like this I encourage you to show kindness by buying them a meal or groceries, or even donating clothes and school supplies but not giving them money. Please do not encourage begging especially to kids.
I hope this feed will help you the next time you want to Tip.
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