The tip in Colombia doesn’t exist
One of the most surprising things in Colombia for a tourist is
manifestly the inexistence of tip. And one of the strangest
things is the one where dealers include a 10% “volunteer tip” on
the bill without the customer showing his own will.
When we desire create servable and different relations between a
customer and a buyer in the restoration and bar domain, a tip is
usually offered to show an appreciation and therefore the waiter
is much more attentive at the customer. However, in Colombia
this type of relation doesn’t exist so we assist at a bad
quality service, forgets, poor listening relations, a total lack
of service and obviously, a tentative to profit customers with
doubtful ways.
The waiters of Cartagena de Indias know that stranger
tourists will tip them so they offer a friendly, lovable and
attentive service. But, for Colombians who come from inside the
country, rare are those who will tip, so the reality is to
include a “volunteer tip” to compensate a lack of generosity and
consciousness.
What would happen if tip was a habit for Colombians?
It’s easy to predict the consequences by observing what’s
happening, like the example of Mexico where tip is a usual way
to exchange between a waiter and a customer. Service is a great
courtesy and the quality of the relations are incredibly
generous… but can Colombians offer this? Can they understand
that this could bring great repercussions in their economy and
their tourism in general?
Otherwise, waiters in Cartagena are so used to not receiving tip
that it’s wiser to give the tip before the service… I’ve
experimented it often and I assure you that this is the way it
works, because tipping at the end of the service is a mistake
I’ve often made in Cartagena. Waiters have no hope, but giving
something before, they have an exemplary niceness.
