That's weird. I don't remember a single time when a hotel maid would leave the money on the table (so to speak). Maybe the Mercure maid tried to tell you it wasn't enough, LOL? I remember once in Germany I left them a 4 Euro tip, but the last Euro was in coins (like 95 cents) I wanted to get rid of. So she took 3 coins (1 Euro each) and left the 95 cents on the table.
About restaurants: better restaurants, especially in Rio add 10% service charge, so you don't have to tip. But smaller restaurants usually don't, so I usually round it up or leave about 10% if I liked the food and the waiter.
That never happened to me, but the security guys at the exit often hit for tips, especially 4 x4. I ask them quanto? That usually makes them confused, so I follow with "quantos homems Brazileiros te dao?" Then we usually both laugh and part our ways. I'm sure it ain't grammatically correct, but they got it, LOL.
The bouncer in front of Monte Carlo always asks for tips. Since they don't do anything I don't tip. When the bartender at 4 x4 came around and brought the vodka bottle for the 3 of us and poured us all shots and took care of everything I tipped 2 bucks. Seems reasonable and didn't break my budget. Case by case basis. One time I sprained my ankle bad and it blew up. The waiter brought ice and a bag to get the swelling down. I tipped him 5 bucks. He didn't have to do that.
Where in Rio do I find a free STD blood test? I caught syphilis here in Termas 502. I already got the Penicillin shot, and will test after 10 days of the shot. Don't feel like paying a few hundred dollars for a blood test if it can be had for free. Where do I find that?
Where in Rio do I find a free STD blood test? I caught syphilis here in Termas 502. I already got the Penicillin shot, and will test after 10 days of the shot. Don't feel like paying a few hundred dollars for a blood test if it can be had for free. Where do I find that?
Why such extremes? Would it really be free OR a few hundred dollars? Why not possibly one for 40 reais or 100 reais? Why the need to find a free one?
A quick google search shows the price is 79 reais. $16, not a few hundred, and not free. Way less than what you said you paid to get the disease in the first place.
Gentlemen, what is customary with regards to tipping the girls in Rio?
Substitute pussy for something else and ask the same question. When I am buying a car how much extra should I pay? When I get a gym membership how much extra should I pay? When a pilot gets me somewhere safely how much extra should I pay?
You pay what you negotiate. No need to pay more or less. Like X said, America has fucked its citizens way of thinking up to the point that many restaurant there are now adding a service charge and still leaving a place to put a tip on the bill. When you go to a restaurant or hooker in Brazil it is all inclusive. No need to guess at how much extra money to leave behind beyond what you are told to pay.
Monday, Vagabundo took the 11 h20 bus to centro, and railed a negra raw, chanelling his connection to the goddess Midori, aka Michelle Whatley, the sister of the singer who went into porn as the negra is a spitting image of Midori, and he made Midori cum hard with a nice little toy, highly recommended, cost about 180 r from the sex shop in rio branco 156. Today, Tuesday, Vagabundo ordered Nina Deponca to come and take a sperm sample here in the 12th floor of the Transamerica hotel where Vagabundo commands the legions of the night from a building as tall as a LOS Angeles class submarine set on its side, with a panoramic view of the Barra beach, the end of the world, the destination for all you humans with penises, the place you want to end up to live out your days, fucking the negras mulatas loiras and morenas of Rio raw, up their tight pussies until you shoot big wads of sperm across their round, plump asses, like pirates escaped from the Carribean, bored with the Med, and now venturing South into the South Atlantic, for new mermaids.
About restaurants: better restaurants, especially in Rio add 10% service charge, so you don't have to tip. But smaller restaurants usually don't, so I usually round it up or leave about 10% if I liked the food and the waiter.
It's not like that. Just about all restaurants in Brazil, no matter what kind of restaurant it is, will charge 10% service charge as long as they serve you food or drinks at a table. If you buy your beer at the bar or go to a self-service restaurant there won't be a service charge.
Side-note: Sometimes the bar or restaurant have musicians playing and often they will charge you a couvert fee because of the music. This fee is optional and there is no problem asking them to take away that fee from your bill.
Where in Rio do I find a free STD blood test? I caught syphilis here in Termas 502. I already got the Penicillin shot, and will test after 10 days of the shot. Don't feel like paying a few hundred dollars for a blood test if it can be had for free. Where do I find that?
When I leave a 5 real tip on my pillow at Mercure hotel for the cleaning lady. I come back to a clean room and the 5 real was nicely place on the desk. When I go out and eat the waiter explain that tipping is already included in the food I paid. So no need to tip, just come back and eat here again.
That's weird. I don't remember a single time when a hotel maid would leave the money on the table (so to speak). Maybe the Mercure maid tried to tell you it wasn't enough, LOL? I remember once in Germany I left them a 4 Euro tip, but the last Euro was in coins (like 95 cents) I wanted to get rid of. So she took 3 coins (1 Euro each) and left the 95 cents on the table.
About restaurants: better restaurants, especially in Rio add 10% service charge, so you don't have to tip. But smaller restaurants usually don't, so I usually round it up or leave about 10% if I liked the food and the waiter.
I too catch myself wanting to tip as a way to show gratitude but like has been mentioned it's not needed. One could argue that it makes things worse for other gringos.
Several times, In 4 X4 the bar tenders solicited tips from me by writing the word "TIP" on a napkin after I ordered. Has this happened to anyone else?
That never happened to me, but the security guys at the exit often hit for tips, especially 4 x4. I ask them quanto? That usually makes them confused, so I follow with "quantos homems Brazileiros te dao?" Then we usually both laugh and part our ways. I'm sure it ain't grammatically correct, but they got it, LOL.
I too catch myself wanting to tip as a way to show gratitude but like has been mentioned it's not needed. One could argue that it makes things worse for other gringos.
Several times, In 4 X4 the bar tenders solicited tips from me by writing the word "TIP" on a napkin after I ordered. Has this happened to anyone else?
Happened to me the last couple of times I have been. I always tell them "no final" and they understand. After I check and pay the bill (which always has a drink I never ordered since I stick to beer and know exactly what the girl orders), I tip them 20 R and I give 50 R to the locker lady if I have my suitcase with me. If not, she also gets 20.
I too catch myself wanting to tip as a way to show gratitude but like has been mentioned it's not needed. One could argue that it makes things worse for other gringos.
Several times, In 4 X4 the bar tenders solicited tips from me by writing the word "TIP" on a napkin after I ordered. Has this happened to anyone else?
Only place that ever happened to me to was at Centaurus. Once they saw I wasn't down they left me alone. But the other thing that happened is this. I was at the old Bomboa in Sampa, and I went to use the toilet. And in comes running the guy who had been my waiter all desperate and asking for a tip. He didn't want to do it out on the main floor because he knew asking for tips wasn't allowed. He had been attentive and done a good job. He had always been good before. I gave him like $10 American dollars (in reals) or something like that. That has only happened once as well that I can recall. Occasionally the girls will ask for tips to allow you to take pictures. Who goes for that one? I admit I broke down and did it a few times. But it's been very rare that I did! I had to have those pics for posterity. So I (and others) could see what I been fucking down in Brazil!
I too catch myself wanting to tip as a way to show gratitude but like has been mentioned it's not needed. One could argue that it makes things worse for other gringos.
Several times, In 4 X4 the bar tenders solicited tips from me by writing the word "TIP" on a napkin after I ordered. Has this happened to anyone else?
I hate tipping, but the American tipping "culture" is deeply ingrained in me. I'm just preprogrammed to tip waiters, hotel maids, cabbies and other workers who supposedly get low wages and depend on tips to make the ends meet. But let's not kid ourselves -- this is all about making YOURSELF feel better.
So if you're like me, please fight the inclination to tip working girls. You may give a few reais to the terma lockers ladies. But show me one Brazilian man who tips GDPs. They never do, so you know the adage -- when in Rome etc. . .
Just like Bravo said, if your girl went above and beyond, reward her and yourself with another session. That'll work much better for both of you.
Guys when in Brazil don't "trip" on tipping. Bottom line just don't do it in most circumstances. The one time when I'm happy to do it is with the old ladies who work to keep the lockers clean and stuff. They just don't make a lot of money, and sometimes when I see them I'm happy to slip them some extra money, and they always appreciate it.
Thanks to everyone that responded. That is what I kind of assumed but I wanted to confirm. And yes, I asked the question so as not to mess up the pricing structure. I'll essentially be a weekend warrior for a week in Brazil but I have no interest in overpaying, making it rain, or upsetting pricing structure or norms. Again, heartfelt thanks for the advice.
I hate tipping, but the American tipping "culture" is deeply ingrained in me.....
In my first ever visit to China I went to this restaurant and left a tip on the table and the waiter ran after me with my tip in his hand shouting in Chinese no doubt that I had dropped some money on the table.
Gentlemen, what is customary with regards to tipping the girls in Rio? I'm sure it varies greatly by monger. I just don't see alot of talk about it. Generally, in Mexico or Colombia, I will tip a girl if I enjoyed my time. The size of the tip generally coincides with the chemistry. If it's strictly a business transaction, I tip very little, if anything. With my first trip to Brazil, I don't want to be THAT guy. In either direction.
Guys when in Brazil don't "trip" on tipping. Bottom line just don't do it in most circumstances. The one time when I'm happy to do it is with the old ladies who work to keep the lockers clean and stuff. They just don't make a lot of money, and sometimes when I see them I'm happy to slip them some extra money, and they always appreciate it.