The Tip and The Tipper

When a waiter hovers over you during or after service, what crosses your mind? Is he checking to see if you are enjoying your meal as you should be, or to know if there’s something ‘for boys’? Either way, depending on how generous you are feeling, you may decide to give him some money — a tip. This might be the highest Naira note in your wallet or the lowest.

Tipping and the fraught around it.

In Nigeria, word on the street is that 10–15% of the amount you spend is an adequate tip. While this seems okay, it may differ depending on where you go. Truth is there is no norm for tipping but just in case you’re wondering who you have to tip; restaurant servers, bartenders, your food delivery man, hairdresser, housekeeper, nail technician are good places to start. On who not to tip, accountants, doctors, nurses, lawyers, and professional services are people you don’t need to tip. The rule of thumb is that they are probably well paid, but in general, such professionals would probably be insulted if you offered them some change as a token of gratitude.

Here’s our handy guide to tipping for the next time you find yourself face-to-face with a service provider:

1. Being a good tipper pays off especially if you plan to return to that establishment.
2. If the service is bad, it’s okay to skip tipping but be sure your dissatisfaction is not the server’s fault.
3. Before you tip, check if a gratuity has already been added to your bill.
4. Don’t leave your tip out in the open, give it to the server directly.
5. Don’t persist if your tip is declined, simply say a sincere ‘Thank you’.

Also, not every country has a culture of tipping. For instance, in Australia and some European countries, tipping is not expected. In Japan, it can be even be considered rude. Always do a little bit of research on the country you are visiting.

We know a thing or two about bill payments but on issues of etiquette, we learn from the experts, so if you find yourself in doubt about tipping, remember this quote from Debby Mayne: “Tipping is important, there are so many services where people aren’t even paid minimum wage.”

With Paga, it’s easier to tip service providers at any time regardless of if you have cash or not. Using our Send Money feature, you can easily send money to those who make your life possible using just their phone number or email address, and show them how much you appreciate what they do!