LOCAL consumers here may need a tip or two about tipping from their Asian
counterparts.
A recent MasterCard survey has found that Singaporeans are among the most
tight-fisted about gratuities in the region, as about two-thirds were found to
begrudge paying tips to service staff at a restaurant or bar.
Only 33 per cent or about a third of Singaporeans said they would tip in a
restaurant or bar – well below the Asia-pacific average of 41 per cent.
Women have been found to be more likely to dole out tips. Some 36 per cent
of women here reported that they would tip the waiter after their meal, versus
31 per cent of men.
The results on tipping culture is based on a MasterCard consumer behaviour
survey conducted between April and June this year. Nearly 7,000 consumers from
14 Asia-pacific countries were polled.
Singapore ranks sixth out of the 14 countries in the country league table,
trailing countries like Malaysia (40 per cent), Philippines (75 per cent), and
Hong Kong (71 per cent).
Thais were found to be the most consistent and generous tippers in the
region as Thailand topped the charts with 89 per cent.
>> Read full story here here
14. Japan - 3%
[Pictured here: Waitresses serve customers at the AKB48 cafe, which is
themed after Japanese girl pop group AKB48, in Tokyo June 5, 2012.]
13. South Korea - 13%
[Pictured here: Streets in Seomyeon, South Korea, where many restaurants and
eateries can be found.]
12. Taiwan - 17%
[Pictured here: Street scene at a night market in Huaxi Street, Taiwan.]
11. New Zealand - 20%
[Pictured here: Morning commuters walk to the central business district from
the train station, in Wellington, New Zealand on Feb 2, 2009.]
10. China - 28%
[Pictured here: People walking along the busy shopping district of Beijing,
China outside Xizhimen Mall.]
8. Vietnam - 30%
[Pictured here: This picture taken on May 28, 2012 shows Vietnamese
businessmen having lunch at a restaurant as a woman sells newspapers in Ho Chi
Minh City.]
8. Singapore - 33%
[Pictured here: People walk in the central business district of Raffles
Place in Singapore.]
6. Malaysia - 40%
[Pictured here: Taman Sentosa in Johor Baru, Malaysia.]
