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Thai Diners Emerge as Asia’s Top Tippers
BANGKOK—Here’s a tip for visitors to Thailand, don’t short change your server.
Thai diners are the most generous tippers in Asia, according to a recent survey that puts them well above most countries in the region, including China, Japan and New Zealand.
Based on a survey by MasterCard of nearly 8,000 respondents in the Asia-Pacific region between October and November, 84% of Thai diners said they left a tip after a good meal. Bangladesh (80%) and India (78%) ranked second and third, followed by the Philippines (73%). Japan (4%) was reported as the least generous, with Indonesia (33%), Malaysia (31%) and Singapore (20%) falling somewhere in the middle.
Thailand grabbed the top spot the first year the survey launched in 2012, but was overtaken by Bangladesh last year.
The survey does not report the amount of the tip and is meant to serve more as a tool about good dining practices among different countries in the region, a statement from Master Card said.
“Understanding how people tip gives us a unique look into local cultures and accepted practices that we can all benefit from knowing while travelling,” said Georgette Tan, Master Card’s head of communication for the Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa regions.
Knowing that it’s uncommon not to leave a tip behind in Thailand, for example, will benefit travelers who might not consider leaving any gratuity. In Japan, on the other hand, tipping is not expected, and people there may even “frown at the practice,” Ms. Tan said.
The survey on tipping habits was part of a broader study on consumer dining experiences in the Asia Pacific. In addition to being the region’s biggest tipper, Thailand also came out on top as the most active market when it comes to sharing a dining experience online, with one in two respondents likely to snap a picture or post a review on a social network site while dining.
“Interestingly, in some markets, the prevalence of social media has extended the definition of a tip beyond a few extra dollars on your bill,” said Ms. Tan.
Thai Diners Emerge as Asia’s Top Tippers - Southeast Asia Real Time - WSJ
