Q. Wealthy ex-pat friends came to stay and, despite being attended to assiduously by our major domo, they left without leaving him a tip. I concealed their faux pas by palming him €50 and pretending that they had given it to me to give to him. But I am annoyed at their lack of consideration, which I suspect is due to ignorance rather than forgetfulness. How do I inform them that it is customary for guests to leave a tip for their host’s staff?
– Name and address withheld
A. Not only may these people be unfamiliar with the convention of tipping, they may also need to be alerted to carry cash for the purpose. Prior to their next visit, raise their consciousness by drawling: ‘Incidentally, we have a new system here so, if you want to bring some cash to leave for the staff, do give it directly to me, and I will dole it out.’
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