Tipping Guide

[Paul Homsy]

Hi Rookhawk,

I must admit that I personally have never tipped more than 50€ to anyone at any point in my life for whatever service. Coming from Belgium we do not have a culture of tipping at all. For me and anyone I know, tipping is usually a 5-10€ affair.

I must say that I’m happy to have read this thread as we are/were not at all prepared for the customs in Africa with regards to tipping.

In all honesty I (and my parents, grand parents, family, friends, etc, any native from Belgium) would probably have thought that a total of 100€ in tips for all people involved would have been generous...

at least we will be a bit more prepared to the custom...

V.

It's good that your awareness goes beyond your cultural conditioning. Kudos to you !

Tipping appropriately is more universal and should not be limited to Africa. I have to say that I have often been shocked at what some people considered to be a tip. I've traveled extensively and some Western cultures are regrettably among the tightest I've observed. In general the people of these countries are so conditioned to poor tipping that it's sad. Even though many do have vast means, they are extremely tight with their money and don't even know or want to reciprocate under any circumstance. One could say that the war is long gone and that understandable rationing has had its time but these are cultural mental blocks not just created by wars that will still probably exist a century from now.

 

[Bullhunter]

If you go to Africa, kill all the animals you set out after, have great sport, no crisis goes unmitigated the whole trip, and you fail to tip north of $1000, you're a cheap, miserable soul in my book.
Maybe in your eyes, sir...
...if you say that to an gentleman in europe, they think you are Elvis or Michael Jackson or you have an mental-illness. One of three.
(Dont take it personal, sir, but it goes that way.)

This is my 5 cents:
1.)
I had payed for my hunt, I had payed what the outfitter or the PH (better without, hunt alone) wanted.
I get for my money the best service they can bring. The very best, because they are pros. and they get paited.
And now it is on my term, I and want that also.
Not more, not less.
(I do that also in my Job every day, the best service I can get to my client. I never wanted a tipp, in the seldome case I get one, i give it back.)

2.)
That tipping brings more problems to africa, as it solves.
The people "must learn" to work for an income, not for tipps.
I payed (if I can not hunt "alone", witch I prefere) 300 - 500 US Dollar a day to the outfitter and the PD and... This is mutch money.
They had to pay the workers correct, that they can make a (good) living.
If not (and so I learnd it on the PH school by I.G. - I was there the complete course only for learning, not for the job):
- Say you need higher daly rates
- Stopp the buisness and get a job as a hand-worker somewhere else

3.)
I treated every worker and tracker and cook and... with an great respect
And of course I give them an "handmoney", I invited them for eating (restaurant or the last evening in camp, we eat all togehter, i pay that extra by the outfitter/camp chief - mostly they dont like it, but hey...) and an trink, of course. That is normal.
But not more and of course not 1.0000 Dollar ins tipps

 

[Paul Homsy]

"That tipping brings more problems to africa, as it solves.
The people "must learn" to work for an income, not for tipps."

So, you're suggesting that it is the workers' fault to work for tips when their income is so low they can't survive on it ? A logical fallacy is how I see your faulty reasoning.

"I treated every worker and tracker and cook and... with an great respect
And of course I give them an "handmoney", I invited them for eating (restaurant or the last evening in camp, we eat all togehter, i pay that extra by the outfitter/camp chief - mostly they dont like it, but hey...) and an trink, of course. That is normal.
But not more and of course not 1.0000 Dollar ins tipps"

Being civil is par for the course and certainly expected but it does not replace the tip. Sorry to contradict you but I vehemently disagree with you. You're entitled to your views which are part of your conditioning which I also disagree with. It all comes down to a reasonable (reasonable people decide what is reasonable) percentage. A tiny percentage is not reasonable nor commendable. The proper barometer is 10 to 15 percent and more or much more if one is extremely satisfied. The fact you don't ask for tips in your line of work is immaterial and has no relevancy while traveling in another culture. In general most Europeans traveling to Africa or distant hunting destinations are well to do but tight with their money. No explanation is quite satisfactory because none replaces the tip, it comes down to cultural conditioning, nothing else.

 

[Bullhunter]

So, you're suggesting that it is the workers' fault to work for tips when their income is so low they can't survive on it ?
No, it is the "fault" of the outfitter, the camp-chief, the PH: They have to pay theier workers in an fair and ethic correct way. And not say to them: "Work here for free. The stupid client will give you a good tip, the americans have an ass full of money and they will bring it to africa".

...it comes down to cultural conditioning
And that is the problem.
Take an serious outfitter, camp-chief, PH and they have to pay good Money for good work for their people.
Check this, if you think on ethics, be fair to them, tread them with respect and thats it.
I know some of them, e.g. farmers in Nam. or Tun., you dont have the problem there.
Mostley you have them in SA and..., and I know why.

 

[rookhawk]

Hi Rookhawk,

I must admit that I personally have never tipped more than 50€ to anyone at any point in my life for whatever service. Coming from Belgium we do not have a culture of tipping at all. For me and anyone I know, tipping is usually a 5-10€ affair.

I must say that I’m happy to have read this thread as we are/were not at all prepared for the customs in Africa with regards to tipping.

In all honesty I (and my parents, grand parents, family, friends, etc, any native from Belgium) would probably have thought that a total of 100€ in tips for all people involved would have been generous...

at least we will be a bit more prepared to the custom...

V.

Hi VertigoBE,

That’s a good cultural distinction. Just for your awareness, in Africa, the operator’s entire profit margin might be the tip. The locals that are doing your laundry, skinning, tracking, cooking, and cleaning may make $2-8 USD per day for the days you are at camp. They may have 60 working days a year to collect that $2-$8 a day. Your tip is what literally feeds their family for months.

On a lighter note, in the USA we have a minimum wage for our service people That minimum wage varies from $7 to $15 per hour, however restaurant service people are exempt in most areas. The minimum wage for restaurant workers is $3 per hour. They are often required to come in before opening and work hours after closing cleaning the establishment, folding linens, setting tables, taking out trash, and other thankless tasks. Their reward for working for slave-labor wages in America is the PRIVILIGE to work when customers are present in the hopes of pocketing the tips. The wages made are nothing, the tips are everything.

In both instances, the quality of service you receive in Africa or America is spectacular compared to Europe because they are aiming to earn a substantial tip. This is also one reason Americans are perceived as rude when they visit Europe, we cannot understand why everyone in Europe is giving us bad food service. Of course the workers don’t understand that we are very demanding because we are expecting great service in exchange for a MINIMUM 15% tip to the waiter or waitress. It’s this mutual misunderstanding that causes much misgivings.

 

[Bullhunter]

The minimum wage for restaurant workers is $3 per hour. They are often required to come in before opening and work hours after closing cleaning the establishment, folding linens, setting tables, taking out trash, and other thankless tasks. Their reward for working for slave-labor wages in America is the PRIVILIGE to work when customers are present in the hopes of pocketing the tips. The wages made are nothing, the tips are everything.

If that is the truth, you have to vote for a new law, a new president, ...
This is against the rules of an modern society.
This is not "the land of the free", this is (modern) slavery as its finest.

 

[Opposite Pole]

Folks, different countries, different customs. In USA tipping is the norm, in Switzerland it is unheard of. Tip a shopping assistant in OZ and they will be surprised, don’t tip one in USA and they will be offended. Neither is the one and only correct way, it is just different.

 

[mark-hunter]

I work as a proffesional and for last 20 years, never got tipped.
My wife works as a proffesional, and for last 20 years, never got tipped.
Soldiers, and LEOs put their life on the line, daily, and never got tipped.
The list can go on and on...

 

[rookhawk]

The minimum wage for restaurant workers is $3 per hour. They are often required to come in before opening and work hours after closing cleaning the establishment, folding linens, setting tables, taking out trash, and other thankless tasks. Their reward for working for slave-labor wages in America is the PRIVILIGE to work when customers are present in the hopes of pocketing the tips. The wages made are nothing, the tips are everything.

If that is the truth, you have to vote for a new law, a new president, ...
This is against the rules of an modern society.
This is not "the land of the free", this is (modern) slavery as its finest.

It is indeed the truth, but keep in mind a good restaurant worker in America can make a healthy living. $3 an hour, 40 hours a week is $120. They might make $1000 in tips on a Friday night in a high quality restaurant. There are bartenders in America making $80 a week in wages but they are making $3000 a week in tips.

In light of that, think back to all the rude Americans visiting Europe that act inappropriately in restaurants and bars. We cannot understand why we are not treated like royalty wherever we go because we were intending to pay for that level of service when we arrived at the bar or restaurant.

Now think of the problem for African outfitters. They publish their rates on the Internet trying to attract American clients (or Canadians) and they price their services anticipating a 10%-15% tip in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, and Mozambique, and a 30% to 100% tip in Tanzania. What happens when the Europeans show up, having booked these hunts published in US dollars expecting US societal norms? The tales from the PHs are always that son of a bitch Hungarian, or that cheapskate Russian, or that tight fisted greedy Swede. Did the Europeans realize the societal difference Africans were expecting? Did the African Operators and PHs realize they needed to price their services differently for European clientele?

As is the case with most of life, misunderstandings cause friction where no insult was intended.

 

[mark-hunter]

Before I went for first safari, I was doing reasearch, by reading books, magazines and by joining this forum. So, here, I learned for tipping.
Then, of course, I asked the outfitter, what is expected tipping after the hunt. Answer was, as you wish, 100 eur, is more then enough.
The price of hunt, trophy fees, daily rates were witihn average for the country, plains game. It was not expensive hunt, it was not cheap hunt. 100, for tipps.

Bottom line, part of reasearch is clarifying this subject with outfitter as a part of additional costs, before signing the contract. Just ask what is expected, and if you like, go for it, if not - go for another offer.

 

[rookhawk]

Before I went for first safari, I was doing reasearch, by reading books, magazines and by joining this forum. So, here, I learned for tipping.
Then, of course, I asked the outfitter, what is expected tipping after the hunt. Answer was, as you wish, 100 eur, is more then enough.
The price of hunt, trophy fees, daily rates were witihn average for the country, plains game. It was not expensive hunt, it was not cheap hunt. 100, for tipps.

Bottom line, part of reasearch is clarifying this subject with outfitter as a part of additional costs, before signing the contract. Just ask what is expected, and if you like, go for it, if not - go for another offer.

That is true, Mark, but there is also “playing the game”. English speaking Africans, particularly Zimbabweans understand this American dance we do pretty well. This would not work with European clients.

I’ll give you an example. My PH knew full well that I’m American and I tip as an American hunter does. He also knows he’s working for tips for himself and his staff. He pointed out to me that there was an old, old sable in the area that they had seen on and off again for more than a decade. One horn broken many years ago and now polished smooth and near symmetrical again. About 5” of secondary growth. The animal was likely 14-17 years old and definitely by European hunting standards, a truly magnificent trophy animal. That sable should have had a $6000 trophy fee associated with it. He stated, even though it wasn’t on my quota, if we find that sable I should harvest it. I agreed. We did find that animal that was habituated to an area a couple days into the trip. I don‘t remember what I paid for that sable but it was nearly nothing. $1500? A European would NEVER have been offered this deal, but he knew that the price he asked was irrelevant because I was going to tip him a lot for a mature sable with 5” of secondary growth. There is a non-verbal contract that the more generous the PH is with me, the more generous I will be with him. He had me shooting birds even though I didn’t pay for gun rental or bird fees. He wanted me to take a shot at a jackal for free if we saw one. Nothing is free, It was just an understood, friendly quid pro quo that was going on throughout the trip.

A European wouldn’t have understood this non-verbal communication because it is peculiar to North America.

This trip, I’m bringing a lot of things over I know they’ll need as gifts, used iPads, trail cams, outdoor equipment, fishing lures, etc. I do It to be nice to them and because there is need, but I have no doubt that at the end of the trip there will be accounting irregularities as they forget to charge my son for shooting pigeons, or taking a duiker, or any host of other things that should tally up to a $1000 in small fees. It’s just how things are done. Sort of a battle of who can be more generous and gracious with one another as is often the case with Americans and Africans.

 

[mark-hunter]

@rookhawk,
Your comments noted.
My story.
After tipping first time, 100 eur, next year I went to same place again.
I asked, what would be the price, day fee, for my son, 14, as an observer.
Outfitter replied, I will not charge anything for the kid!
I brought my friend, and his kid to next safari.
Further, in the course of the safari, both kids hunted warthog for free, each.

(and as agreed - day rate for kids, for free. Pls note, it was not due to my bargaining, simply by the offer from outfitter, which i really can only describe as gentlemens agreement)

I hunted leopard baits for free.

Same tips reguired. 100.
However, we left much more tips... like 400 eur each. (in fact, before leaving for airport, I left whatever I had in the pocket, and my own travel money for expenses later I took from ATM), but it was not required from us, by any means.

 

[TXhunter65]

Doesn't it really all just boil down to: When in Rome, Do as the Romans Do.

We all come from different cultural norms; however, when we visit another culture should we not at least attempt to shed ourselves of our own beliefs and customs as much as possible in an attempt to truly experience the culture in which we chose to expose ourselves.

Even if that includes a culture in which people feed themselves and their families off of the money they make in tips. I would assume the average South African safari cost between $5,000.00 and $10,000.00... if customary to give 10% why not budget for the expense and if service is not satisfactory give less or none, if you do decide to give nothing I would hope you would either have a discussion with the affected party or their superior to explain why. Nothing is learned when an unsatisfied customer leaves mad without expressing their frustrations.

 

[mark-hunter]

As stated before, I look at total prices for safari, including extra costs. Either I can afford, or I cannot - then I pass.
I am also professional where in the line of work , I was to more then 60 countries in the world, 5 continents (different cultures and social norms) and I have never been tipped.

 

[Bullhunter]

As stated before, I look at total prices for safari, including extra costs. Either I can afford, or I cannot - then I pass.
I am also professional where in the line of work , I was to more then 60 countries in the world, 5 continents (different cultures and social norms) and I have never been tipped.

I see it exactly, Mark.

And:
You are often in Nam. This is not the typical american-safari-land (nothing against americans, I have many freinds there and was over 10 times there an buisness and holidays) and so they dont have that problem there.

The worker get payed an on high level (for african standarts).
Treat fair and they are mostely saticefied (I speak often with them).

And mostly the farmer ist the outfitter, the camp-chief and the Ph in one person.
This make it mutch easyer.

 

[Bullhunter]

It is indeed the truth, but keep in mind a good restaurant worker in America can make a healthy living. $3 an hour, 40 hours a week is $120. They might make $1000 in tips on a Friday night in a high quality restaurant. There are bartenders in America making $80 a week in wages but they are making $3000 a week in tips.
Sorry sir, this is an "cracy story".
This must bring an modern sociaty in problems, in many problems.
Two - of many - the tax and the heath care. Nobody knows exatly the income, the workers will take many "directly in their own pockets"
Now I understand Obama mutch better....



Your story with the sable
(Costs normaly 6.000 and you payed 1,500 directly, plus..., if I understand you correctly).
This sounds for me more like an oriental-basar...
The PH can offer this, change the prices on his will?
What ist with the outfitter? Your agent in America? The tax? And the community?
This "kind of "buisness"" brings mutch more problems - specially for the next clients and the workers witch see this and want to do this (buisness directly and on their own) also -...
I will not support sutch methods...

 

[Bullhunter]

Gentleman,

dont take it personal, I hope I had give some "ideas from me".
I dont want "to blame" someone of you here in the great AH-forum, pp.
(And of course I support the local african community, but on my way. Not to make an "quick Dollar", but to make an "new way of live to an better future".)

Im out of this discussion now, no more answeres in this thread by me.
I have learned a lot of your behaviour and reflections.

Thank you all.
F.

 

[mark-hunter]

@Bullhunter

Your are right 100% (in your post No. 815)
The biggest number of other hunters that I met in camp was from Austria and Germany.
The farmer is outfitter and workers kept well paid and happy.

 

[Hunting Hitman]

So let’s talk about tipping on higher priced hunts.
Leopard hunt is 35k are you all thinking the PH should get 5K plus camp tips?
Lion/cape hunt is 80k should the PH get 12k plus camp tips?

I think that after a point the ratio comes down as many of these hunts are once in a lifetime hunts for the client who has been saving to accomplish them. It is not the clients responsibility to provide a livelihood for the business owner by tipping. If the Outfitter needs to make more to provide for a decent lifestyle for himself and staff then he should charge more.
If their defense is it would not be competitive with other outfitters than they should rethink how their business operates.
I run several businesses in the USA and in none of them can I expect to be tipped my profit margin...

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

I have read all the comments and here is another opinion of mine for what it’s worth.
Tipping all depends on your culture and place.
Texas standards are different than other states and countries. What I consider standard tips here in my state I found were to much according to my PH on my first trip to South Africa.
I do not personally tip on the percentage of hunt basis. I tip on the per day basis.
I budget X amount per day of hunt for PH, Cook, Laundry and cleaning, tracker and if on DG hunt if there is an extra PH along.
As for Skinner and his helper I tip per animal they do. The amount per animal depends on size. A Cape buffalo will be more than a warthog or Impala.
I figure all these factors into my hunt budget from the beginning, no matter if I am going to South Africa or hunting here in the states.
I have a 25 day Safari this year with 3 DG animals and 9 plains game animals on list. I have budgeted quite a lot for tips according to how this hunt goes. Also my outfitter and PH do not mix hunting parties. I am the only one in camp for 27 days of his season. I take this into consideration also.