Minimum Wage

When it comes to tipping everybody has their own idea. I like to be generous when it comes to good service. I use the 20% rule and if the bill is like twenty dollars I leave five. In Mexico I do the same, good service, low paying jobs, puts a smile on their face and I feel good about it!
Some tourist in Mexico don't get that ten pesos is about 80 cents.

Canadian Rainbirds wrote:
Hope I'm not breaking any rules here; This is a quote from a poster on Zihuatanejo.net

"As of today, the minimum wage rate for Zone A is MXP $70.10, for B MXP $66.45. At the current exchange rate, that's USD $4.76 and $4.51....PER DAY!
I think it is important for tourists coming from another country to know this and to keep it in mind especially when tipping, "haggling", etc.
We have always done our best to inform other gringos we bump into."

I am confused...what on earth does the legal minimum wage have to do with my tips or when negotiating for anything. If I am negotiating with a shop OWNER it is up to him to set his lowest price to be sure he can make a profit. And you can bet he/she does.

When I tip a waiter/waitress in a restaurant their wages dont come into the equation at all. The only real considerations are the service and the total bill...

Let me relate a short story about this subject: Having lived in Asia for the past 8 years and traveled and worked and done business overseas on every continent for more than 30 years I can say: dont judge by appearances.

When I needed rain gutters for my small hotel I went to a small dilapidated shop in town that specialized in metal gutters. The scraggily middle aged man who dealt with me came to my hotel on his beat up barely running moto (scooter) and took measurements and I paid him about 1/2 of the total with the other half due on delivery. Due to construction delays he had to wait to deliver the gutters longer than he wanted.

One rainy day just before a major holiday I notice a new Mercedes E430 drive into our parking lot...the gutter man got out and came to ask me to pay the balance! Of course I said NO the deal was he wait until they were delivered. About two weeks later he delivered and installed them and got paid. But he came on his scooter again.

When traveling in any country dont get involved in trying to right all the wrongs or "change" things. This is up to the people who live there not the visitors. Most of the time I have seen expats try to do this it has backfired with usually terrible unintended consequences.

Lynn: You are an exceptional Canuck. Most of my fellow countrymen are CHEAP and proud of it! There was one regular poster here who refused to pay more than $10 for a Campground!!!

Moisheh

moisheh wrote:
I don't know where people get the idea that haggling is part of the culture. If you go to non tourist areas there is no haggling. When you are buying tourist trinkets or blankets of course there is haggling. They have raised the price and you think it is a bargain when it is reduced to the real price. Reminds me of when Tioga George had some fellow do some welding on his unit. He did a good job and I think the price was about 100 pesos or less. He offered 50! That is wrong! Go to central Guad. and walk the streets. Try haggling and they will be insulted. You might get a small discount. Clarlk is correct about tipping. Many of the waiters only get that 65 pesos a day and rely on tips for their income.


Moisheh

Yes, I agree, nothing is sadder than seeing a North American haggling with some poor vendor in a country where people struggle to support their families. For myself, I am happy to pay more than requested and it makes me feel good to leave the other person with a big smile. I was on a cruise with my elderly parents who can not get around and we rented a taxi for a few hours to see the sites in Cozemal. My lovely old Dad who has now passed gave the guy a $50 dollar tip. He was such a sweet guy and so appreciative. Too much, yes, who cares!! I really dislike cheapskates.

Lynn

wildtoad wrote:
It would be nice to know what a typical Mexican tips. Do they tip at all, 5%, 7%? we should base tipping on what they usually receive. We should not export the insane method and percentages of tipping we use here in the states. I personally think that tipping should never be based on the price of the meal, but an amount of your choosing based on what level of service you received. Pick a set amount per person being served.

A waitress serving breakfast works just as hard as a person serving dinner, but typically the price of the dinner is much much higher.

Betcha not many folks have viewed this matter from your very well taken point of view. The argument for basing a gratuity on the number served naturally follows from your premise. Well Done! :S

Vic

It would be nice to know what a typical Mexican tips. Do they tip at all, 5%, 7%? we should base tipping on what they usually receive. We should not export the insane method and percentages of tipping we use here in the states. I personally think that tipping should never be based on the price of the meal, but an amount of your choosing based on what level of service you received. Pick a set amount per person being served.

A waitress serving breakfast works just as hard as a person serving dinner, but typically the price of the dinner is much much higher.

I don't know where people get the idea that haggling is part of the culture. If you go to non tourist areas there is no haggling. When you are buying tourist trinkets or blankets of course there is haggling. They have raised the price and you think it is a bargain when it is reduced to the real price. Reminds me of when Tioga George had some fellow do some welding on his unit. He did a good job and I think the price was about 100 pesos or less. He offered 50! That is wrong! Go to central Guad. and walk the streets. Try haggling and they will be insulted. You might get a small discount. Clarlk is correct about tipping. Many of the waiters only get that 65 pesos a day and rely on tips for their income.


Moisheh

Haggling is expected, but remember that once you agree on a price, you really should not back out, so consider that from the start. The most aggravating thing that I've seen in the 15 years visiting this country are people who will haggle down to the last peso - who take it as a contest they must win and really, people, 10 pesos is less than 80 cents - can you afford that ? Of course you can, so give them a break ! RYV

Mexicans are notorious for not tipping or poorly, if you are not coming back to the restaurant, leave 10%, if you like the place and will be back, tip 20%, they will remember you and give you even better service.

Place yourself in their shoes.

Do to others as you want others to do to you.

As for the wages, I will ask our nice what is needed to have employee's and what are the obligations of the Patron (employer) and post them here, she has a business in Mexico City.

navegator

well I see it all the Time here, folks leaving tips that are a complete Joke .. or should I say insult.. I have reminded a few folks that the waiter has Kids at home ... and they are paid 70 to 100 peso a day ( some 8 plus hours ) so don't be a Cheap A#$ and tip a lil beyond ..