What is the appropriate tipping amount/percentage for cabbies, waiters and bartenders (if any at all)?

For taxi's, there is really no need to tip, other than round up to the meter. And they usually charge you one Reais extra per bag/luggage. Unless they provide some type of exceptional service.

I would say all of the tourist bar's and restaurants, charge you a 10% service fee (called servicio or propina). Just double check your bill, and at the bottom you'll notice a 10% add on fee. You'll know it's the tip, or just ask the waiter. Say servicio or propina.

hehehehe, dont' say "propina", that means "bribe". tip="gorjeta". Anyway, you're right, just round up the meter to the nearest R$10 or so for cabbies and tips are already included in restaurants. Slip the guy an extra R$10 or so if you feel he deserves extra.

BS

BS-I you are right on about propina -vs- gorjeta. When I first got here I used propina with a guy and he looked at me funny as hell. Another one of those spanish words that doesn't translate correctly in Port.

As far as taxis, I just usually round up to the next R$1 not R$10 reais (or was that a typo on your part??) Same in restaurants. Leave the small coin change (if you are pleased with the service)as they have already added 10% to your bill. Be careful though. They sometimes will put 5-6 reais in coin change hoping you will leave it for them.

You round up to the next R$10 at a restaurant?? You sure you are Brasilian??...he he!

Well, depends on my mood and the restaurant.

As for taxis, you're right, nearest R$1, if that. I usually only take cab for longer hauls, so a nearest $R10 is Ok then, not otherwise.

On the other hand, one of the funniest parts of getting my brazilian wife acclimitized to the States was tipping. As she said: "These are DOLLARS you're tipping in, are you crazy?!? *DOLLARS*!" Of course with the current exchange rates, a freshly-americanized brazilian might not be that sensitive these days...

BS

(Message edited by badseed on April 22, 2005)

I can just hear it now...ha ha!

Dollars? Are you crazy? 15%???? You sleep on the couch tonight dummy!

BS,

So you've abandoned your preferred taxi method, which is jump out of the car as soon as it slows down and run like hell and hope the taxiesta can't catch you and make you pay?

I mean, I'm half amazed you pay the fare, much less a tip

wrt taxis, two things, number one, as those of you in brazil may see, the rates have gone up approximately 10% (a little higher but roughly 10%). the drivers that have not had their meters updated carry a sheet they use to add on the amount of extra fare due to the increase. you know that the driver has had his meter updated to reflect the new fares if the fare starts at 3.70r instead of the old 3.30r. look for this as two times drivers who had their meters updated tried to add on the extra 10% anyway. shouldn~t be a problem after a few months when everyone is updated. another thing, due to the decline of the dollar to 3 year lows vs. the real (citibank was paying 2.53 and help 2.6 as of today) and the increase in cab fares, the same cab ride you took last year (when the real was 3.30) cost about 35% more this year in dollars. some friends of mine were here last week and were complaining about how they had been told rio was so cheap and they think it is expensive (or at least normal compared to other tourist locations, a room at hotel atlantico goes for about 220reais including the service charge which is around 90 dollars now, where it would have only been 65-70 last year).