TIPPING IN THE U.S.
International tourists visiting Seattle and other cities in the US have to face the difficult issue of tipping, which may not be as common in their home country like Japan. Deciding how to tip, when to tip, and how much to tip can seem overwhelming. Tipping can be frustrating even for Americans who have grown up with this system. Since I moved back to the US after living abroad for five years, the practice of tipping has increased. It used to be that tipping was primarily done in exchange for certain types of service providers, such as a waiter, a hotel worker, a hair stylist, or a taxi driver. These days, you can also expect to be asked for a tip when ordering takeout food, or sometimes even when buying a snack at a convenience store. Part of the explanation for the increase in tipping may be that many stores no longer accept cash. Now, when you purchase something by tapping your credit card or smart phone, the first question that gets asked is how much tip you want to pay, such a