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Egypt

Tipping, or Baksheesh!

Tipping culture varies across countries, and is one of the local customs that a traveler needs to know in order to behave appropriately in accordance with expectations. Failing to tip in New York is likely to get you a pretty nasty response, and we were once followed into the street by a waitress in Hong Kong who thought that we had accidentally left our money on the table. In any event, especially for Americans who are used to tipping, it’s not a big deal–whether a tip is expected or not, you can imagine that the total cost of service is in the end reflected in the total outlay, the only difference being whether it is included or not included in the price itself. In fact, one may even have a preference for tipping countries, since there is an incentive to provide better service (however patronizing that may seem).

Or at least that’s what I thought until I came to Egypt. In Egypt, tipping has merged with begging to result in nagging open hands absolutely everywhere you turn. It is not just requests for tips under ordinary circumstances (where someone has provided a service), such as one might expect. It is closer to begging, which in most countries is restricted to people who are genuinely in need, even if in some countries that segment of the population may be quite large. In Egypt, people who have done nothing for you at all, or perhaps worse just gotten in your way, people who are not particularly needy or underprivileged, constantly ask for handouts.

Situations where baksheesh is demanded: Guards at ruins, museums, etc., whose job it is simply to stand guard, ask you, on your way out, if you enjoyed the site and for baksheesh (asking for a pen if you refuse them money). People follow around the hot air balloons in Luxor trying to get their pictures taken so that they can ask for baksheesh. Custodians at mosques (including even the most holy, such as the Al Azhar) persistently pester you to go up the minaret (for which they have the key), so that they can get baksheesh. Guards inside tombs and the Egyptian Museum ask if you want to take pictures (ordinarily not permitted), so that they can get baksheesh. People offer you unsolicited directions and demand baksheesh. One small child asked for baksheesh for “helping” us off of a felucca, saying that he had “no mother no father.” One hotel front desk manager negotiated a baksheesh into the room rate (“50 for the room, 20 baksheesh”). Maddening.

One reply on “Tipping, or Baksheesh!”

This is absolutely horrible! I was thinking to visit Eygpt sometime in the future, but now a little bit hesitant! L.X.

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