The widespread culture of tipping hospitality and service workers in Egypt has evolved with the development of tourism into an aggressive tip request for every movement. As noted in her blog on Yandex.Zen, a Russian woman who moved to Egypt, all this looks like extortion – the so-called “backsheesh” for services that the traveler did not ask for.
Tipping in Egypt is a standard practice for shops, restaurants, or tourist attractions. This is the way of life of the Egyptians. However, travelers are not ready to hand out money to locals right and left, especially for dubious services.
First, you should refuse a tip for help in free parking. The scheme is as follows: an Egyptian runs up to the driver in the parking lot and begins to actively wave his arms. “It’s called helping to park. Even if you already went to a driving school and you know how to park, in general. He will actively show that here it is necessary to turn the steering wheel to the right, and over there to the left, and now back up. And he will be sincerely angry if you don’t give him anything for it. He also helped, and also “guarded” the car while you were in the store. So free parking in Egypt is a rather conditional phenomenon,” explained the compatriot.
Secondly, for a greeting in the toilet and an outstretched napkin. We are talking about civilized free sanitary rooms, where the availability of hygiene products is provided – these are parks, clubs, shopping centers, airports. “Be sure to sit in front of the entrance looking after the toilet, who at the entrance will smile when you need to give a napkin, and then at the exit will hint that it would be nice to pay. The most interesting thing is that if you visit this toilet quite often (for example, we go to the same club), then if you don’t give money, they stop smiling and offering a napkin over time, ”she noticed and added that even without an outsider help hang in every toilet and next to the washbasin.
Thirdly, for the usual polite greeting. The author told a story about a grandfather who sat in the morning next to the road in the same place and basked in the sun. The morning ritual turned out to be quite pragmatic. “Every time we passed by, he shouted to us, probably the only words he knew in English: “Good Morning!” Sometimes I smiled in response, and sometimes I just nodded my head. And then for some reason he stopped saying hello. And after some time a man walked in front of me and gave him money. And then I realized that the Good Morning, it turns out, was not free. You also have to pay for good emotions, ”she was surprised.
However, this case is rather an exception. Much more often, “a woman just comes up and starts asking God for health for your children or your wife.” According to the Russian woman, in this case, you don’t have to pay and you don’t have to explain anything either. To do this, it is convenient to “pretend” as a tourist who does not understand what it is about. Smile, say “shokran” (thank you) and move on.
The final point of the blogger highlighted the tip paid delivery. As the author noted, she often makes purchases in the American online store Amazon and sometimes uses the food delivery service, delivery can be both paid and free. “I always have a clear rule: if it’s free, I tip. If delivery is for money, then I don’t give it – I already paid! And the couriers themselves often hint that it would be nice to pay him. For them, I'm mean,” she shared.
In addition, couriers in Egypt are impudent and cunning. “Once a courier came, I gave him a tip of 10 pounds (24 rubles). This one will come next time. I give him money, I need change of 20 pounds (46 rubles). I decided for myself that I would take 10, I would give him 10. And he looks so inquiringly – he decided that 20 (pounds) was for him. I ask him: “Do you have change?” No, he says, there is no change. I rummaged, collected all the little things and just enough for the order without surrender. You should have seen his face! But next time he will find change, ”the compatriot found such a way out.
However, not only foreign tourists, but also wealthier Egyptians can turn out to be“ misers ”for poor Egyptians, the author warned:“ Tips are expected from the Egyptians even more than from foreigners. And those who are supposed to give them due to their status, but he does not give them, can easily be considered a miser or a miser.
Who is it appropriate to tip? To a porter in a hotel who helped carry things, to a waiter in a cafe, to a courier for free delivery, to a taxi driver to “round up” the change, to a hairdresser for good service. “And in special cases, when they helped me personally,” the Russian woman concluded. Of course, tips should not be confused with anything else, so don't overdo it with the amount – it's just a polite service charge.
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