Tipping culture in Argentina

[Alpinista]

Personally I find this tipping culture a total non-sense. There is no logic as to why some services would be tipped and other not (you don't tip at a Fast Food restaurant, you don't pay the suppermarket cashier etc). It doesn't matter whether it is for past services or for future behaviour ("incentives"). It is utterly ridiculous to think that you have to pay a portero a "bribe" in order to prevent him from doing uggly stuff. And if you have to pay someone that he treats you well in the future, I prefer that he treats me badly if it is just because it is because of a tip.

But obviously it is a personal decision and if someone wants to do it here the "American way", fair enough. The problem is only if it is then a wide-spread expectations that all foreigners are expected to follow (kind of a "Gringo tax").

Having said that, I wouldn't go as far as Paulie and Crissy:

 

[semigoodlookin]

Personally I find this tipping culture a total non-sense. There is no logic as to why some services would be tipped and other not (you don't tip at a Fast Food restaurant, you don't pay the suppermarket cashier etc). It doesn't matter whether it is for past services or for future behaviour ("incentives"). It is utterly ridiculous to think that you have to pay a portero a "bribe" in order to prevent him from doing uggly stuff. And if you have to pay someone that he treats you well in the future, I prefer that he treats me badly if it is just because it is because of a tip.

Same for me, seems sad to me the idea @EL_TIGRE_de_Tigre talks about of having to essentially bribe my way through life so that people will treat me well or be nice to me in the future. If they are not going to do that anyway, why would I want them to at my own expense? It also comes across as using people who you know are not in the same economic situation to basically help you in the future.

 

[Rich One]

Personally I find this tipping culture a total non-sense. There is no logic as to why some services would be tipped and other not (you don't tip at a Fast Food restaurant, you don't pay the suppermarket cashier etc). It doesn't matter whether it is for past services or for future behaviour ("incentives"). It is utterly ridiculous to think that you have to pay a portero a "bribe" in order to prevent him from doing uggly stuff. And if you have to pay someone that he treats you well in the future, I prefer that he treats me badly if it is just because it is because of a tip.

But obviously it is a personal decision and if someone wants to do it here the "American way", fair enough. The problem is only if it is then a wide-spread expectations that all foreigners are expected to follow (kind of a "Gringo tax").

Having said that, I wouldn't go as far as Paulie and Crissy:

Alpino

Excellent video..
However tipping is as ancient as the Old Testament sure Moses tipped the Guards to let them have a head start when leaving Egypt
More recently Le Pouvoir in France is older than Louis XIV
Or the Backshish in the Middle East may have been invented by Mohamed himself
Cross cultural communications 101 : When in Rome...!

Now back to the local Porteros what you tip them is an insurance, like your health insurance. If all tenants are tipping the Portero then you are at a disadvantage, you will be considered greedy and a tightwad Gringo, full of dollars that comes to BA to enjoy the Blue rate while they starve....! then you deserve that bad things happen to you...! They are not dumb.

 

[antipodean]

Alpino

Excellent video..
However tipping is as ancient as the Old Testament sure Moses tipped the Guards to let them have a head start when leaving Egypt
More recently Le Pouvoir in France is older than Louis XIV
Or the Backshish in the Middle East may have been invented by Mohamed himself
Cross cultural communications 101 : When in Rome...!

Now back to the local Porteros what you tip them is an insurance, like your health insurance. If all tenants are tipping the Portero then you are at a disadvantage, you will be considered greedy and a tightwad Gringo, full of dollars that comes to BA to enjoy the Blue rate while they starve....! then you deserve that bad things happen to you...! They are not dumb.

I’m not sure if all porteros are starving. I know at least one who makes $70k from us and gets a free apartment for him an his wife. He also drives an Uber. Most of the time you’ll find him there rather than manning the door... in fact I don’t think he has ever been seen at the door.

 

[Rich One]

I’m not sure if all porteros are starving. I know at least one who makes $70k from us and gets a free apartment for him an his wife. He also drives an Uber. Most of the time you’ll find him there rather than manning the door... in fact I don’t think he has ever been seen at the door.

Very Amusing Portero in Argentina, is not synonymous of Doorman ..! his duties are not associated with manning the door..!
It was not mentioned here that Porteros are starving ..?

 

[Alpinista]

Alpino

Excellent video..
However tipping is as ancient as the Old Testament sure Moses tipped the Guards to let them have a head start when leaving Egypt
More recently Le Pouvoir in France is older than Louis XIV
Or the Backshish in the Middle East may have been invented by Mohamed himself
Cross cultural communications 101 : When in Rome...!

Now back to the local Porteros what you tip them is an insurance, like your health insurance. If all tenants are tipping the Portero then you are at a disadvantage, you will be considered greedy and a tightwad Gringo, full of dollars that comes to BA to enjoy the Blue rate while they starve....! then you deserve that bad things happen to you...! They are not dumb.

Hi Rich One

First I doubt that it is common here to "tip" the porteros. That might be the case in high class buildings, probably with a relative high percentage of (American) expats, but to my knowledge it is not a common thing in Buenos Aires. At least I have never heard of it and when I asked my Argentinian wife about it her reaction was a big "WHAT?!". And if it is not a common thing to do for locals, why would I pay the "Gringo tax" just because I could afford to pay?

If there is indeed a situation as you describe with the porteros, than it has in my view nothing to do with tipping. I wouldn't even describe it as a life insurance (as this a voluntary contract), but it is nothing but an implicit "extorsion" (if you don't pay, you will face negative consequences). Similar as "protection money" you pay to the local Mafia guy.

If you liked the video, you might also enjoy this one:

 

[semigoodlookin]

Now back to the local Porteros what you tip them is an insurance, like your health insurance. If all tenants are tipping the Portero then you are at a disadvantage, you will be considered greedy and a tightwad Gringo, full of dollars that comes to BA to enjoy the Blue rate while they starve....! then you deserve that bad things happen to you...! They are not dumb.

That's fine by me. If tipping someone is what it takes to a) like me and be nice to me and/or, b) do their job then they can forget about having a tip from me.

Isn't the portero the real greedy one? Taking his salary and expecting more from others to perform his role at his best?

I tip where it is neccesary, but never to the portero who already earns 65,000 a month, has his apartment in my building paid for, and for hours a day sits around in his hut watching football, or talking to people trying to get as much information about their lives. And, I want to be clear that I generally like the guy, have no issue with him. That said, I am happy I have been in my building for six years and my portero knows so little about me. We talk, about football mostly, but he doesn't know what I do for a living, where I am from, or anything else I consider personal.

I do not reject the idea of tipping or a tipping culture but I do entirely dismiss the idea that buying people to like me and perform well for me in the future. In fact, I find it morally problematic and showing classim, and potentially xenophobic.

Edit to add, I too just asked my wife about tipping porteros and she couldn't believe it. Never heard of it. I too have doubts this is the norm here. How does it work, anyway? When you walk past the portero everyday and say hi, you just slip him a wad of hundreds for no reason?

 

[antipodean]

That's fine by me. If tipping someone is what it takes to a) like me and be nice to me and/or, b) do their job then they can forget about having a tip from me.

Isn't the portero the real greedy one? Taking his salary and expecting more from others to perform his role at his best?

I tip where it is neccesary, but never to the portero who already earns 65,000 a month, has his apartment in my building paid for, and for hours a day sits around in his hut watching football, or talking to people trying to get as much information about their lives. And, I want to be clear that I generally like the guy, have no issue with him. That said, I am happy I have been in my building for six years and my portero knows so little about me. We talk, about football mostly, but he doesn't know what I do for a living, where I am from, or anything else I consider personal.

I do not reject the idea of tipping or a tipping culture but I do entirely dismiss the idea that buying people to like me and perform well for me in the future. In fact, I find it morally problematic and showing classim, and potentially xenophobic.

Edit to add, I too just asked my wife about tipping porteros and she couldn't believe it. Never heard of it. I too have doubts this is the norm here. How does it work, anyway? When you walk past the portero everyday and say hi, you just slip him a wad of hundreds for no reason?

Some people tip for “something extra” - like being able to use an empty car park so the portero turns a blind eye and handles any eventual issue with the owner of the car park. Others may ask the guy to do some light maintenance work in their apartments and tip for that. Otherwise it’s just customary to give them a tip or gift at the end of the year - same as in Spain or elsewhere like you would a domestic employee. Other than that, I agree that I have never heard of it and the thought of doing it makes me cringe as it just seems vulgar.

 

[semigoodlookin]

Some people tip for “something extra” - like being able to use an empty car park so the portero turns a blind eye and handles any eventual issue with the owner of the car park. Others may ask the guy to do some light maintenance work in their apartments and tip for that. Otherwise it’s just customary to give them a tip or gift at the end of the year - same as in Spain or elsewhere like you would a domestic employee. Other than that, I agree that I have never heard of it and the thought of doing it makes me cringe as it just seems vulgar.

Yes, they are examples of them doing you a favour, so you return it. The end of year gift thing I also get, to a certain extent. But some poster here say they tip their potero all the time. For what?

 

[antipodean]

Yes, they are examples of them doing you a favour, so you return it. The end of year gift thing I also get, to a certain extent. But some poster here say they tip their potero all the time. For what?

Cultural imperialism?