Puerto Rico is well known for its affordable, tropical weather and stunning beaches. In the summer, you might enjoy a day at the beach while lounging in their turquoise waters by playing some beach volleyball or riding on a banana boat; these include activities most tourists enjoy. However, when you’re on vacation there are many things that you might not notice about Puerto Rico that may surprise and even shock you. One of these things is how much tipping goes into Puerto Rican culture. Puerto Rico tipping is unlike any you have ever seen before, so be prepared!
Puerto Rico was discovered in 1493 by Christopher Columbus. He discovered it when he reached the New World and visited an island. Puerto Rico is a small island country that is located in the West Indies. This island is also part of The Greater Antilles and it borders the Atlantic Ocean. Puerto Rico’s main source of income is its tourism industry which brings in lots of money to their economy. Puerto Rico has a rich cultural history beginning with the Taino Indians who were native to this land, they used the Jicarones as currency which displayed how skilled they were at making jewelry. Puerto Rico is made up of 1000 different places where you can go to get the perfect beach holiday. This island has also attracted many tourists who have stayed here for a vacation and loved every minute of it.
The culture of Puerto Rico is influenced by its people and their history. The Spanish were the first to settle on the island, they named it San Juan Bautista de Guadalupe or Sorensen after the saint because they believed this to be an area worthy of worship. Before Puerto Rico had electricity and running water, they went through tough times because they had to live off the land which included all kinds of insects and trees growing out of control. They used to eat worms, fish, and turtle eggs as well to stay alive. However, one Puerto Rican man had an idea that he should cut down some tall trees to build a hut and then he would live in it. The whole island was amazed by his idea because now they didn’t have to go through all these harsh conditions anymore. Early settlers used the biggest trees they could find, so now you can see many tall mountains in Puerto Rico where the first settlers got their food from.
You Will Never Believe These Bizarre Truths Behind Puerto Rico Tipping :
1. There are no set prices for services on the island.
Tipping is not necessary in Puerto Rico. In fact, there aren’t any tips for store clerks or waiters, who already get paid a decent wage for serving their customers. You may not think it’s a problem, but some people are very offended by this. People think that because other countries have tipping, Puerto Rico should follow suit and implement it into their culture as well. One of the main arguments against this is that Puerto Rico has other ways of paying service workers such as through payroll deductions or direct deposit instead of cash tips.
2. There is no standard price for a taxi.
If you want to rent a car or get a taxi in Puerto Rico, chances are that you will be dealing with an independent operator who doesn’t have a set rate list. Some of them might try to rip you off and give you an outrageous price, so it’s always best to have small bills on hand just in case things go bad. If they don’t agree with the price, it’s best to stay polite and not argue with them over getting ripped off. If they do agree to the price, then most likely they will ask for payment in cash because payments are also not set prices in Puerto Rico as well.
3. You can’t get a receipt for services in Puerto Rico.
If you go to one of the many stores that don’t have a set price list and you want to get a receipt from them, chances are that you won’t get one because the workers don’t want your money in their hand because they are paid well and don’t want to take tips from people who aren’t tipping. The same goes with taxi drivers who would just as easily ask for payment in cash instead of tips as well. There is no reason for them to give you any kind of receipts for services after all, so they get away without it.
4. Tipping is not just a way to get great service, it’s a way of life.
Tipping in Puerto Rico doesn’t come close to what tripping looks like in the States. In Puerto Rico, you will be expected to tip for many things even though it is not mandatory or a law that you have to give tips. Waiters, taxi drivers, and store clerks are all expected to get tips from their customers and many of them are offended if they don’t get any kind of tip at all. It is considered an insult for service workers in the U.S because it can make them feel less than human, especially when doing their job properly or even above and beyond normal duties that they have been asked to do.
