When ‘Tipping’ Becomes a European Custom

By: Greg | June 15th, 2007

tend I sat in a bar in Terminal C of Newark Liberty International Airport a few weeks ago and observed some interesting goings on. For those who don’t know (probably most of you), Terminal C is the International terminal at EWR. This being considered, obviously a number of the clientèle were brandishing accents while they were ordering their drinks.

After hearing a number of Europeans order and swipe their drinks off the bar post cash exchange, I noticed that they were pocketing all of the change. I’m a worldly person and realize that it is not customary to tip in Europe. However, it IS customary to tip in the United States. Servers are not paid the same living wage here that they are across much of Europe. Alternatively, if an American goes abroad and is ignorant of a given country’s custom, they’re labeled boorish or a ’stupid American.’ When Europeans come here and don’t tip, it’s brushed aside and acknowledged that it’s ‘because they’re European.’

However, I found a place where Europeans tip all of the time: the sports pages. I’m reminded of the above story from the airport because as I was combing through the meager wasteland that is the Portuguese summer transfer wire, I came across a story where Manuel Fernandes and Miguel Veloso ‘tipped’ their U-21 teammate Nani to do well at Manchester United. My first, admittedly cynical, reaction was: who cares? These guys play on a team that are inches away from not qualifying for the next round of the U-21 tournament they’re in, but they expect to be considered authorities on Nani and what it’s like in the Premier League? I understand that they play with the guy on a relatively daily basis now and know his game and how good or bad he is. However, consider the following:

Fernandes’ limited experience in the Premier League makes him no authority and Veloso JUST got into the Sporting starting lineup this year. Veloso’s been doing rather well but still, given his limited international club experience, he has no real idea what it is to play in the grind that is the Premier League season. What I’m getting at really is that these two have almost no authority on the matter. Their opinions should not be taken too seriously or even evaluated as being near truth.

I then went back and looked through news archives where people are ‘tipping’ others to do well. I found zillions. Some come from credible sources (Sir Alex, Mourinho, Rijkaard and the like) and some from not so credible sources (see above for at least one example).

My point really is that when someone is tipped to do well or figures to be good at something, it’s all really down to speculation. While I’ll buy The Special One’s speculative ideas more than that of a guy who’s just started first team action, it’s all down to calculated guesswork nonetheless.

In the US, this type of tipping is not customary. While pundits, experts, and players alike are asked their opinions on big games or other players, it’s usually talk show fodder and all in speculative good fun. It seems that in Europe, when tipping takes place, it’s as if everyone’s an Oracle and thus newsworthy. It would probably be newsworthy in America if we had some Europeans tipping here as well. Enjoy your weekend, I have to go wash the feeling of being a 25 year old Andy Rooney off of me.