In France, where restaurant tipping has never been the big thing it is in North America, talk about it is becoming more common, and possibly more heated as it becomes more common for restaurant card terminals to offer a chance to include a tip.
Until now, tipping, where it happens at all, has been a matter of leaving a few coins on the table, and that money has been tax-free for the recipient. Two years ago, the tax exemption was added for card-paid tips as well, but not everyone is happy.
As in the U.S., where there is increasing annoyance over tip lines being added to terminals even when there is no or minimal service involved, many people see the system as pressure to tip. Unlike the U.S., where suggested levels tend to run to 15-20%, the terminals in France mostly offer 2, 5 or 10 percent.
One factor that may be playing into the spread of the terminals: France is an increasingly cashless society, with card taps or swipes possible nearly everywhere. A recent survey suggested that about 35% of French people never carry cash.
