每日英語 #083: Getting More Tips

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Getting More Tips

In American restaurants, it is “customary” (typical; normal) to leave a small “tip” (extra money for good service) for the “waiter” or “waitress” (person who takes your order and brings you your food). The tip is usually 10 to 20% of the total cost of your “meal” (food). Most people believe that the tip is related to the service: If the “waiter” (male server) or “waitress” (female server) does a good job, he or she will get a bigger tip.

在美國的餐廳裡，給“服務生”（接待並為你上菜的人）留下小費（對良好服務的額外金錢）是一種“習慣”（典型的；正常的）。小費通常是“餐費”（食物）總額的10%到20%。大多數人認為小費與服務質量有關：如果“男服務員”或“女服務員”服務得好，那麼他或她就會得到更高的小費。

“Research” (studies; investigations) on tipping tells us, however, that this is only partly true. “Good service” (taking care of the customer) improves the amount of the tip a little, but other “seemingly” (apparently) unrelated “factors” (influences; things) do, such as the following:

然而，關於小費的“研究”（研究；調查）告訴我們，這僅部分屬實。“良好的服務”（照顧顧客）會稍微提高小費金額，但還有其他看似無關的“因素”（影響；事物）也會影響小費，例如：

• Writing “thank you” on the check. We like people who are polite, and saying “thank you” makes us feel important and appreciated.
  在帳單上寫上“謝謝”。我們喜歡有禮貌的人，說“謝謝”讓我們感到被重視和感激。
• Writing a kind message on the check. This could be anything positive or encouraging, like “Great to see you here!” or “Have a good day!”
  在帳單上寫上一句友好的話。可以是任何積極或鼓勵的話，例如“很高興見到你！”或者“祝你有美好的一天！”
• Drawing a “happy face” on the check. This sounds a little stupid, but if the server draws a smiley face on the check, the average customer will give that person more money in his tip. Smiling has a very powerful influence on us, even when we see it on a piece of paper.
  在帳單上畫一個“笑臉”。這聽起來有點愚蠢，但如果服務員在帳單上畫一個笑臉，普通顧客就會給那個人更多的小費。微笑對我們有著非常強大的影響力，即使是在紙上看到它。
• Greeting the customer and introducing himself or herself. Servers in American restaurants often come to your table and give their name: “Hi! I’m Sally and I’ll be your server tonight. How’s your evening going so far?”
  向顧客打招呼並介紹自己。美國餐廳的服務員經常會到你的桌前並報上自己的名字：“你好！我是莎莉，我將是今晚的服務生。你的晚上過得如何？”
• Leaving a small piece of candy with your check. When your bill comes with a small piece of candy, you probably feel like the server has given you a special, extra “gift.” One of the strongest influences on our behavior is “reciprocity,” meaning that when someone does something good for us, we feel the “obligation” (necessity) to do something good for them in return. That one-cent piece of candy can be worth several dollars in tips.
  在你的帳單上留一小塊糖果。當你的帳單附帶一小塊糖果時，你可能會覺得服務員給你了一份特別的、額外的“禮物”。對我們行為影響最大的因素之一是“互惠”，這意味著當有人為我們做了好事時，我們會感到有“義務”（必要）回報他們。那一美分的糖果可以值好幾美元的小費。

重點單字

• Customary 習慣的 /ˈkʌs.tə.mer.i/
• Tip 小費 /tɪp/
• Waiter 男服務生 /ˈweɪ.tər/
• Waitress 女服務生 /ˈweɪ.trəs/
• Meal 餐點 /miːl/
• Research 研究 /rɪˈsɜːrtʃ/
• Seemingly 似乎 /ˈsiː.mɪŋ.li/
• Factor 因素 /ˈfæk.tər/
• Reciprocity 互惠 /ˌrɛsɪˈprɒsɪti/
• Obligation 義務 /ˌɒblɪˈɡeɪʃən/