Benidorm waitress reveals who leaves the biggest tips: Is it the British or the Spanish?

The hospitality worker points out the huge differences in generosity between tourists and locals in a special report

Clara Alfonso

Benidorm

Tuesday, 9 July 2024, 20:15

Tipping has always been a controversial issue and varies considerably depending on the culture and country of origin of the customer. In Spain, it is not common for the Spanish to leave large tips, and differences in the generosity of tourists are obvious. As corroborated in a report from La Sexta, these differences are particularly highlighted in the experience of waiters in Benidorm, where the British stand out for their generosity compared to the Spanish.

Reporter, Jalis de la Serna, goes into one of the most central streets of Benidorm during the high season. "It's... it's packed!," he exclaimed as he walked along a street that was barely walkable. At this time of year, the town's population triples.

The journalist comes across numerous bars with Basque names and people from that region, who have brought part of their culture with them. A man he spoke to said: "This is the Basque quarter, the area of the Basques". "This is bringing the culture of the hamlet to the city of skyscrapers", replied Jalis, pointing out the Basque influence in the area.

Arriving at his first destination, the Aúpa tavern, the reporter spoke to the owner about the hospitality situation in the town. The owner pointed out that more people are visiting Benidorm and he currently employs six waiters due to the high turnover and the fact that his business is open from 12pm to 12am without closing on any day.

To find out more about the working conditions of the waiters, Jalis spoke to Luisa, one of the waitresses. When asked what her pay is like, Luisa said she earns between 1,500 and 1,600 euros a month plus tips, which vary considerably depending on the nationality of the customer.

'With the British, a tip is a bonus'

"With the British, tipping is a bonus," she said. "Around 100 or 150 euros a week per head," said Luisa, who did not mince her words when she said that "four people can leave an average of 20 or 50 euros, and the Spaniard: ten cents".

This notable difference in tipping according to where tourists come from reflects not only cultural customs, but also the economic impact they have on Benidorm's hospitality sector. For waiters, especially in the Basque quarter of the town, the generosity of the British represents a significant part of their income.

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