Ask Ali: How to tip waiters in the UAE and avoiding a stink about oud

Dear Ali: My friends and I have noticed at dinner that the cheque has a 10 per cent “service charge”. We were wondering if this money goes to the waiters or waitresses or if we should tip on top of it? CG, Abu Dhabi

Dear CG: Tipping is never mandatory here, but if you receive good service it’s nice to leave a little extra to show your appreciation. The 10 per cent service charge does not go to the server, but rather the owner. No matter what you see on the bill, it’s always nice to give some money to your waiting staff, especially since in hospitality usually such positions don’t pay that well. I usually think that if someone adds between 20 to 100 dirhams it’s always fair and good; anything more is generosity from your side. Some restaurants and services venues would allow each assigned waiter to receive the tip that comes from the table assigned for them, while others would allow the waiters to collect all of the tips in one box then divide them.

Dear Ali: I know that oud is a proud part of Arab culture, but the smell of it causes me to have asthma attacks. Many Western countries even have rules against wearing excessive perfume or cologne. I don’t think anything that extreme is necessary, but could they at least put the oud counters inside a store so that the smell doesn’t affect others? VU, Scotland

Dear VU: Growing up here, I never really thought of it. We simply are used to it. But I think it brings up an interesting debate, because we actually know it can be bad for us. When we have elderly relatives or guests over to our house, we don’t burn any incense. The same goes for children. So maybe you’re on to something.

I know some people from the West are allergic to peanuts and that some companies in these cultures prohibit peanuts from their factories. But if someone with a peanut allergy went to Thailand, for example, they would have to be on their toes because peanuts are embedded in Thai culture.

In terms of the shops, I would say that many perfume shops at shopping malls would be encouraged by the mall management to keep the oud burning just near their shop door so that it creates a nice smell in its surroundings, which attracts a lot of the oud fans – and that means good business to them.

If the oud burner was inside the shop, it might be too much, because the whole shop will be in oud smoke, which is awesome to me but might be uncomfortable to its visitors. So that’s why you find many of the shopping malls allow it outside, where it can quickly fade away, since the halls are bigger and it makes the smoke go away faster.

To forbid it might come across as a bit too strong for those who love this oud culture, not to mention that it’s something many, if not most, Emirati people use daily in their homes. Maybe the authorities can work on some restrictions on the amount being used, as well the location of each shop at the malls, where there should be good-quality air extraction to minimise the strong smell.

Ali Al Saloom is a cultural adviser and public speaker from the UAE. Follow @AskAli on Twitter, and visit www.ask-ali.com to ask him a question and to find his guidebooks to the UAE, priced at Dh50.

weekend@thenational.ae