A tip on over-tipping: Don't

You tip too much when you travel overseas. In some cases, you hand out so much money in gratuities that people think you're crazy -- and a little foolish.

So please stop. Otherwise, in no time at all, the entire world will be ponying up 18% every time they buy pommes frites in the Caribbean or tamales de pollo in Guatemala.

Anna Post, one of the etiquette mavens at the Emily Post Institute, learned this lesson the hard way while living in Italy.

"It was difficult for me not to over-tip," she said. "But eventually, I heard from some of the workers in restaurants I visited regularly that Americans tend to over-tip. Of course, they said it with a smile. Then I realized I was doing it too."

Lynn Staneff, of Magellan's travel supply company, spent several months researching overseas tipping. Her findings: "We over-tip outrageously," she said.

"The most glaring way to show you're an American -- besides your accent -- is to over-tip. In some countries, particularly Asia, it isn't even considered polite to tip. When you do it in these places, you're saying that the person you're tipping isn't hospitable enough to provide service without a bribe."

Tipping is a relatively recent custom, even in the United States. It was considered demeaning here until the 20th century, etiquette expert Miss Manners, a.k.a. Judith Martin, has written in her columns. Before that, many Americans thought that accepting a bit of extra money from a customer, besides your regular pay, seemed like a handout. It smacked of old-world servitude.

We got over that, to some people's dismay. As Miss Manners is fond of saying, "[I have] been railing against tipping for years, as a vile system that brings out the worst in both giver and receiver."

Unfortunately, as we wander to the far corners of the world, we're spreading that "vile system."

"The more Americans travel, the more countries expect tips," Staneff said. "Pretty soon everyone will tip 15% everywhere."

And some countries still consider it demeaning.

In Japan, for instance, tipping is viewed as insulting. In other countries, it's considered disrespectful to hand a tip to a waiter. That's why small trays are left on the table in those regions, Post said.

"It's so important to be considerate and respectful of the countries or culture you're visiting," she said. "You need to remember you're not at home."