I haven't been to Japan but I understand their service consistently gets rated as among the best in the world...Asia in general...it makes sense, a homogeneous society based in respect and honor...not to be pessimistic but I don't think that would work here the same way?
Europe? Two things: many European countries that do the most complaining about "American tipping culture" charge a service charge for dining...go figure? Service charges exist in some form just about everywhere in Europe...All that does is take the decision out of your hands and mandates the tip as they see fit.... it's a backdoor codified tip. But hey, you don't have to figure out percentages or make a judgement so I guess that's a plus? Second I think their service is generally subpar to the American standard.... if the order is not right, most times in the U.S. someone is at your table within minutes to ask you if everything came out ok....good luck elsewhere...eat it and shut up I suppose? Or just wait for someone to come and give you an attitude. That would never fly here but it's common elsewhere. Good luck asking for a substition in a lot of places in Europe.
On the gas, it's not just holidays and busy times....from the mid 1990's to 2008 I drove from New Jersey to Wyoming/Montana/Idaho every year. Usually across Route 80, sometimes I'd do Route 90 on the way home. You're going through 8 states on 80 to Wyoming (NJ, PA, OH, IN, IL, IA, NE, WY) then 10 total on to Idaho and Montana...Blocked pumps and was the norm. Especially at the small stations with only 4 pumps and sometimes even just 2.
For a lot of those years people going inside to pay was the norm...and of course they had to buy their energy drink and Copenhagen long cut while having a conversation with girl behind the counter for an extra few minutes. Then there's those that stare at the keypad for 5 minutes trying to figure out the prompts...No I don't want a car wash or become a points member....how about a Geico commercial while you pump your gas? People get spastic at self checkout lines at supermarket too it's the same thing. And if there's any type of weather to deal with, tact on another 5 or so minutes...It was pretty much the same from Pennsylvania to Montana only difference was the people seemed to be a little more patient the further west you got. But almost no one pumps their gas and moves to a parking spot to go inside, they just leave their car at the pump. It happens here too but to a much lesser extent.
