After finishing my meal at a restaurant, I asked the waiter to bring the bill which was charged 229 units. I kept 230 in the that book which contains our bill and I told the waiter to keep the change because my car was waiting just outside and I was in a rush. He got really angry and said " Are you serious? you're insulting me by giving me 1 unit of currency". Even though I got out from the restaurant without much problem, I wonder why that was offensive? Is keeping the change same as giving the tip because I never actually say "keep the change" to the waiter. I just leave it on the table to collect. What could I say to the waiter so I could convey that I want him to keep the change in the main cash box instead of keeping it in his own pocket?
Learn English – Difference between ‘Keep the change’ and ‘tip’
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Best Answer
I think the confusion here is more cultural than it is with the actual language.
In the United States, it is customary to give a tip of 15% - 20% (or more, if service was exceptional). This is a bit relaxed in college towns/restaurants, as it is understood that students don't have quite as much, but for the great majority of the country, you are supposed to tip.
In fact, in the US, waiters are paid very little hourly wage because they are expected to receive tips, so the standard minimum wage doesn't apply to them.
See the quote from this article on this very problem (it is a regularly debated topic):
They are required to be paid only $2.13 an hour, because the government expects them to make enough more on tips.
By providing such a small tip (1/229 = 0.4% tip), you are, in effect, saying that the service was very bad. THAT is why it is insulting. Don't feel bad, because it is an easy enough mistake to make for people from a different country or culture. But yes, tipping is unofficially mandatory.
If you're interested more in the topic, there's a great video from Adam Ruins Everything that explains the huge problems with this system that is fairly accurate.
As for your other two questions, yes, when you say "keep the change," it is implied to be as a tip. "Keep the change" means that you're giving the person whatever change there was as a tip. Sometimes it comes with a cocky connotation, but it's fine for use.
There is no way to say to put the extra money in the cash register instead of as a tip, without saying it explicitly as I typed it out, which would be considered rude. This is because there would never be any reason for this. That would be even ruder than leaving a small tip - no tip at all, and telling them to put it in the register for some reason.