This subject of tipping (giving a propina) has been tossed around hundreds of times on CRT. There never has been a consensus agreement, and I am sure there will never be one. Tipping in the Tico culture did not exist until Gringos introduced the concept and to this day Ticos do not understand the concept nor for the most part accept it. Most Ticos consider it just a Gringo thing used to impress the poor with how much money Gringos have. Many, even today will laugh at Gringos for giving tips. To be totally honest, in my opinion, the idea that the ONLY way to get good service is to tip has been so ingrained into the Gringo mind that many gringos just cannot accept the possibility of getting good service without tipping!! The other thing very obvious here is that the biggest tippers and the ones who insist it is the "right" thing to do are most often Gringos who "live by the tip" in the states!! Many can not grasp the concept of "customs being different" and that they are not in the USA when here and "when in Rome, do as the Romans do".
Over the years the working chicas have learned to expect a tip from gringos (the same chica would never expect one from a Tico) and many have learned that if they demand one, they will for sure get one because the gringo thinks he will get inferior service if he doesn't! I have had many young, new to the business chicas ask me why a guy (gringo) gave her "extra" money! Till they are taught by the older chicas they just do not get it. And to be totally honest they and even the older ones laugh at the "stupidity" of gringos for "throwing away their money trying to impress people"!
Whether it gets you better service or not I do not really know (no one I think, knows this for sure). I do know that many chicas have told me it really does not affect how they treat a guy, that they pluck him the same either way. Many have said how he treats her, how she feels about him, and how much fun she has with him, is much more important and more likely to affect the service than the getting a tip is. The idea of getting her to agree to less and a tip if she preforms great assuring you of a better session is a fallacy! The chica feels she has been put on the spot, and the only way she can get her desired amount of money is to preform above expectations. This actually upsets her and distracts her mentially which often will result in her actually preforming below what she would have if he had just agreed to the same amount of dollars without any mention of a tip.
I have a reputation (mostly among fellow gringos) of being very opposed to tipping and that I never do it. This is not totally true. As with others over paying for a session, tipping by others just puts more money in her pocket and reduces her "need" for money (remember the one truism--"they live for the moment and never think about tomorrow"). This results in me (the next guy after a "big spender") getting a lower price with much less negotiating. She is feeling good because she has more money in her pocket than she was expecting and does not now have to worry about where the "rent money" is coming from and she will "let her hair down" and be ready to "really" party with me (the next guy)!!! Think about that for a moment! When you over pay or over tip, you are often paying for the next guy to get a better experience!
As for as whether I tip or not: Anytime a chica starts talking "tip" before the session even starts, I WALK, period!! No matter where you are from or what you may think, in my opinion, a tip is something you 'earn" not something that is automatic! I know many of my friends in the service industries will disagree with me, but they are wrong and that "automatic" giving of tips is why so often today "service" is so lousy. The whole concept of "tipping" originally was to "express ones appreciation for outstanding service", in other words "something that was earned"! That idea has been lost all too often in the STATES!! I DO tip on occasion when the service was totally mind blowing and we both totally enjoyed ourselves!!
Another issue: Etiquette says you NEVER tip a self employed person!! By Costa Rican law, all putas are "self employed "!! Secondly, custom in the USA is now a 20% tip (I remember when it was 10% and then 15% -where does it go next? jejeje). Here it is still 10% and remember "when in Rome"!!!!! I see and read of guys all the time giving chicas huge tips In most cases in MPs the chicas get slightly more than half the price paid. For example, in most "low rent" MPs they get c10000. If you give her c5000 you have just given her a 50% tip!!!! WHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD WOULD YOU EVER TIP 50%???? Why here?????
I will tell you one of the things I frequently do with MP chicas and my regulars. Rather than a monetary tip I give them condoms. I buy condoms in large quantity on Amazon for about 15cents each. Most of the time condoms cost the chicas over a dollar each and all MP chicas have to buy their own, the MP does not give them free condoms. If she is really good, I will often give her as many as 10 condoms--cost me $1.50 but saves her c5000!! I have found them to be very appreciative of this type of "tip" Win-Win for both of us!!!!!!!!!
All of the above is just the opinions and ramblings of a "senile old fart"

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Old and retired but still bang, and bang, and bang!!!
