Page 2 | To ask IF you leave a server a tip.....

username77668899 · 2024-12-12T14:12:48+00:00

To ask them (especially with card machines) how much of it they personally get. If you like to tip for exceptional service when you eat out, due to the recent change in the law regarding tips please ask your server if they actually get a decent amount of the money you leave. I'm not here for a debate, I simply want people to know that some companies are distributing it evenly between all staff - which to be honest is grossly unfair when managers and chefs aren't the ones on minimum wage 🙂

Original poster

username77668899 · 12/12/2024 15:33

I can't quote the comment I am replying to as it is already a quote but being a server in a restaurant that's rammed busy with a queue all day long is definitely NOT easy and that attitude to be frank is quite sad. I guarantee you couldn't keep a section ticking over as well and efficiently as I do but as you were 😃

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Thunderpunt · 12/12/2024 15:30

Runnieknows · 12/12/2024 14:25

I always give cash tips as a small salon owner told me once that any tips on card, she gives the full amount to the employee, but the full
amount paid on card will be subject to tax, so the biz owner loses.

Not fully RTFT but to clarify, No VAT is applicable on TIPS, however it is due on a Service Charge.

One thing that many possibly haven't considered is that when a tip is left on a card machine, even though 100% of that tip is due to the staff, the actual card transaction will have a fee attached to it, which the business owner is liable to pay, and therefore ends up out of pocket. So I would always recommend leaving a cash tip if you can.

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 12/12/2024 15:29

ScottBakula · 12/12/2024 14:33

Whilst I agree that the server should get the lions share of the tips , I also think the chefs , prep staff , pot washers should also get some of it , without them there would be no restaurants.
So perhaps
Server 70%
Chef 10%
Prep staff 10%
Potwasher 10%

I feel if you have the best steak (for example) ever, then that is down to the chef, not the person who brings you the plate and so the chef should get the lions share.
Plus if I have a bottle of wine that costs £30 or one that costs £300 pounds I don't see that a tip should be a percentage of the price as the 'service' in bringing the bottle and taking the cork out is the same.

TeenagersAngst · 12/12/2024 15:28

I hate tipping culture. Especially having just been to the US where I think it's out of control.

Why should the customer have to subsidise the business owner? We already pay for the product.

DowntonFlabbie · 12/12/2024 15:27

ScottBakula · 12/12/2024 14:33

Whilst I agree that the server should get the lions share of the tips , I also think the chefs , prep staff , pot washers should also get some of it , without them there would be no restaurants.
So perhaps
Server 70%
Chef 10%
Prep staff 10%
Potwasher 10%

Why? The server is doing the easiest part of the whole process!

Original poster

username77668899 · 12/12/2024 15:24

Falseshamrok · 12/12/2024 15:18

Tips should be shared between all staff. Front and back staff, pot washers, chefs, servers everyone. All

So you think all servers should get the same regardless of the quality of service or amount of work they do?

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Original poster

username77668899 · 12/12/2024 15:24

I haven't said they shouldn't receive tips

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Falseshamrok · 12/12/2024 15:19

username77668899 · 12/12/2024 15:10

I'm not in this for a debate but let's be honest people for the most part are tipping for the service. The food can be five star Michelin standard quality BUT if the service is bad people will be unlikely to leave a tip 🤷🏻‍♀️

Would you be saying the same about a pot washer on nmw and not receiving tips because they are not a server?

Falseshamrok · 12/12/2024 15:18

Tips should be shared between all staff. Front and back staff, pot washers, chefs, servers everyone. All

Original poster

username77668899 · 12/12/2024 15:10

I'm not in this for a debate but let's be honest people for the most part are tipping for the service. The food can be five star Michelin standard quality BUT if the service is bad people will be unlikely to leave a tip 🤷🏻‍♀️

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SharpOpalNewt · 12/12/2024 15:09

I leave them a tip if the service was good.

It's not up to me to police what the business does with the tips.

lto2019 · 12/12/2024 15:00

When I tip I usually ask if they prefer cash or are happy for it to be added to card payment. I try to have some cash on me for tipping and car park. I didn't realise for ages staff were taxed on tips on card and so switched. I stopped tipping at one place when the waitress said don't bother - it all goes to the management even cash!

ScottBakula · 12/12/2024 14:53

username77668899 · 12/12/2024 14:35

Absolutely agree with you! But in a lot of places it's not being done like that now and servers are having to share what they make with every other member of staff equally - including the other servers which is absolutely wrong because where is the incentive to give outstanding service if you know you're getting a share of what the others make? The law should have been worded a lot better because right now it's a minefield

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I agree it shouldn't be shared with the other servers, it's not fair on those that do a great job to subsidised the less competent staff.

Put it on its head ,
if staff A did a great job and got a handsome tip why share it with staff B that was just scraping by.
Would we equally expect staff A to receive a warning / extra training because staff B wasn't up to scratch ?

ARealitycheck · 12/12/2024 14:53

username77668899 · 12/12/2024 14:49

Exactly. How can it be called fair that people on a higher hourly rate get an even share. Or that another server on the same shift who does a half arsed job and barely gets any tips takes a share from someone who works their arse off to make their customers experience an outstanding one. Basically the way it is now the good servers are paying the bad servers wages 🤷🏻‍♀️

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Who gets to decide who is worthy of the tips or not then? If we are talking about the contribution to the dining experience, you could argue the kitchen porter who peeled all the veg and potatoes is more entitled than anyone.

Original poster

username77668899 · 12/12/2024 14:52

OR for example someone chooses to work the quiet days of the week getting the same share of the pot as someone who gives up their weekends and works mad busy Friday/Saturday nights. It's literally making hardworking people give money to their colleagues

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Lovelysummerdays · 12/12/2024 14:51

username77668899 · 12/12/2024 14:31

I work for a large company that owns several chains. They do not pay their kitchen staff minimum wage I assure you

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I do wonder if you’ll see those salaries creeping down. Or not going up when increases in min wage kick in. Some places locally advertise salaries as £15.50 per hour. The actual salary is £13.40 but includes an estimate of bonus payment generated by tips which should average out to £2.10 ph over the year. I suspect this will become more common in the hospitality industry.

Original poster

username77668899 · 12/12/2024 14:49

Sandandsea123 · 12/12/2024 14:46

Our cc tips I barely get any of. Less than £100 for 3 months. It gets shared out between everyone based on hours. So the GM who is paid exceptionally well gets a large share, despite having next to no interaction with guests. So any cash tip I get, I keep myself and don’t share it.

Exactly. How can it be called fair that people on a higher hourly rate get an even share. Or that another server on the same shift who does a half arsed job and barely gets any tips takes a share from someone who works their arse off to make their customers experience an outstanding one. Basically the way it is now the good servers are paying the bad servers wages 🤷🏻‍♀️

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Sandandsea123 · 12/12/2024 14:46

Our cc tips I barely get any of. Less than £100 for 3 months. It gets shared out between everyone based on hours. So the GM who is paid exceptionally well gets a large share, despite having next to no interaction with guests. So any cash tip I get, I keep myself and don’t share it.

ARealitycheck · 12/12/2024 14:44

username77668899 · 12/12/2024 14:35

Absolutely agree with you! But in a lot of places it's not being done like that now and servers are having to share what they make with every other member of staff equally - including the other servers which is absolutely wrong because where is the incentive to give outstanding service if you know you're getting a share of what the others make? The law should have been worded a lot better because right now it's a minefield

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I've worked in hospitality and the only proper fair way is for all gratuities to be shared among all employees based on hours worked. It shouldn't matter your role in the operation. The dishwasher works just as hard a waiter or chef, and without one the operation comes to a halt.

ExhibitionOfYourself · 12/12/2024 14:44

I ask individual waiters what the practice is at their restaurant if it's not somewhere I'm familiar with.

BillStickersWillBeProsocuted · 12/12/2024 14:43

devilspawn · 12/12/2024 14:36

I think the biggest loophole is that I've noticed places have started to automatically include a "service charge" in addition to a (sometimes optional) tip line. I'm assuming a "service charge" doesn't count as a tip that has to be distributed and a lot of people will assume that's what it is.

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On the ACAS Website it does say they count as tips under the new law - so they are trying!

The Tipping Act and Code apply to tips and service charges that employers have 'control and significant influence' over.
This includes:

tips and services charges that go directly to an employer – for example, a service charge added to a bill
tips that go to the employee first, but that the employer collects and divides between employees

Original poster

username77668899 · 12/12/2024 14:43

Back of house I imagine

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SleepingisanArt · 12/12/2024 14:42

We used to pool all the tips which were shared between all staff based on the number of hours they worked (chefs were capped at 30 even though they often worked twice that). Management didn't get a share. It was fair because some people don't tip whilst others are generous. There were 20 full time staff who'd get about £500 (sometimes more) in tips each in December and £300 every month for the other 11 months of the year. All staff paid above minimum wage and we had excellent staff retention and morale.

boulevardofbrokendreamss · 12/12/2024 14:41

wizbit93 · 12/12/2024 14:16

DD gets to keep 80% of cash tips. However, there is some weird formula with the card tips whereby she barely gets anything from those now.
It has certainly made me change my ways and I always give cash tips instead of card now!

Where's the other 20% going?!

cstaff · 12/12/2024 14:40

A restaurant in Dublin, The Ivy had a big issue a few years ago where they were accused of not sharing tips with staff members. I think most of this applied to card payments. Now, even if I pay by card I will always tip in cash and hope that it goes to the right people i.e. not management.