Tipping waiting staff..

Assuming you are in the UK, it is customary to tip the waiting staff in an eating establishment, but not in some other environments such as retail. If you have had a decent meal for two or more people then it is likely to have cost more than the waiter is paid for their entire shift, so it is a kindness to tip if the experience has been good.

It used to be customary before we had minimum wage. That's my point.

Think about it. Why only waiting staff and not all the other people in serving roles (retail, customer service, reception, office workers, cleaners, etc.) who are on the same hourly rate as waiting staff?

Why are waiting staff singled out for this extra boost to their wages and everyone else is excluded?

It certainly is optional. Look the word up in the dictionary.

Of course it's optional.

Are people stuck in the old days before minimum wage or something? We've had a minimum wage for over 25 years now. Waiting staff are no different to the retail assistants who run up and down the stairs getting the different size shoes for you to try on. Do you tip them?

Why would you? If it is expected as part of eating there and clearly stated on the menu, don't eat there if you do not agree, eat elsewhere.

@ponyprincess Tipping in the USA is absolutely not optional. It’s expected and it’s 20% now. When did you last go there?

The minimum wage rates in the Uk have just gone up in April. By 4.1% for those aged 21 and over and an 8.5% increase for workers aged 18 to 20. I haven’t had a salary in increase like that!

It isn't really optional unless you are tight or have very bad service.

Maybe if all the minimum and low paid workers got paid tips they could afford to eat out more often.

But they don't and being forced to top up a wage larger than their own for a service which requires fewer skills than their own job is too much for many people.

Still though, they are influenced by the wealthy who tell them 'you must pay this extra or you can't have this thing we take for granted' - if you can't afford to pay more then stay at home pleb.

I find lower paid or working class people more generous and more sensitive to being seen as tight.

I literally always tip the wait staff in cash but I refuse to pay service charge, so the restaurant will continue to lose anyway - seems like a bad business model.

I understand the emotion and I’m with you on hating the tipping culture, but it’s illogical not to tip someone because someone else in a different job isn’t paid enough.

I worked as a waitress once in a busy upmarket bistro and swore I’d always tip waitresses and waiters from then on. When done well, it is a demanding job that requires hidden skills to make everything run smoothly. I appreciate that not every waiting job is like the one I was doing (badly) but if you imagine having charge of six or seven tables in a cramped room of maybe upwards of 30 tables, each with six covers and people expecting a meal to run smoothly with several courses, several drinks, random requests, pressure from a busy kitchen, it’s no joke. Add split shifts to that, which in my view are exploitation. People can be such arses and in the part of London I was in many were entitled arses. I think people underestimate what it takes to provide a calm seamless meal for people eating in a busy restaurant.

I tip my hairdresser because, again, I lived in London and it was expected, and I just can’t not do it now I’ve moved out. My hairdresser doesn’t expect it, but it’s only a very small amount: just around things up.

i also tip taxi drivers. It’s a hard job and I know that they depend on tips to make the job profitable: one told me that the fare itself is referred to as “dead money“, because just the fare itself won’t pay the way.

It definitely shouldn’t be respected as routine and I support the living wage rather than the minimum wage, though even that isn’t much.

Hats off to people who don’t tip, though.

If the service is terrible I get the service charge removed
If the service is incredible I tip directly in cash
If the service is average I just pay service and don't tip.

I'm not on much more than min wage now so I don't tip anyone else. Hairdressers, taxi drivers, delivery drivers etc. They are so expensive anyway, and everyone gets a similar wage to me now.

It is awkward and really you don't have a choice. You just pay.

Ive just read an article about football fans visiting the US and being frustrated at how expensive the tipping culture is over there. Its because US waiting staff are paid so little, the tips are meant to boost their wages. But visitors are saying the staff should be properly paid and its on businesses to ensure staff are properly paid, not on the customer to be expected to make up the wages shortfall. I think football fans from around the world are feeling the pinch in the US as they are getting ripped off anyway.

BUT its made me think. We dont eat out much here in the UK, its frankly expensive and not always great. But whenever we do eat out, I notice a service charge is always added automatically to the bill. And frankly it makes the bill quite a bit higher. Id love a cocktail with my dinner or lunch but I very very rarely have one, as they can be £8-£9 each. So I have either water or a soft drink. But then the bill comes and the tip is often £8-£9. That's the cocktail I usually deny myself. And it sort of pisses me off. I earn 25p over minimum wage. Dh isn't on much more. And im guessing the hospitality staff are on similar to me. Im in retail and I give customers good service . But I dont get tips and of course I dont expect tips. Yet waiting staff here get minimum wage and we still tip them 10% of the bill. So they'll be earning a whole lot more than me. Yet I feel mean if I dont tip.

What's the answer? Please bare in mind my earnings and how infrequently we eat out. Its a treat, and drinks are usually water or coke to keep costs down. Having a coffee at the end and sharing a dessert is a treat too.
Then the bill comes and im expected to tip someone better paid than me. The tip is always on the bill, gone are the days the tip feels optional.
And I know this isn't the waiting staff's fault. I know they dont make the rules and i know the tips are pooled between all staff working.
But it just feels too much when our budget is stretched to the limit. I also know ive tipped and the staff/ meal frankly weren't all that great. But I feel pressure when its on the bill.

Am I the only low waged person to feel like this?

Do you tip everyone on minimum wage that serves you or only waiting staff. I find that odd tbh. But you are happy to tip or you wouldn't do it. No one is forcing you to, it's entirely your own choice.

If big tippers aren't happy about it then they should stop doing it. I don't know why you'd give money away if you didn't want to.

@ponyprincess Tipping in the USA is absolutely not optional. It’s expected and it’s 20% now. When did you last go there?

It isn't really optional unless you are tight or have very bad service.

Or shes learned to hide her feelings

It isn't really optional unless you are tight or have very bad service.

It isn't really optional unless you are tight or have very bad service.