To not tip (in the UK?)

[makemineachardonnay]

I've just been reading the tipping in America thread with interest, and it got me thinking about tips here in the UK.
Do you tip? I don't. Even if I think the service was lovely. They're getting paid to do their job, and if the argument is that they don't get paid much so it tops up their wages, then surely that's their employers fault - they should pay them more.
Which they're never going to do, are they, if the customers are going to pay their staff for them.
Eating out is a lot of money to people at the moment (well, it is here anyway!) so to have to pay out even more is sometimes hard.
As for hairdressers?! It wouldn't even occur to me. They get paid for the job they do.
Surely I'm not the only one who doesn't tip?
Never posted an AIBU so don't be too mean.

I would be ashamed not to tip serving staff, hairdresser - and junior who washes my hair, cab driver. Because that's the way I was brought up. (S.E. London, not at all well off.) And some of my relatives did that sort of job. Usually 10 per cent, rounded up.

In my family, it is also traditional to tip undertakers - the men involved in the funeral, and removal men. An envelope given to the gaffer.

Not to tip, unless you are making a point about bad service, marks you out as a tight-fisted meanie and I wouldn't want anyone to think that about me.

OP, I just hope you're not a regular anywhere!

I don't think tipping in the supermarket etc can be compared because they're not traditional places to tip like restaurants or hairdressers are (and although I don't tip our hairdresser, I would have thought if it were a place that did tip it'd probably be a good idea to keep the hairdresser onside wouldn't it? ).

Just using the services of a place where tips are a tradition forces you into thinking about it because you have to make the decision to not tip, even if you think your choice not to tip wasn't a decision because you don't tip anywhere.

I suppose I can understand some people who might be irritated that they're forced into the situation and not tip to make a point, but the system isn't going to change over night and the only people losing out are low paid workers.

Sorry if that's a bit garbled.

At a restaurant: For decent service yes 10%. For bad service absolutely not. For great service, a little extra.

As it goes we tend to eat out locally, semi regularly. So if we have guests it works to our favour, if we are known locally to tip. Great service does add to the night.

But its generally the only thing I tip for in the UK though. I might tip a cabbie, but I really take a taxi anyway.

Will give tips in accordance with custom when abroad. I always make a point of checking the 'rules' before going. Japan was the one that surprised me. Its considered rude to tip. I found it kind of odd not to tip in restaurants to be honest.

I don't tip unless the service has been exceptional because I worked for years as a waitress, Welsh. The manager used to make us put all tips into a (locked) communal pot in the staff area, and shared it all out according to his whims every few months - except that there was no transparency about who got what, and I'm pretty sure he pocketed a fair whack of it himself anyway. He was a total cnut, and this was at a restaurant that had been going for years, very well known in the area (a pub restaurant, still going strong going by its website when I've just looked).

I also remember a student friend at the time had an (even worse) restaurant job than mine, at a well known chain, and he mentioned that they topped up the staff wages with it (as in, just took it all and paid what was needed to top people up to their hourly rate). Never worked anywhere that did this, so I haven't seen it firsthand, so can't vouch for the truth myself, but I've no reason to think he was lying.

So, anyway - yeah, I don't tip, because I think it's often used as an excuse to treat employees pretty crappily (not always, of course), and customers have no idea how stuff is allocated unless you ask every time.

Huffa, that's awful. We once had our tips box stolen by a temp chef cunt I always kept £20 back from fri/sat tips and the staff would vote on who got it based on how well they worked. Was great incentive to do the unpopular shifts. Without a grump.

SweetFanny, the kicker in the teeth is that "every few months" (I think it was meant to be every 3 or 4) turned into 8 the summer I left - two or three of us were leaving (end of uni) and on my last shift I did ask about when it was going to be shared out again, i was told i'd get my share posted back to my parents address within a few weeks.

never did see that cheque, no surprise there.

i would have moved jobs but they were so flexible with the shifts (and it was within walking distance) that the "manager" problem was just something i had to grin and bear. i would tell you how much we were on per/hr back then but i fear i'd give away my age

Wow. I've worked in some awful places, which is why, as soon as I reached a level of seniority I took charge of tips. I knew that most staff actually relied on them. We would take a share out for leaving presents (managers and chefs had to pay the same pro rata) but I made sure it was fair.

I tip - my hairdresser and I leave £1 for member of staff who washes my hair. I also tip taxi drivers, take away delivery drivers. I don't eat out often at all but when we do - we tip. When each of my children was born, I left biscuits, sweets, tea, buns into the hospital for midwives.

If I go to Tescos and a member of staff is really helpful or is really decent, I always pop into the customer service desk and give them their name, checkout number etc. I have also rung a store if I was impressed by a staff member, to let the manager know. I did this once and it was the womans first day on the job . I'm quick enough to complain if I receive poor service [glares at my local Sainsbos], so this is just the flip side.

We normally tip in restaraunts last one we went to we didn't as I had to send my meal back to be reheated as it was stone bloody cold came back slightly burnt around edges.

Aw, I do that in supermarkets too wiggledrock, it's just nice isn't it? My DH is a manager in retail and he always comes home so chuffed if he's had an email about his good service/general store praise filtered down from HO.

I also bake a lot of cakes for people. We were tight on funds last Xmas and the tips for binmen/postie etc would have been a stretch so I made them all cakes and cookies. Postie said it was more appreciated than any other tip ever, love his heart. He'll get fudge this year too!

We recently went to loch fyne and the waitress we had was so good that as well as tipping I spoke to manager and told him he was lucky I no longer catered because I'd be poaching her. We also emailed hq.

that's so sweet that you baked for the postman welsh - it's made me a bit tearful that

WelshMaenad my husband was in retail for years, and my Mum worked in a bank that took really serious notice of positive customer reports.

Yes I do tip if the service is good. There is a big difference between basic expected service and someone who goes the extra mile to make the experience special.

I tip in a restaurant unless the service is awful

taxi drivers/hairdressers I will usually over pay to the nearest £5 or £10 depending on the price

my mum tips the bin men but I never see mine so don't (plus they leave everyone's bins all over the path and half way up the street which is very annoying)

I work in retail and if we help load a car, build something that is self assembly, go out to a customer's home to collect a faulty item, we are often offered a couple of pounds for our trouble (usually by old ladies) but we can get sacked for accepting it

I sorted out a very big and potentially very expensive issue for a customer once and she tried to give me a £50 M&S voucher which I had to refuse so she went in to M&S and spent the £50 on flowers -couldn't really turn those down

I tip restaurants, taxis, hairdressers, beauticians, cleaner, postman, bin men - god I tip everyone who crosses my path provided they provide a good service.

I have a friend who tips her plumber etc £150 every christmas - she is well off but even I was at that. However she never has to worry about a leaky pipe as they'd go out to her on christmas day.

I do think its tight if you don't tip in a restaurant when you've had good service but then I've waitressed in the past which possibly colours my view.

I was also brought up to tip and do christmas boxes so have always thought it the norm - perhaps that makes a difference?

I dont tip. There is no need when we have min wage. Besides plenty of hard workers dont get tipped just the front facing staff usually.

I used to be a waitress for years when i was very very skint but i never expected a tip. It was my job i was paid to do it.

Maybe I'm just tight then.

I don't even think to tip most of the people listed on this thread. I would possibly (very low chance) tip in a Resturant if the service was astounding but even then it would only be the change so generally less than £2.

Can I ask, how do you tip the bin men. Not as in money vscakes but physically how.

I have never seen our bin men. . .

But they are very good, bins left back neatly, have heard from neighbours that they're all good lads who have been known to go out of thier way.

But as I said I never see them, do you stick a envelope on the bin?

I don't tip bin men as council workers in this area are not allowed to receive tips whether it's money, booze, chocolates etc.

I run out to see them - normally come at around 8am and I give them cash or beer depending on what I've got in. They are fab though and take loads more than they need to.

In restaurants I generally tip 10%

However i do tip in say america/other countries and do send my hairdresser a card for xmas.

Another reason for not tipping is i know a lot of the time it wont go to the staff member who served you or sometimes just goes straight to the company. Again i worked as a waitress so i know this to be true at least in some places.