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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be surprised It's take this long for this to hit the press.

57 replies

Bloodyknakard · 27/08/2015 20:41

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/aug/23/restaurant-tipping-policy-forces-waiters-to-pay-to-work

I'm amazed they kept it quiet for so long.
Given there was several threads on here when the other tips/service charge stories hit the press I'm surprised to see nothing of this on here.
I used to work as a manager for these people and I can assure you that staff incentives were certainly not where the money went 7/8 years ago....

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Original poster
Bloodyknakard · 27/08/2015 20:41

Bollocks can do a bloody clicky link.

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Dinnerfor1 · 27/08/2015 20:46

Shock that's horrendous! I had no idea that happened.

I used to work for below minimum wage in a restaurant, with the expectation that tips would take it above that, but never handed money over.

How are they allowed to get away with it?!

SouthWesterlyWinds · 27/08/2015 20:47

I'm quite pissed off at this actually as I really like las iguanas' food and BOGOF jugs of cocktails But am now boycotting and moving onto saki

CharlieUniformNovemberTango · 27/08/2015 20:51

I read this earlier - there is a petition to sign.

petition

Dinnerfor1 · 27/08/2015 20:54

Signed the petition. Am I naive for having no idea stuff like this happened?

Luckily I don't eat at the places mentioned, because I would be boycotting them if I did.

iAmNicolaMurray · 27/08/2015 20:57

Omg I used to eat at las igunas all the time. I had no idea about this. It's appalling, I can't believe it's legal. I've signed the petition. Thanks for sharing.

W00t · 27/08/2015 20:59

But isn't it because they share the tips with non-front-of-house staff, i.e. chefs, dish-washers, cleaners, etc?
Though if they actually pay those staff more than minimum wage that wait staff get, I can see that would be unfair.

whois · 27/08/2015 21:05

I always ask the waiters if they get the tips from the card. A "we aren't allowed to say answer" means tip in cash!

Chopchopbusybusy · 27/08/2015 21:05

I've signed the petition. This has pissed me off. I have eaten at Las Iguanas before - I won't be going back.

CharlieUniformNovemberTango · 27/08/2015 21:07

They don't share it though do they? I think if that were true it would kind of be ok.

But they actually charge their staff regardless of how much they have earned in tips. So if the tips don't cover the charge they are paying out of their own wages.

Original poster
Bloodyknakard · 27/08/2015 21:09

It's awful. And you could never really get a clear answer from the powers that be how they justified taking the money.
Personally I never took cash off a waiter that meant they had to handover more than the tips they made. However you would regularly end up taking a huge % of their money.
They have said in their come back that it goes to fund staff training and incentives. Surely you pay for the from the ££££of profit.

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Fluffyears · 27/08/2015 21:10

If sharing the tips then pool them and share equally don't demand a% as some people don't tip waiters. Will not set foot in there now.

Shockers · 27/08/2015 21:12

Signed. I can't believe this is legal!

annandale · 27/08/2015 21:12

But whois they're talking about taking a percentage of cash tips back at the end of the night - well, all tips, but including cash as well.

That's a lot of restaurants in one chain - Las Iguanas, Turtle Bay, Bella Italia, Cafe Rouge and Belgo. They are aiming to make a new industry standard. If they want to reward kitchen staff they could of course do so without penalising front of house staff.

I take back criticism if they put a statement saying what they are doing on the menu? I've never seen a statement like that but accept that I'm not always looking for it.

QforCucumber · 27/08/2015 21:13

That's awful
! Where I used to work if someone left a card tup the name of the waiter was put on the receipt and then handed to accounts, the amount would then be paid into their wages at the end of the month. Cash tips were split between service staff only at the end of each shift as kitchen staff got paid more than the minimum wage whereas front of house were all nmw. Fairest way I saw it for all of them.

Original poster
Bloodyknakard · 27/08/2015 21:13

It's the one of the main reasons I left and went to work for a different brand it just was so wrong especially when you have watered for years your self and know how much you rely on that cash.
Having said that good waiters still made good money but not as good as they should have.

Funny though I was saying to my husband that I'm amazed it has taken this long to be made pubic as it is a huge bone of contention with people who work there. And he pointed out, well you never said anything either did you? Which is partly why I feel I should spread to word now it have come out.

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Original poster
Bloodyknakard · 27/08/2015 21:14

It's only las iguanas and turtle bay who do it and have been since they started.
They have only recently been bought by the casual dining group. Those other chains don't as far as I'm aware.

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annandale · 27/08/2015 21:15

Bloodyknakard is there any way to be sure of a tip getting to the people you want to get it to? I don't eat out very often but always tip in cash to avoid the ones who skim/keep the card tips, but clearly they are a step ahead.

Original poster
Bloodyknakard · 27/08/2015 21:18

It is different in every chain. Some pool tips some take admin charges. Best bet is to only leave cash that way the tax man isn't getting it. But other than that you could ask the restaurant policy? But a lot will be told what to tell you...

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Marcipex · 27/08/2015 21:19

I used to work in a pub and we had to pool our tips ie put them in a jar where they are used for change,( so notes gradually replace coins), then the landlady would take out most of the notes and distribute the rest as she saw fit.
The landlady , when challenged, said the tips were for her.

Original poster
Bloodyknakard · 27/08/2015 22:03

It's shocking when you hear of some of the things that go on..

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Pigriver · 27/08/2015 23:44

Never worked for a chain but 2 very different independent restaurants when I was younger. Both required all tips to go in a jar. 1 paid you from the jar at the end of the night Shock. The other shared all tips equally between all staff at the end of the week (x per person per shift). That way kitchen staff all benefitted too.
I know which I preferred!

Jelliebabe1 · 28/08/2015 08:59

I never never never tip on a card for this reason. Don't know how to get round this scheme though??? Apart from boycotting those restaurants...

FloppyRagdoll · 28/08/2015 09:03

It's terrible.

A young friend of mine had a holiday job in a fairly posh restaurant. The basic table d'hote was 50 GBP, and they even charge tap water at the same price as the San Pellegrino. The friend was under 21, so was paid low nmw; zero hours contract. (My son, btw, who is a qualified sommelier with experience in Michelin starred restaurants, didn't even get an interview for the same job, presumably because he was over 21 and they would have had to pay him the full whack.) Tips were put into a pot, but she wasn't too bothered as all the tips were great - several times in her first week, she pulled over 100 GBP in tips, as did her colleagues. She still calculated that her share would be several hundred pounds and would practically double her wages. BUT, at the end of the month, she got less than 30 GBP in tips paid back, as the boss did a share-out based on seniority; meaning that the restaurant managers got the most tips.

The same restaurant also has a reputation of being "sold out" of their house wine (the only wine they sell by the glass) so that people are forced to buy much more expensive wine by the bottle.