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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Exact 10% tip

169 replies

piginboots · 04/02/2017 20:41

Dp and I went out for dinner this evening. Food and service both good, nothing outstanding but no complaints either. Meal came to £33.20 and we agreed that I'd pay (by card), he would tip (in cash). He tipped £3.32 exactly. Imo this is rude and he should have rounded up. He (obviously) disagrees. Who is being unreasonable?

OP posts:
EurusHolmesViolin · 05/02/2017 10:20

I'd have put down probably £4, as I did work in the hospitality industry so acquired the habit of rounding up then. When I was in the job myself I doubt I'd have noticed that it was exactly 10% tbh. People would put down whatever change they had all the time. Adds up.

rubybleu · 05/02/2017 10:22

I probably would have paid the exact change as a chance to get rid of the 1p/2p/5p coins that lurk for too long in my purse.

I don't really understand tipping - I generally always pay the service charge, don't worry. But I truly don't understand what waitstaff do in a Prezzo or elsewhere is worthy of additional payment compared to, say, the person at Pret taking your order, or at McDonalds, where you don't tip. Both earn NMW or slightly more...

IAmNotAUserNumber · 05/02/2017 10:25

I thought the tip should be 5 to 10%. 15% is wY too high.

thebakerwithboobs · 05/02/2017 10:28

I agree with the posters who've said the waiting staff probably just assumed it was the change you had in your pocket and thought no more if it. I doubt they would have he time or the inclination to count out the tip and compare it with the bill. I can see why you think it's tight but you're looking at it from a different perspective from those in receipt of it-nothing wrong with that, of course.

IAmNotAUserNumber · 05/02/2017 10:29

I don't really get the refs to the NMW as evidence that waiting staff receive adequate pay. NMW is not sufficient to maintain a decent lifestyle - hence the increasing pressure to pay a national living wage.

IAmNotAUserNumber · 05/02/2017 10:36

Contortionist - 10% is a decent tip in the UK, and tipping the exact amount is fair enough. When tipping with a credit card, I used to make sure the total was palindromic, so in this case would have tipped £3.43 for a total of £36.63.

Why does it have to be palindromic?

Roomster101 · 05/02/2017 10:36

I don't really get the refs to the NMW as evidence that waiting staff receive adequate pay. NMW is not sufficient to maintain a decent lifestyle - hence the increasing pressure to pay a national living wage.

It is in some parts of the country especially if you are married, live with parents etc. Considering many of the customers will themselves not be paid more than this even for harder and more skilled jobs, you can't really expect them to feel they need to top up the waiting staff salaries.

Original poster
piginboots · 05/02/2017 11:45

Thanks for the input all. I'm relieved to hear from the waitresses & ex waitresses that it probably won't have been noticed. Suprised that so many people don't tip at all though.

OP posts:
MyWineTime · 05/02/2017 12:00

Seriously, who is that specific, weird
So when you collected the cash tip from the table, would you seriously count it up, then go back to the bill and work out the percentage of the bill you have been given as a tip? I don't believe you would.
What if the tip had been £3.25 or £3.57 or £4.15, would you go back to the bill to work out what percentage it was and say to your mates "Seriously, who is that specific, weird" (I hope you can see the irony in that)

TheCustomaryMethod · 05/02/2017 12:05

Is palindromic credit card tipping an anti-fraud thing? I've never heard of this.

ImperialBlether · 05/02/2017 13:25

No, it just means the person finds beauty in numbers!

LassWiTheDelicateAir · 05/02/2017 13:48

I doubt the waiters counted it and spotted he had left exactly 10%.

I understand leaving all the loose change just to get rid of it but precisely counting out £3.23 is weird.

ChangeTime · 05/02/2017 22:55

I love the idea of palindromic credit card tipping and shall be doing from now on. Grin

KungFuPandaWorksOut16 · 06/02/2017 07:47

I don't mind tipping but when a server gives you shit service and then expects a tip that's awkward!
I think it's become a norm now that you tip every time when once upon at time it was too boost their wages or to praise them for a good job.

I was at a chain place few months back with the DH, and our server was literally nowhere too be seen! Had to ask other servers for a drink and too place our order, our mysterious server would appear to deliver drink/food but would slam it down and trot off. even had to ask another server for the bill.

Oh how her attitude changed! She brought over the card machine and one of the first question on the machine is would you like too leave a tip, I could feel her eyes burning into me. I clicked no and her attitude changed start saying sighing foot tapping and basically back too being rude.

treaclesoda · 06/02/2017 08:12

I have rarely ever been in a restaurant where I've had just one waiter/waitress. We went out for a quick dinner last night to a busy family friendly type place and in the hour or so that we were there we interacted with about seven or eight different staff. One showed us to our table, another took our drinks order, a different one brought the drinks. Then another took our food order and a different person brought the food. Then someone different cleared the table and asked if we'd like anything else, one of the earlier staff brought the kids ice cream and finally someone different brought the bill.

I think it would be nice if you did have a designated staff member and then if they're pleasant and helpful you tip accordingly, if they're surly and rude you don't tip at all. The vast majority of waiting staff are the former not the latter, so hopefully they would reap the benefits.

user892 · 06/02/2017 08:15

Tipping is sooo old fashioned. I don't know anyone who does anymore.

shovetheholly · 06/02/2017 08:19

Everyone I know still tips! Shock

user892 · 06/02/2017 12:29

On the odd occasions in the more recent past I've gone to tip - friends and family have put the money back in my purse. But then we're in a part of the world where the cost of a decent meal out is pretty high anyway.

EverythingEverywhere1234 · 06/02/2017 12:32

You say yourself the meal wasn't anything special, so any tip would be grand. Being so precise is quite funny but any tip is a good tip I reckon.

KERALA1 · 06/02/2017 12:47

I cannot get my head around non tipping in a restaurant. At least half of people on these threads say they don't but never met one.

ArcheryAnnie · 06/02/2017 22:52

user892 unfortunately since the wage levels in catering are also "soooo old-fashioned", tipping remains a part of the catering business.

I really judge people who don't tip in restaurants as tight-fisted - it'd be a deal-breaker on a date, for example, if the person I was with refused to tip. I don't have much money, but if I can't afford to tip then I don't go out to eat.

(I don't get tipped doing my job because the industry I am in does not expect people to rely on tips, and I get paid properly. Saying "I don't get tips - why should they?" is bullshit.)

user892 · 06/02/2017 23:04

I don't have much money, but if I can't afford to tip then I don't go out to eat

I'm sure the servers would much rather you came out and supported the business (and their job security) than felt embarrassed for not tipping Hmm

You think that I (and pretty much all my friends and family) should stay at home if we can't afford to tip?

I've done waitressing work. I didn't mind not getting tipped and didn't take it personally. I understand that some can't or won't tip - it's their prerogative.

If I was on a date and the other person threw a fit purely because I didn't tip - I would happily agree not to see them again anyhow Wink

user892 · 06/02/2017 23:04

since the wage levels in catering are also "soooo old-fashioned", tipping remains a part of the catering business

It's NMW. I earn NMW.

Summerisdone · 06/02/2017 23:09

Working in the restaurant industry I have to say that he isn't being tight in fairness, many people leave similar or less than what he did. I would call him anal though with the way he made sure it was EXACTLY 10%

GooodMythicalMorning · 06/02/2017 23:19

I don't tip. Unless the service is exceptional.