Tipping is not the done thing.

[Lyndaishistory]

You are not expected to tip in the UK! I'm not sure why some people think otherwise.
I would only tip if service was above and beyond but it is not an expectation and I wouldn't "cave" if it was crap service.

Husband and I had a rubbish meal at a well known resturant chain for our anniversary. I complained at the time but nothing was done about it.
Left husband to pay the bill and he tipped them. Bloody hell, I want my fiver back!
Seriously considering LTB over this.

Having read the entire thread (unfortunately) I can certainly see why some have crappy minimum wage jobs. Don't for a second kid yourselves that it is because there is nothing else. Yeah, I'd say the childish, whiney babies know who they are. "I'm not tipping someone who earns the same as me because IT'S NOT FAIR if they get more than me. Waaaaaaa" Whatevs. And honey/s, you're just not funny either.

Pretty sure also that you can still walk in to waitressing if thats what you want to do. Have seen it with plenty of people I know. Granted, they have experience, but they aren't sitting on their arses whining about how unfair it is and how there are no jobs. Wait staff absolutely deserve more than retail staff for the most part. Clearly evident on this thread.

I tip where there is an expectation to do so and whenever I've received good service. So US, definitely (anyone who doesn't is an embarrassing arse) UK, for the most part. Most other places.. based on service alone. I wouldn't have tipped in the OPs shoes and understand her being pissed off

Always always tip, most servers are raising families or feeding themselves on that money.if the meal was bad it's the chefs fault not your server, don't be mean spirited you won't miss that fiver 🙄

don't be mean spirited you won't miss that fiver
Says who? Presuming you can't see everyone's bank balances and aren't psychic.

Helacells of course you will miss that fiver . We all have family’s to raise and have to feed ourselves . It’s perfectly fine not to tip

I tip, because I know people in the service industry work dam hard for poor wages. I get concerned that some unscrupulous employers use tips as a means to justify poor wages, however.

I tip, because I know people in the service industry work dam hard for poor wages.

A lot of people in the service industry work damn hard for poor wages but wouldn't dream of expecting a tip. Or be allowed to take one.
Why some but not others going by your logic?

I would miss that fiver thanks.

@StopandChat. What can I say, fuck you perhaps?

I and many people work fucking hard for our minimum wage and get looked down as only being minimum wage workers and you know what it's shit. And then we Get mocked and called names because we can't honestly afford to tip or we point out how unfair it's one group of minimum wage workers is expected to get tips while others aren't.

Yes servers work hard, but they don't lift people into bed, directly feed them sometimes, bathe people, deal with people slowly deteriorating and then eventually dying, which carers do.

So yes I will fucking whine, why? Because you all think it's so fucking easy to get a waitressing job with no experience, or you think it's so tight of us not to tip. Well honestly get a grip yourself because you're not funny or cool. While you're their in your ivory tower judging people, we're he ones caring for your family members, stacking the shelves so you can get food, delivering your orders, cleaning hospitals, hospices, offices etc, serving you the fast food etc.

So yes I think it's unfair I'm expected to pay someone on top of their wages, because quite frankly I already get looked down and shit on by most of society and sometimes have to scrape by oh no poor servers must be tipped or they will die.

I wish I could tip servers, but until then I will keep looking after some of the most vulnerable in the country and @sweet will keep stacking your shelves, and save that tip and spend it on my family to make sure they have a good life and achieve more then I did.

Rant over.

Aw bless you Janni you do an amazing job and truly one of the hardest jobs that a person can do both physically and mentally . It’s certainly a job I couldn’t do I have so much respect for you. Don’t let others put you down it only shows their own insecurities. If tipping makes them feel like Billy big Bollocks they lead very sad lives and they are the ones to be pitied.

Thank you @sweet. It isn't the toughest job in the world but it is tough, I couldn't deal with hundreds of members of the public everyday though like you so I applaud you for that.

I think this thread hit a nerve of being looked down on as only a minimum wage worker and being selfish for not tipping. But thanks again for the kind words and have a good night

@Janni Carers are one of the (many) criminally (I think) underpaid vocations. I would (and have done) fully support any attempt to raise wages.

Completely separate to the whiny arsed posts on here though but, honestly, go for your life if it makes you feel better

I tip because servers work damn hard and the public treat them like shit, and they get paid very little.

@StopandChat. Sorry for the outburst and thanks.

Janni of course it’s not selfish to not tip. It’s easy to say it is when you are not counting every penny and a fiver means nothing to you . But no one knows what’s round the corner and when hardship may fall. So people might learn that the hard way like i did . Take care .

Agreed @sweet, you too.

Fuck this thread has gone mental!
I'm intrigued though... A few of you have said you would tip a bar worker. Are you saying that when you order your pint for £5.50 (already internally muttering that surely it used to be about £3.20? [ever noticed that in your head, the price of a drink is always and forever what to was when you first bought it?]), you take a swig and give the barman £5.95? Eh?

I can clear up a question some pps have asked though... The percentage tip is not because lobster is harder to serve than spaghetti. It's because the more people at your table, the more work for your waitress. So it's more of a cover charge, really.

But if there are two of us and we both have lobsters why should we tip more than a couple that has spaghetti dishes?

So, going over this thread, people do serval things around tipping:

Tip regardless of service etc
Tip at their discretion
Don't tip
Only tip in high end/independent restaurants (ie, no tipping mcdonalds/harvester for example)

Tipping at my discretion makes the most sense to me. I would hope that on the odd occasion I get to use my judgement that I am fair and the tip reflects the meal/service.
I think if you are able to afford it (and we shouldn't call people who can't, names. We all deserve a treat eating out now and then) then monetary appreciation of this is a nice gesture but certainly shouldn't be expected by the establishment.

Been out of work for a few years (SAHM looking to get back to work) and tried taking CV's out round all the agencies, and into shops/restaurants etc.
Only to be told to go back home and apply online.

I think this is crap too. I think it shows good character actively going into places and seeking jobs! Also application forms take bloody hours to fill out

I only tip in England if the service has been excellent. If they've just brought menus and taken order. And then just brought food and bill then no tip. If they ask me questions like are you enjoying and I don't have to chase them down for another drink then they get a tip

I think this is crap too. I think it shows good character actively going into places and seeking jobs!

I would actually find it really irritating having people turning up unannounced and expecting a meetings. I'd much rather they went through the actual channels we have to make the recruitment process as smooth as possible.

Also application forms take bloody hours to fill out

Well yes. That's how you prove you really want the job, not by walking in and expecting managers to drop everything. They are shit though.

Agencies, though, should be very happy to make an appointment with you and then discuss your skills, experience and so on.

Fuck that. Hate tipping people for doing their job. And I really hate the false service shit in the states. Had fucking awful service and the waitress had the Gaul to chase after us cause we didn’t leave a tip.

In the US I tip proper service as it’s expected but in the uk it would need to be exceptional for me to tip.

It’s not my role to top up their wages. It’s the companies job to pay them correctly.

I tip at my discretion, and so does everyone else I know.

I tip in restaurants (although not if the service was bad) but tipping taxi drivers and delivery drivers etc is something I've only ever heard of on mumsnet. I've never seen anyone do it and when I tried it myself (thinking I was out of step with everyone else) they just looked at me like and said I'd given them too much. So it's clearly not expected where I live. My hairdresser refuses to accept tips too.

I can clear up a question some pps have asked though... The percentage tip is not because lobster is harder to serve than spaghetti. It's because the more people at your table, the more work for your waitress. So it's more of a cover charge, really.

I don’t understand. Why is it more work? Sure. If the waitress’s job description is to come into work and serve one table then go home, then 6 people takes longer than 2. But her shift is the same length no matter how many people at each table. When she’s finished with the table of 2 she moves onto another table.

I've always tipped in restaurants, though not a specific amount, usually just rounding up to the nearest fiver or tenner.
However , I asked this on another thread, but no one could actually give a specific answer. What is it that waiting staff do that they feel entitles them to have their wages topped up by the customer, that is over and above the job that they're actually being paid to do?