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.

Amen to that Ahardman!

Not surprisingly it tends to be those who cause the most trouble who leave the smallest (or no) tips.

Lynddor, and tipping just perpetuates that. Instead of making the food industry better in terms of staff welfare, the customers are expected to pay to 'mop up' somehow with money. Does that make sense to you?

I read Ahardman's post and wondered just how much tip-money would make that sort of behaviour ok? It wouldn't for me.

Until tips stop and standards of behaviour are controlled then there will never be an improvement.

Salaries in the UK are NMW at least. That's a given. If there wasn't the rowdy and piggish customer behaviour - and that be allowed by management - then waiting staff's jobs would be easier and more enjoyable.

@lyingwitchandthewardrobe customers such as yourself are the ones we appreciate the most. I'd take a customer bringing their empties back to the bar on a busy night when they come to order over a tip any day!
Fortunately I work in a quirky, unique place now which is a lot easier, I make very good tips because I can provide exceptional service. The vast majority of pubs/restaurants are chronically understaffed (nlw is a great idea for workers but has resulted in cutting staffing to keep the wage bill down).
My dh works in bar/restaurant in a dual roll, so he works 8-6 on the bar then switches 7-11 chef (or vice versa with longer hours) because his role is "senior" his tips go to his team, or if there's a til down his tips go to make it right rather than take it out of the staffs tips/wages.
Last weekend DH was given £10 from a large table. He felt awful accepting it because he hadn't given service that was exceptional. What he had done was break up a fight between two entitled nit wits, getting a rather fetching black eye, escorting them out. He went to every table to apologise immediately, every child was offered complimentary ice cream (paid out of his tips pool), and straight back work.

Does tipping happen in Japan and Australia???

Never been, but have read that trying to tip in Japan would be seen as very insulting.
Not the done thing at all and likely to cause offence.

Ahardmanisgoodtofind

I've never suggested that customer facing jobs aren't hard. I've had several and can sympathise with some of the challenges you have faced.

Odd thread - if you eat out you tip, never experienced any different in my 40 odd years on this planet - odd digression into care homes (?!) how is that similar? Never had a dining companion in a work or social situation who hasn't tipped.

ever noticed that in your head, the price of a drink is always and forever what to was when you first bought it?

Spare a thought ... it's even worse for us old gimmers!!

Not too sure about your analogy with a "cover charge", though. This is exactly the issue you get on cruise ships, where tip / service charge / gratuity get used interchangeably (sometimes even in the same piece), according to how much of the staff wages they think they can get the guests to pay

As with the sob stories some get from their steward, I'm told this works best with kind hearted Americans who, sometimes being less cynical than we Brits, tend to take more of what they're told on trust

Does tipping happen in Japan and Australia???

I believe the Japanese do indeed consider it insulting (though no doubt some manage to cope with the offence!!) and that in Australia, on the whole, they just refuse to do it

Using the cruise example again, most lines don't add tips any more because of the resistance; instead they simply add the sum to their headline prices and have done with it

People in Australia refuse to tip? Really? Sounds odd every Australian I've met did

I don't suppose it's all of them KERALA, just as I'm sure not every Japanese would refuse a tip, but certainly the cruise lines' attitude around "they refuse so we just add it to the price" is accurate (I had it from one of the marketing directors at Princess/Carnival)

I guess it's possible it's just ships they resist tipping on, but somehow that seems unlikely ...

My Australian family were here for a few weeks not long ago and tipped everyone massively. They save up all year to travel Europe seeing friends and family so it’s not like they can particularly afford it either

KERALA1 it’s quite a simple concept to understand actually - some people have queried why it is logical (rather than traditional) to tip one sector of minimum wage workers but not another (eg care home workers). There have been a lot of insults flung about on this thread but unless I have missed it nobody has actually come up with a rationale for this (there was some mumbo-jumbo upthread about other service workers’ wages being built into the cost of the service, but then that is the same for the hospitality industry as well).

The working world is populated by those who go the extra mile and those who don’t. I’m not sure that this mindset is in any way related to tipping.

I think the out dated tradition was years ago was waiting staff were often tipped as they worked really unsocialable hours. But in today’s day and age when shops are open to midnight and Sunday is just a normal trading day with normal pay where I live. It’s just outdated .

Totally different on a cruise on our last one a few years so the cabin steward told us that it makes up their wages . They often work 5 or 6 months without a day off. Many having young children . Maybe I just feel for the sob stories but it broke my heart. No way would I take their tips off.

Kerala it certainly is true of Australians when crusie ships leave from Australia . I know P &O had to add in the cost of the gratuities to the price of the cruise from ships leaving from there as the staff were getting upset when most people removed them. Where as more cruise lines leaving from the UK like royal Caribbean, P&O and MSC add a daily charge to your onboard account that can be reomoved but vast majority of people do leave it on .

@ForTheGram

So I take it you tip your bin men/woman, parcel delivery people, checkout staff, grasscuttets etc as they are all low paid jobs????? Dickhead

I have a question that has been puzzling me over this thread and the other about tipping in the USA: when people say they only tip for service that goes "above and beyond" what does that mean exactly?

For me the server is expected to be pleasant in manner, explain anything I don't understand in the menu, suggest specials or wine accompaniments, take my order, bring my order, swing by every so often to check everything's ok, bring extra drinks or condiments if requested, bring the bill. Try not to pour gravy into my lap. That's pretty standard service everywhere I go in the USA and I tip as a matter of course. In some places in the UK it would be just not scowling and heaving and sighing if I ask for a clean fork! I can't think of anything I'd require "above and beyond" this.

So what's this "above and beyond" that would make you inclined to prise open your wallet and leave a tip or a bigger tip? Tuck your napkin in? Cut your meat up? Bow and kiss your hand? I don't get it.

Some things should change and not be tipped, eg hairdresser. Restaurants I always tip. anyone who can get away without tipping in America I would be very surprised, they make it very clear and expect 20%

We tip in the UK routinely since the service is generally good - polite, punctual etc. We usually tip around 10% but more if the waiter / waitress has been super nice. We wouldn't tip if the service was poor (have rarely had a problem). Waiters are not well paid and I would feel mean and churlish not tipping. I think we are probably more generous than most judging from the waiters / waitresses reactions. When I go out with friends I notice that some of them don't tip and I generally end up leaving more to compensate for their parsimony.
I also tip taxi drivers, hairdressers and the Dominos delivery guy

Must admit I struggle in the US and Canada where 15% is expected as the minimum. We do it though as that is the convention there (just come back from a holiday in Quebec and the bank balance took quite a hit)

I never tip!

No one tips at me work for helping them out.

I also hate how a lot of bars and restaurants put all the tips in one jar and split it. You too based on your service from that person serving you, why should I tip them all!

@MsChanandlerBoing tip for delivery?! No! Not when I've had to pay a delivery charge (and that includes takeaway delivery)

@mrsfezziwig when I worked as a carer, and where my DM works as a carer they are not allowed to accept cash tips or gifts, in the same way nurses aren't allowed. I might be wrong, but my DM told me it's included in the care standards she has to abide by. DM worked in the community and and now in a home and in both instances gifts had to be reported to a manager, a box of chocolates may be approved but a gift voucher had to be returned and the manager would speak with the client/family and politely explain why. Although she does get a bonus at Christmas and birthday. Where I live there's a huge number of care companies and homes and all pay above nlw, and all pay higher night/weekend/bank holiday rates, which hospitality workers don't get (except Christmas day) although I accept that it may not be the case nationally, only what I've experienced (London & Wales)

On tipping for delivery - one of the Dominos delivery drivers whom I recognise (we have Dominos way to often ) told me he had handed in his notice because he can't afford the wear and tear on his car. I asked him if he gets paid for delivery and he said yes but its a (very small) flat rate irrespective of whether he is delivering across the road or 2 miles away.

the cabin steward told us that it makes up their wages . They often work 5 or 6 months without a day off. Many having young children . Maybe I just feel for the sob stories but it broke my heart

There's absolutely nothing wrong with being kind, but yes - you fell for the sob story

At least on Carnival/RCI owned lines they get a basic wage sufficient to attract plenty of staff, which is then topped up with tips (although to be fair the tips they expect to get will certainly attract them too)

They also get rostered days off. Some to do another member's work on them for extra pay, but that's their choice of course

At least the bit about the families they've left behind at home, and won't see for months, will probably be true though ...

Don’t most of us think we “work our arses off” though?. Most of us think we “go above and beyond”. Many of us work unsociable, long hours either serving or making money for others.

The idea that putting food in front of you is somehow deserving of special praise is bizarre. Doing it with a smile and the odd “is everything ok?” is really a pretty basic level of service. I eat out a fair bit. Can’t think of a time a waiter or waitress has done something beyond politely take my order and bring the items on it to my table.

2up exaclty those saying working waiting tables is harder than retail etc . Just isn’t true ( obviously haven’t woke up at 2am to work a Next sale on Boxing Day) 😂