To ask do you include tips in work expense claims?

[Hermano]

A bit more complex situation than might seem at first...

A work trip to the US

All meals, drinks etc have a very strong obligation to tip at least 20%. The place I was staying there weren't many options and most cafés, restaurants were pretty pricey, so 20% more on top is quite a lot, especially with the pound so weak. Eg a sandwich and a can of drink $18, a pasta lunch with drink $40, a steak with glass of wine and sharing a pudding $80 each

So my total food bill for a trip of a few days is about $500, so an extra $100 in tips

Add onto this that certain elements of the trip count as a prize with all meals included. Therefore is the tip a bit more optional and so shouldn't be claimed?

I think I'm going to claim the lot but just wondered if anyone has much experience of this and has been told my their finance people that tips definitely do /don't get included.

Yep. It's a standard option in our expense system. We're allowed to do it for all tips (including housekeeping in hotels).

Yes

Yes

I include them

Yep

Yes

Wow that’s very expensive even by US standards. Where did you go?

I don’t know anywhere that doesn’t allow you to expense the tip - I know in the uk we think of them as optional but like you say, in the US they’re really not.

No, expenses are to cover your living costs whilst away. Tips are not obligatory, although there are some places where they are mandatory, in which case they are just part of the bill.

Also a standard option in our expense system (Canadian company).

We expense them. Not really optional (often) and they are an expense incurred on business.

Yes of course - you wouldn't have incurred the expense if you were not travelling for work.

Yes here too - and not just for the US. We expense all tips.

Thanks all, good to know I'm not way off in my assumption!
I was in and near LA. We didn't do macdonalds for lunch but didn't go crazy going to celeb haunts and ordering $200 bottles of wine! I was really surprised how expensive it all was tbh.

If I'd been self funding I'd have done more mcd / subway type options rather than sushi cafe, but even in sushi place I didn't chose lobster or a huge platter. Sushi was $29 for a nice but fairly basic bento box, plus $6 for a ginger beer soft drink, and this was in a shopping centre! Not a Beverly hills nobu type place at all.

Very glad it wasn't my money!

Petrol was cheap though...

Yes always.

Yes, I do. Your expenses policy should state what an acceptable % is that will be approved.

@hermano: I had similar in LA. We weren't even in "fancy" or good restaurants but regular places/cafes. Sandwiches /lunch was often $30-40 each.

My employer's expenses policy allows for tips. What matters though is what your policy states. "but MumsNet said...." is not likely to be a successful defense for anyone found to be in breach of policy at work.

Wow, I’m very surprised you couldn’t find cheaper. I’ve eaten in and around LA many times and never spent anything like that. Even at “celeb” restaurants like the Stinking Rose and Paradise Beach in Malibu it really isn’t that much.

Why should the OP be obligated to find the cheapest possible meal? She's losing her personal time by being away and presumably not getting paid for the hours she is away.

A decent dinner is the least employers can do to recompense.

My work doesn't require travelling anymore but when it did I claimed all tips. DP travels frequently to the states and he always claims all tips too.

I wouldn't be able to claim for tips, they're specifically excluded in our expenses system (public sector).

For foreign trips we use foreign office recommended rates but I doubt they'd cover the costs stated by the OP.

We'd just be expected to suck it up or find somewhere cheaper (McDonald's etc, which is ironic as the role of my organisation includes healthy eating and combating obesity).

When you are spending someone else's money you should be aware of the boundaries.

Look at your company policy for guidelines on tips, daily limits on substance reimbursement etc.

We have a daily substance limit, rules on alcohol claims, tips, and if eating with other company employees who should claim (usually most senior, but can vary) etc

Yep. As you said, it's not really optional in the US, the expectation of 20% tip is built into the price of the meal and the wage of the workers.

(I'd really prefer it if they paid properly and charged a bit more so it was more transparent)

we have a mix - small stuff is covered by our daily sllowance for foreign travel. But US etc, we claim because it sums up. we need to have proof though,