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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that you should not tip the waiter in small change?

29 replies

AdmiralButterfly · 19/02/2020 15:27

I was taken for lunch and the person paying emptied their coin purse onto a plate as the tip - the amount was fine, probably about a tenner in loose change for a £70 meal, but I thought it was a bit crap for the waitress to have to carry loads of 10p and 20p pieces (and some pound coins) around in their bum bag for the rest of their shift. I did raise an eyebrow and they (the person paying) said they thought it was fine as long as the amount was ok.

OP posts:
Danni91 · 19/02/2020 15:29

It's a fairly generous tip, I'm not sure they will mind tbh.
They probably get most tips in £1 coins and such I assume.

ilovedjerrymore · 19/02/2020 15:29

Still a tip and better then nothing! Waitress most probably changed it up in the till when putting your payment through to get rid of the change.

heartsonacake · 19/02/2020 15:32

I don’t think they should be tipping the waiter in the first place.

EmmaC78 · 19/02/2020 15:33

I leave change all the time ifit is all i have left. Don't see the issue as long as a reasonable tip is left.

Biancadelrioisback · 19/02/2020 15:33

Tbh, most waitresses do not mind (in my experience as a waitress then a restaurant manager, then an events manager for over 10 years).
It's often easier to split tips if you have change

PooWillyBumBum · 19/02/2020 15:33

Not if they can help it but I’m sure they prefer loose change to nothing at all. In many places it has to be pooled and split anyway so not the individuals problem to deal with.

mauvaisereputation · 19/02/2020 15:36

Agree it's better not to, but I rarely get cash out these days, so when I need to leave a tip I am left fishing around at the bottom of my bag. Ultimately it is the amount that matters. Waiters are going to be left with lots of coins as tips whatever happens, I don't think a few extra 10ps makes a difference in the grand scheme. For a meal of that amount though I would usually just leave it on the card.

Mintjulia · 19/02/2020 15:36

They gave a 14% tip and you think that’s unreasonable Confused

Yabu. Lots of businesses like change as it saves them having to get it from the bank.

Notanotherflightdelay · 19/02/2020 15:40

With a UK minimum wage now in place (and has been for a number of years) I think we need to adopt the tip a few coins culture of Europe rather than the tip a fixed % culture of the USA (where hourly rates are low and tips are integral)

DeepfriedPizza · 19/02/2020 16:02

I don't carry a lot of cash so I usually pay by card. I like to leave a tip with cash so I know the server gets it. I sometimes forget to get change so make up the shortfall with loose change. It can't be helped sometimes if you don't have bigger coins/notes

ActualHornist · 19/02/2020 16:06

Possibly one of the most ridiculous things I've read on here.

YABU.

Mammyloveswine · 19/02/2020 16:23

I also don't think they needed to tip! It's outdated if I'm being honest!

I've also been a waitress and never benefitted from tips...xx

ShirleyPhallus · 19/02/2020 16:25

You were taken for lunch, as in someone else paid for it, and you made it known to them that you thought their method of tipping was inappropriate?

How rude are you!

Mammyloveswine · 19/02/2020 16:30

Eeeh @ShirleyPhallus I just realised that!

Omg cheeky sod Op! Maybe YOU could've left a tip given you had a free expensive lunch!

Biancadelrioisback · 19/02/2020 16:37

@MammyLovesWine did your employer's not split the tips with the waiting staff on the day? It's becoming rarer I think for companies to take tips from waiting staff so most waiting staff do benefit from tips, even if it just pays for their bus to and from work!

JRUIN · 19/02/2020 16:37

Wow there are CFS and then there's you OP! Hmm

PrincessHoneysuckle · 19/02/2020 16:38

It all spends doesnt it? Weird thing to pearl clutch about

doyoueverfeellikea · 19/02/2020 16:40

As long as it's cash it doesn't matter, I always found if it's via card we never get it Confused

iolaus · 19/02/2020 16:54

I have to say my daughter seems to like it when she gets tips in cash - it means she's always got some money in her purse because she never gets it out of the bank

Thats then money if she wants to buy snacks/drinks etc

Cannyhandleit · 19/02/2020 16:58

I worked in hospitality for years as a waitress and in management and I can assure you we don't care if the tip is in small change! We always changed it up and swapped it for notes out of the till which was actually great because it meant I didn't have to get small change from the bank! It really is not an issue!

LoonyLunaLoo · 19/02/2020 17:03

A £10 tip when the waitress is earning at least minimum wage?? If it’s a big problem for the waitress I’m sure the restaurant would swap it for a note so they have more change themselves. I feel like you’re just looking for something to judge there, which is a bit of a dick move when you’ve just had lunch bought for you by that person!

june2007 · 19/02/2020 17:16

In uk I don,t tip ubless everything is exceptional which it normally isn.t so if someone chooses to tip how and what they give is up to them.

Blackandgreenteas · 19/02/2020 17:18

I think this is Ok. I think 2p and 1p coins in the tip is a bit offensive though!

isseywith4vampirecats · 19/02/2020 17:23

when I waitressed in blackpool didn't care what change the tips were in we used to change it into notes ate the end of the day and the boss didn't have to make so many trips to the bank for change the next day

NorthernSpirit · 19/02/2020 17:27

As most tips are added onto the bill & people pay with credit cards (and a % can go to the owner) - I’m sure they were glad of a cash tip.