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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think Pizza Express should keep their grubby hands off staff's tips

69 replies

Needanedittbuton · 30/05/2021 08:34

According to The Observer Pizza Express got rid of 2,500 staff rather than put them on the Employee Retention Scheme. Now they are going to divert a large percentage of tips paid by card to the kitchen staff.

This is going to have a huge impact on the take home pay of their minimum wage waiting staff.

If you are going to tip - do so in cash!

OP posts:
shouldistop · 30/05/2021 10:01

I worked as a kitchen Porter in a cafe as a teenager for a few quid an hour, I was really grateful that all tips were put into a jar and shared out equally.

JellyTumble · 30/05/2021 10:03

@Needanedittbuton

It's not about where you work or worked. It's about PE changing the existing rules about how waiting staff are paid. They are going to lose quite a lot if money. That's not acceptable and it's a shame that so many of you think it's ok to shaft staff in this way.
Incorrect. Pizza Express staff wages are not changing.

They aren’t entitled to tips and they shouldn’t be relying on them.

anothernewtop · 30/05/2021 10:10

It's about PE changing the existing rules about how waiting staff are paid.

This is not happening. They will be paid the same hourly rate as always.

Original poster
Needanedittbuton · 30/05/2021 10:12

the greedy waiting staff were allowed to keep the whole lot

Greedy? Ha! You take a NMW job where you know you are allowed to keep any tips you make to supplement your low (sometimes erratic pay) and you're called greedy when a part of your income is taken away!

Cooking food perfectly takes skill

No disrespect to PE kitchen staff but they assemble pizzas or reheat food that was prepared off site (to my knowledge). It requires no more skill than waiting on busy tables.

OP posts:
ToWhere · 30/05/2021 10:13

How will boycotting PE help the nmw staff working there if there are no customers?

Peppapeg · 30/05/2021 10:16

I usually tip because the food is good, I hope it is shared.

cupsofcoffee · 30/05/2021 10:17

No disrespect to PE kitchen staff but they assemble pizzas or reheat food that was prepared off site (to my knowledge). It requires no more skill than waiting on busy tables.

So why should wait staff be entitled to tips if the kitchen staff aren't?

The wait staff couldn't do their job without the kitchen staff. It's only right that tips are split between everyone.

Original poster
Needanedittbuton · 30/05/2021 10:17

Who said anything about boycotting?

We used to go there a lot when DD was younger - delicious pizzas and friendly staff. Don't go there any more because IMHO the food quality has deteriorated and can get better elsewhere.

OP posts:
Original poster
Needanedittbuton · 30/05/2021 10:19

For the last time ... it's about a change in their terms and conditions. They used to keep their tips now they're being told they can't.

OP posts:
anothernewtop · 30/05/2021 10:20

@Needanedittbuton

For the last time ... it's about a change in their terms and conditions. They used to keep their tips now they're being told they can't.

Is it?

SchrodingersImmigrant · 30/05/2021 10:22

Change in terms happens. I am surprised the tips weren't shared before

Peppapeg · 30/05/2021 10:23

@Needanedittbuton

For the last time ... it's about a change in their terms and conditions. They used to keep their tips now they're being told they can't.
It looks like the tips paid via card are subject to being shared, whereas those paid in cash aren't, and less people are now paying by cash. I guess they could encourage people to pay by cash?
Peppapeg · 30/05/2021 10:24

@Needanedittbuton

For the last time ... it's about a change in their terms and conditions. They used to keep their tips now they're being told they can't.
Reading it seems to be the opposite, they want a change to how card tips are shared out as more people now pay by card?
Sillyduckseverywhere · 30/05/2021 10:24

I hate tipping culture.
We have minimum wage now

cupsofcoffee · 30/05/2021 10:29

@Needanedittbuton

For the last time ... it's about a change in their terms and conditions. They used to keep their tips now they're being told they can't.
Is it in their contracts that it says they're entitled to keep 100% of their tips? I doubt it.

Tips are discretionary - nobody is entitled to receive tips.

NameyNameyNameChangey · 30/05/2021 10:51

Normal from my experience.
When I waitressed in the early 00's, all cash tips went in a jar and were shared between kitchen and waitressing staff at the end of shift. (if there was odd change after that, it rolled over to the next day)
Still got a decent amount.

L0bstersLass · 30/05/2021 10:55

@YellowFish12

Totally normal. Usually called a tronc system.
This.
Youdoyoutoday · 30/05/2021 10:56

Your title suggested that PE were taking the tips! I don't think it's unreasonable to share tips with other members of staff on the same shift, people always forget about the kitchen staff.

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 30/05/2021 11:07

@Queenoftheashes

Or they could stop relying on donations to pay their staff a decent wage in general and just charge enough to be able to do this?
I agree, pay the staff a decent wage and incorporate that additional cost in the selling prices.

I think they have done something like this in France where there is a 15% service charge and staff get a fixed, presumably fair, wage.

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