Posh hotel/meal tipping etiquette help

[poshmealetiquette]

I have named changed for this as have told half the world that we are going to this thing and don't want it associated with my other posts. also posted this elsewhere but got no responses.

Over lockdown my Dad single handedly tried to keep the entertainment and hospitality industry going and bought £££ worth of deals and vouchers.

Sadly he died and my Mum shared out some of these vouchers. We have one that we're using next week in a posh hotel in Mayfair. The voucher covers room, evening meal, free bottle of fizz, 7 course Michelin starred taster menu with additional complementary cheese course, and breakfast the following morning - so, other than maybe a drink at the bar we wont be spending money other than what is covered by the voucher.

My husband is in a wheelchair and doesn't drink. So I can imagine we will arrive - the hotel will be helpful as DH is disabled etc - but when or how do we tip?

I am used to adding a bit on a bill, leaving a tip on a table or in a hotel room in spain for the cleaners etc.

I don't know how much or how to tip people who may carry bags, show us the our room or how to tip when we won't be paying a bill.

How do we do it? How much to who and how? Help - I am getting disproportionately anxious about it.

Do I give a £1 or £5 as smallest note? do I just pay a bit when we check out? really dont know what to do

Tip 15% of whatever the meal would have cost if you’d paid plus your drink bill. You will surely need to buy drinks even if just bottled water?

I’d leave 10% and just guesstimate how much it’d be. Then don’t worry about it anymore.

I wouldn’t tip bag carriers. But if you feel you should; then maybe a fiver.

I live in London and I have to say if you get a black cab and the fare for example comes to £9.10 then I would just give £10 but it’s different if the fare is £6.60 and I give £10, then I would say give me £3 back so I’m only giving 40 pence tip. Every situation is different in my opinion.

I have stayed in hotels in the uk and ordered room service and it’s been delivered by a fairly young girl or boy and I have always given at least £2 tip as I always think that could be my daughter in a few years time working at weekends or in the holidays or even full time.

If I can afford to stay in the hotel and order room service then I’m happy to give a tip.

My daughter as a student was a waitress in a very smart hotel. Rarely received tips. Other dc currently working in well known restaurant; started a month or two ago. Tips pretty much non-existent. People know staff receive minimum wage so tipping definitely not expected.

@poshmealetiquette

thank you - I struggle with knowing when to tip or not. In my world you tip good waiting staff and maybe round up a cab fare. I've seen too much TV and thought that everyone would be expecting a tip.

the meal would be over £100 each before drinks (if we buy any) so (assuming service is good) leaving £30 on the table would be appropriate?

That would be perfect - 15%. Slide it up a little if you have drinks.

Bags I always feel odd about and consequently tend to decline help. If you do need help I think having a fiver in your hand is good. FWIW the concierge team in hotels are always the most loaded. When I used to work in a hotel and was collecting for birthdays/leaving cards/whatever I used to try and hit them on both shifts because they'd give loads

@Goodbyecustardtart

My daughter as a student was a waitress in a very smart hotel. Rarely received tips. Other dc currently working in well known restaurant; started a month or two ago. Tips pretty much non-existent. People know staff receive minimum wage so tipping definitely not expected.

Yes you don’t have to tip but a lot of people do. As I said it’s up to the person.

I tip my hairdresser and always have and the person who washes my hair as they are usually in training and a junior.
The same with the takeaway delivery driver.

[quote DrWhoNowww]@Luredbyapomegranate but those crappy wages are shared by millions of people who don’t work in service industries so there’s obviously no assumption their wages should be topped up by tips.

OP tip what you want to, when you want to, if you feel the service is good. Don’t be pressured into it by what you’ve seen on TV or because you feel like you have to make up the wages of the people who have served you.

The more the expectation is placed on the consumer to top up shitty wages the worse off hospitality staff will be.[/quote]
Crappy wages are a universal problem yes, and yes I agree minimum wages should be increased so we could become a non tipping culture.

HOWEVER at present, we are where we are, so the idea that service industry staff would rather you didn’t tip is bullshit, they live on them, and no - not tipping as individual won’t change the system, only legislation will do that.

I've never tipped hotel staff in the UK and I've stayed in all sorts of hotels. I'd tip for the meal, £20-30 if you get good service but if you don't then do not leave a tip.

Enjoy your trip and try not to worry about it.

We tip when abroad because we know the staff aren't paid as much as in the UK and we always get better service abroad.

I've never tipped in hotels and the majority of expensive restaurants already add 12.5% service charge to the bill so it's not necessary.

Over lockdown my Dad single handedly tried to keep the entertainment and hospitality industry going and bought £££ worth of deals and vouchers.

Aw, that made me smile - I'm sorry your Dad died.

I just wanted to say how glad I am that you're using the vouchers... Wowchers, Red Letter days, store vouchers etc., are big money-makers because many go unused!

I would give £5 to whoever carries your bags, £10 for meal and £5 for the maid, but then I'm stingy.

Your late father sounds like an absolutely lovely man. How wonderful that he was trying to keep hospitality going. I'm so sorry for your loss.

Also I should probably say that no-one is going to be upset if you give them money in the wrong way. Tipping is lovely and not everyone does it, so however you offer someone a tip, they'll be pleased, not irritated!

I would probably just give my waiter £20 at the end of dinner with a big thank you, and leave £20 in the room for housekeeping,