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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Friends didn't "tip"....bit tight?

592 replies

tvsavec · 18/07/2022 15:39

Me and three friends went to a little family run Greek restaurant.
The bill came to around £80 for four of us.
At the end of the meal
Friend 1 put £2 on the table and I also put £2
Friend 3 said "is that for a tip"
We said yeah.....she shouts for the waiter and hands him the £4 and says thanks
They didn't bother to put a couple of pound in each

Aibu to think it's a bit tight?

OP posts:
alphapie · 18/07/2022 15:40

As long as they paid their share of the bill YABU

Some people don't tip, maybe she didn't enjoy her meal or service as much as you both did.

Blowyourowntrumpet · 18/07/2022 15:41

Yes, that's really tight.

Original poster
tvsavec · 18/07/2022 15:41

The service was great and they didn't leave a scrap ...so assuming they did

OP posts:
bloodywhitecat · 18/07/2022 15:42

Was there a service charge on the bill?

Original poster
tvsavec · 18/07/2022 15:43

No there was no service charge

OP posts:
BarbaraofSeville · 18/07/2022 15:46

No its not tight, tipping makes no sense and we need to stop judging people for not tipping a small subset of service workers.

No-one tips retail workers, fast food counter staff, cleaners or care workers. So why is considered 'tight' to not give extra money to waiting staff in restaurants who get paid a similar amount for doing similar work?

Hoardasurass · 18/07/2022 15:57

I don't tip because (unless the law has changed) restaurants can and do class tips as part of the staff wages and/take a cut which to me is wrong.
By classing tips as wages restaurants can basically pay below minimum wage as if you work 10 hours at nmw you should get about £90 before tax national insurance etc and if your share of the tips is £10 instead of the restaurant paying you £90 + £10 tips so £100 they can legally only give you the £90.
This has been common practice in the restaurant industry for decades and includes the added service charge and is why I won't tip

Pippa12 · 18/07/2022 16:03

My husband manages restaurants, all staff keep 100% of their tips, even the kitchen receive a fair share.

I worked I. Restaurants when I was younger, also kept 100% of my tips.

Its a misconception that they majority of staff get their tips taken from them.

The only deduction is the tax the staff pay.

BiddyPop · 18/07/2022 16:05

If there was no service charge, that's one thing.

It is also completely discretionary if you want to tip in general (I know there is a lot more of an expectation these days, and a requirement in the US as they are so underpaid - I am talking in generalities).

But, the CF part of it for me is that 2 people put forward 10% of their bill (assuming the £80 was evenly divided amongst the 4 of you). But one of the 2 who did NOT put any money towards a tip was the person who called over the waiter and magnanimously gave him YOUR and F1's contributions on behalf of the group.

So CF Friend managed to both take the credit for the fact you and F1 had given a tip (by presenting it on behalf of the group of 4) despite having no input to it, while at the same time being insulting by only leaving a 5% tip to the waiter when you say the food and service were good (and the norm is then 10%), so making the whole group look less generous.

Meraas · 18/07/2022 16:06

Yep, it’s tight. Twats.

GonnaGetGoingReturns · 18/07/2022 16:07

Entirely up to your friends if they wished to tip or not.

If there's no service charge added I usually round up to whatever figure there is but rarely carry cash so can't leave a cash tip.

Harridance · 18/07/2022 16:07

If service was great, 10% is quite a low tip in the first place, but yes your friends are well tight

BabeB · 18/07/2022 16:09

No, it's not tight.

Also, I'm not tipping unless I get excellent service.

Although some restaurants have weird/exploitative policies so I usually just don't.

HollowTalk · 18/07/2022 16:09

I think it's unfair that the kitchen workers and the others don't get a share in tips. I would always leave a tip.

19lottie82 · 18/07/2022 16:09

People who don’t tip are crap in bed.

Harridance · 18/07/2022 16:10

19lottie, haha yes!

19lottie82 · 18/07/2022 16:11

I think it's unfair that the kitchen workers
and the others don't get a share in tips

When I worked in pubs and restaurants the kitchen staff didn’t get tips but they earned a good bit more than the servers who were on minimum wage.

cstaff · 18/07/2022 16:11

That would bother me as well OP. Especially as there was no service charge added to the bill and the way that one of them handed it to the waiter trying to take credit for it - CF.

KatherineJaneway · 18/07/2022 16:14

Yes, very tight. It would make me think less of them.

00100001 · 18/07/2022 16:14

Nah, I don't tip, unless I've been a particularly "difficult" customer.

They get paid a wage. The price of the meal includes service. Why else am I paying £18 for a pizza (or whatever)

Not my problem to make sure they get more than their wages.

OhmygodDont · 18/07/2022 16:14

In the U.K. they get minimum wage. No need at all to tip for good service that is to be expected. You need to be above and better to get a tip.

Strugglingtodomybest · 18/07/2022 16:15

Yep, tight!

Harridance · 18/07/2022 16:17

I wouldn't go on a 2nd date with a man who didn't tip, very unattractive quality in anyone

whereamu · 18/07/2022 16:20

I often tip because I'm embarrassed not to.
It's a nice thing to do but I don't really agree with it.
Lots of U.K. workers get minimum wage yet why do we tip waiters but not other workers?
What is the justification for minimum wage workers in other jobs tipping waiter staff so they will get paid more than the person tipping?!

Jalepenojello · 18/07/2022 16:21

There is no logic to tipping in England, I find it bizarre.