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

[tvsavec]

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?

Totally agree. Some people I know automatically leave tips, no matter how bad the service. Madness.

I agree that not tipping is tight, I find it embarrassing going out for dinner with people who don't tip.

I agree with you here, I can’t really justify it beyond feeling that it’s tight. I can only guess that means it’s been drilled into me that it’s important. I do still feel it’s important, but the logic is just that it feels right not to tip, and you’re supporting a business and saying you appreciated the service and the general vibe. I also always tip my hairdresser if that’s of any consequence, and my boyfriend was baffled by this, so I think that might be even more uncommon.

I wouldn’t agree about “staying at home rather than eating out and not tipping” because, like you say, that hardly helps businesses. But, when I’ve been hard up, I don’t eat out because I’d be embarrassed and think it rude not to tip.

Also despite everything I’ve said - I have tipped, for great service. I’m not against people showing their appreciation. In the same way people give their cleaners, nannies etc gifts at Christmas.

I draw the line at it being expected, unless the service is truly terrible. That’s when it stops being a nice gesture and becomes an additional cost. Borne by the customer instead of the business who should be paying their staff more.

I tip because I’ve been there.

wait staff etc tend to be part time students or similar. The extra few quid is appreciated when you’re balance student loans, study, and any sort of social life 😀.

i recently went out as part of a big group. The organiser woman never tips, so I always make sure I have cash. The bill was nearly £300 for a dozen of us, and there was only one young girl working FOH. So I gave her £20 as we left.

yes it’s not obligatory, but young kids working I always do.

Yes, she’s tight but I also think you putting in £2 was a bit tight.

I’d far rather waiters were paid better and prices went up to reflect that, so what you pay for your meal actually covers the service properly and there is no question of a tip- not a service charge but service compris. But at the moment we don’t have that system unfortunately.

It is massively tight and one of my biggest put offs in people.
If you can afford to eat out, you can afford to leave a tip.

when I’ve been hard up, I don’t eat out because I’d be embarrassed and think it rude not to tip

That is such a shame, truly, that you deny yourself something nice just because you don't want to be judged. Businesses are losing money because people feel awkward about tipping?!

In my experience servers absolutely don't judge people who don't tip (unless they're horrible), but are really happy either way to see people who are respectful, polite, happy to be out, enjoying food and enjoying an evening that they had looked forward to / saved up for.

People giving tips to knock up wages is as bad as the government doling out benefits because large companies don't pay people enough

Eh? It’s included in the price of the food. It’s not the U.S. we have a minimum wage.

Also If this logic was true then people wouldn’t tip at high-end restaurants with experienced waitstaff, who are likely to be paid more.

Instead they’re MORE likely, because it’s part of the ‘vibe’.

One thing I observed - anecdotally of course . a lot of my friends (and even DP) are very fastidious about tips, shame me. But they never tip in Asian takeaway/restaurants. The type that’s not jazzed up, plain but serves great food. DP called one a ‘dive’.However service isn’t less than that of a chain restaurant…they just don’t think it’s fancy enough for a tip. Why?
so strange

Ridiculous behaviour on her part.

Tip.

But they never tip in Asian takeaway/restaurants. The type that’s not jazzed up, plain but serves great food

Agree. Almost as if it's about this mystical done thing and keeping up with the Joneses, rather than realising that the whole concept is ridiculous, in the UK.

"But it's what we DO! It's the CUSTOM! If I don't, people will think I'm most ungiving in the BEDROOM, and an all-round UNSAVOURY CHARACTER"

I don’t tip when the service has been poor but I tip well when the service has been good and even better when it’s been great.

Im pretty sure BitoutofPractice is the same.

Sure, but wages are still lower than they would be without tips. I don’t see waiting as a minimum wage job. In France, say, being a waiter is seen as a skilled job and paid accordingly 🤷‍♀️

Tight arse

Well, it’s engrained enough that I would judge myself. As a waitress I generally didn’t mind, same as you. I do think that it’s tight to habitually not tip, and it definitely turned me off people before. But it is interesting to hear I may not be in the majority here.

But they never tip in Asian takeaway/restaurants. The type that’s not jazzed up, plain but serves great food

Dont be ridiculous.

What an utterly odd thing to write. Utterly.

look why are you so very upset about this, you don’t tip you feel this is right. Many disagree and think you are tight, personally I happily pay 11 pounds for a ten pound meal or 22 for a 20 quid meal. You don’t. That’s fine. No need to be upset about it, it’s not mandatory and no one will ever for you to hand over that pound or two.

I wouldn't think of my friends as being tight, no... there is no tipping culture in the UK.

Funnily enough, just as you think your friends are a bit tight, there are some who would call your tip contribution a bit tight.

I think the “people tip because they’re keeping up with the Joneses” argument is interesting, because I suppose that’s what I (rightly or wrongly) assume when I see people eating out and not tipping. Like they want the lifestyle of eating out but they’re “living beyond their means”

@LikeADogWithABone thats terrible! Yes even the work experience person received tips, everybody, including those on a ‘trial shift’ receive their fair share (plus payment for their trial shift, even if unsuccessful!)

My husband said there should be tips policy online for the majority of restaurants, so those concerned about tipping and it not going to the staff should check first.

up to friend whether or not to tip, your personal decision unless you had all agreed in advance.
Very cheeky taking the money and passing it on as if she had contributed.

Yes they were tight, particularly as they seem to have taken credit for the tip which sounds weird.

My sister waitressed through uni and lived on tips. I always tip unless the service was genuinely bad.

I did once refuse to pay a service charge that was not advertised, because it was genuinely the worst service and food I’ve ever had (and the toilets were filthy).

Its not tight, I dont see a problem with your friend not tipping. Its a choice. The price of everything has increased, shes probably feeling the pinch like most.
I used to always tip but the past couple of months i have stopped. The staff get there wage at the endof the month. Shes being good enough giving the restaurant her custom

Yeah it was tight of them to do that. You either all tip or don't tip (and there would need to be a good reason for not doing so).