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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To leave a £1.60 tip?

95 replies

Santire · 15/09/2023 22:42

Went out to our local pizzeria. Service was fine but they forgot to bring our olives to start. There was a service charge of 10%. Bill came to £43.40. So I said to the waiter, alright, maybe it £45?

So £1.60 tip plus £4.34 service. DP has chastised me all the way home and said how I embarrassed him. I should have left nothing yada yada.

In Italy or Spain, you only ever leave a few coins as a tip. So I presumed it would be fine to do with italians at a pizzeria!

OP posts:
Trixiefirecracker · 15/09/2023 23:47

*to tip!

Precipice · 15/09/2023 23:50

Trixiefirecracker · 15/09/2023 23:47

You don’t need to too but you should tip for good service. Waiting staff earn next to nothing.

Lots of workers earn next to nothing. Do you pay extra everywhere?

starsparkle08 · 15/09/2023 23:54

@ParentingSolo you have little knowledge of elderly care . It’s not sweetness and innocence. My dads caused someone a bleed to the brain when psychotic. Many elderly people experience psychosis .

sashh · 16/09/2023 00:13

A service charge is NOT a tip. Service charges go to the establishment, tips go to the server.

Some places use the service charge as a form of tip, a fairer form where it is split with the kitchen staff not just the servers but some just keep it.

ClairDeLaLune · 16/09/2023 00:13

DD17 if she gets bad service tells them to take the service charge off! Wish I had her nerve!

PyongyangKipperbang · 16/09/2023 00:36

I will say again..

THE SERVICE CHARGE IS NOT A TIP!!! YOUR SERVER SEES NOTHING OF THAT MONEY, IT ALL GOES TO THE COMPANY AND MAYBE THE SERVER GETS A PERCENTAGE, BUT OFTEN NOT.

Ask for the service charge to be removed and pay the tip in cash....please!

FeigningConcern · 16/09/2023 02:50

Why would you tip on top of service?!? Service charge and tip are the same thing, you don't tip on top!

Loopylambs · 16/09/2023 06:52

DH could have sorted the bill and tip out himself . Perfectly fine as service charge too.

BBno4 · 16/09/2023 06:56

There's no guarantee the waiter would get the service charge, but he would get the 1.50

ParentingSolo · 16/09/2023 06:56

Trixiefirecracker · 15/09/2023 23:47

You don’t need to too but you should tip for good service. Waiting staff earn next to nothing.

They earn at least minimum wage - like many, many others! It's America where they earn less! 🙄🤦🏼‍♀️

ParentingSolo · 16/09/2023 06:57

starsparkle08 · 15/09/2023 23:54

@ParentingSolo you have little knowledge of elderly care . It’s not sweetness and innocence. My dads caused someone a bleed to the brain when psychotic. Many elderly people experience psychosis .

I don't have 'little knowledge of elderly care' at all! I just don't share graphic details of it online!

maddening · 16/09/2023 07:19

Restaurants are more frequently adding the service charge on the bill - that is the tip. I believe it is as less and less people are carrying cash.

Meeting · 16/09/2023 07:26

If he was so bothered then he should have tipped.

I never tip in the UK other than leaving the change.

Ozziedream · 16/09/2023 07:29

I never tip if a 10 (or often 12 or 15) per cent service charge has been added. If there is no service charge I add a 10 per cent tip.

DandDoodlz67 · 16/09/2023 07:44

I agree I thought service charge is the tip!? So actually you gave a pretty decent one!

Tomikka · 16/09/2023 08:07

Note that if the overall total was £43.40 then the 10% service charge wasn’t £4.34 but the bill was £39.45 + £3.95, and you rounded up with £1.60

This is the traditional method of tipping in the
UK (10% and rounded)

Tips are a service charge, but posters have pointed out that the service charge on the bill is charged by the business and could have been distributed in any manner or kept (if kept the business ought to have been paying higher than minimum wage to justify retention) but that has changed
With the Allocation of Tips Act having passed this year it is the law that service charges must be fully paid to staff as tips

https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3197

fairyfluf · 16/09/2023 08:10

Your husband doesn't understand. The service charge is the tip. If anything you've been generous

Trixiefirecracker · 16/09/2023 08:27

ParentingSolo · 16/09/2023 06:56

They earn at least minimum wage - like many, many others! It's America where they earn less! 🙄🤦🏼‍♀️

so?! Minimum wage is not that much and waitresses/waiters often live off their tips. Most normal people will tip for good practice in this country. You do know minimum wage is actually quite tricky to live off?

Trixiefirecracker · 16/09/2023 08:29

Precipice · 15/09/2023 23:50

Lots of workers earn next to nothing. Do you pay extra everywhere?

If they are serving me my lunch/dinner/cup of tea then yes. 🙄

hdbs17 · 16/09/2023 08:31

The service charge is the tip. The server is getting paid whether you leave an extra tip or not.

What you did was 'keep the change'. They were still tipped 10%.

Your DH is being an idiot.

SallyWD · 16/09/2023 08:38

I think you and your DH are a bit confused. The service charge is the tip so you don't add an additional tips!

andHelenknowsimmiserablenow · 16/09/2023 08:58

I am glad service charges are added to bills at some restaurants now, it makes it much easier than working out the tip, and mostly you can contacless pay. I hardly ever have cash on me now. Also when you are in a group, and there is someone who pulls a face at paying a tip, at least when it is an already added service charge the bill can be divided easier.
Places like centre parcs are cash free and their info states that the service charge is added in place of tips.

Purplewarrior · 16/09/2023 09:02

Santire · 15/09/2023 22:55

He insisted I tip on top of service…

Oh he insisted did he? He’s one of those…

He can pay extra himself if he wants. Maybe he needs reminding he’s not your boss?

SallyWD · 16/09/2023 09:11

PyongyangKipperbang · 16/09/2023 00:36

I will say again..

THE SERVICE CHARGE IS NOT A TIP!!! YOUR SERVER SEES NOTHING OF THAT MONEY, IT ALL GOES TO THE COMPANY AND MAYBE THE SERVER GETS A PERCENTAGE, BUT OFTEN NOT.

Ask for the service charge to be removed and pay the tip in cash....please!

Sorry, that's simply not true. It's now actually the law that 100% of the service charge goes to staff. Google.

Certainlyreally · 16/09/2023 09:31

PyongyangKipperbang · 16/09/2023 00:36

I will say again..

THE SERVICE CHARGE IS NOT A TIP!!! YOUR SERVER SEES NOTHING OF THAT MONEY, IT ALL GOES TO THE COMPANY AND MAYBE THE SERVER GETS A PERCENTAGE, BUT OFTEN NOT.

Ask for the service charge to be removed and pay the tip in cash....please!

In the UK the service charge is considered to be the tip.

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