To just hate rich, braying people today. I know I am, but I am just not thick-skinned today, angry, RANT alert

[Lauriefairycake]

So we went out for a lovely afternoon waffle at the fabulous waffle house in St Michaels (St Albans). We don't go out much so it was a real treat.

Middle aged almost (mid 50's) couple next to us - him in burberry jacket, Hackett scarf and shirt. Her with £800 quid Chloe bag.

They were on the table next to us and came in the same time. They kept saying how lovely it was and how quick the service was. They had virtually the same as us. Their bill came to £16 - they paid with a twenty. They kept the change. The bloke said what about a tip. The woman said "that'll do, she's only young".

When they left they put 40p on the table for the waitress

This is the most ridiculous AIBU I've read for a long time! In fact its the worst I've ever read. FFS get a grip!

It is none of your business how other people spend their money regardless of whether they are rich or poor. I suggest you get a pick axe on that mahoosive chip thats embedded on your shoulder.

My friend is a waitress and the hourly rate is poor because they expect to make it up with tips. Waiter/esses work hard and a good, attentive one should get a decent tip. 40p is mean regardless of your wealth.

I went out for lunch today and didn't leave a tip at all. The service was absolutely fine. I was wearing a Boden coat and carrying a Radley bag.

I part paid the bill with cash and part with a Sunday Times Voucher.

The Waffle House, St Albans aren't a charity and tips are left at the customer's discretion.

ohh i like radley bags which one (being nosy)

Good for you Swedes

Oh god, I hate this tipping hysteria.
Tip if you want to, as much or as little as you feel appropriate.
But this tosh about they need it to top up their wages is a red herring. What they need is a better wage to start with.

....or anothert job.

Here here Jeremy I totally agree.

Scottish here

I absolutely agree they need a better wage too.

smashing

It's just a way for the employer to justify a shit wage and putting the onus on the waiting staff to go all out for tips to top it up.
But the establishment is alresady being paid by the customers - service included, whatever they bloody well say!
Would the Chef work for a lower wage and take tips - No, but its expected of waiting staff.
Takes the piss IMO.

I am sure if many of had us had sat overhearing strident voices talking about their 2nd home and praising service and then leaving 40p because 'she is only young'.....would be annoyed!

wouldn't have put me off my waffle

Yes, probably a bit annoyed, but not quite as annoyed as OP....

Hate and Scum are rather excessive words for fellow diners. Get a Grip.

Going against general thrust of some of the most recent posters, Laurie, I would say yanbu. There are an awful lot of devil's advocates on here and even more red herrings (your envy of their wealth, the fact the waitress may have plenty of money, the fact that tipping is not mandatory and you don't tip the man in Sainsburys).

Agree re hate and scum would probably not have felt quite that strongly.

What a very observant person you are, Lauriefairycake. When I go out to a cafe, I'm to interested in the people I'm with to bother about what the people on the next table are wearing, what they order, and would certainly never peer over to see how much they had tipped. (And if my DC's tried to check out how much they had tipped I would tell tehm not to be so rude!)

Very sad to hate someone, and consider them total scum for leaving £1.20 less than you, IMO.

40p was a bit mean imo.

but hardly worthy of all the vitriol.

maybe the waitress is on a w/end job and lives in daddys mansion - how the hell do you know?

i was a waitress. tipping is goood. and i tip well.

id be v wsorried if i had this much vitriol for anyone id never even engaged with tbh. i bet even the waitress hardly gavce it a second thought.

YABU, and describing this couple with such hatred makes you sound bitter and envious. You left a £2 tip, so you left £1.60 more than they did, it's not going to buy the waitress a house. (Minimum wage is £5.52, btw, not £5.25, whoever said that.) Retail pays £5.52ph too, and no-one ever leaves a tip in a shop, however good the customer service is.

It takes all sorts. Live and let live.

boy, that minimum wage is way above any of the rates of pay i was earning back then... way more.

YABU and find it weird that you came to post on here.

Her Chloe bag could have been a rip off and his Burberry jacket likewise.

Inverted snobbery at its worst.

How odd.

Ha ha this thread has made me laugh - clearly lots of people posting on here don't tip or tip badly - reminds of Rachel's dad in Friends!!!

(FWIW OP I would've thought EXACTLY the same as you!! If it makes you feel better they, without a shadow of a doubt, eat snot/saliva and worse in every restaurent they ever go into a second time...!

Thanks for the laugh!!