Do you usually Tip on top of the bill when you eat out?

[LunarLass]

Hi everyone,
Just curious, how many of you usually leave a tip when you eat out?
I generally don't, but the other day, we went out with some friends who always tip. This time, I stuck to paying just for what we ordered—no tip—and you should've seen the looks on our friends' faces! Our bill came to £55, so it wasn't exactly cheap, to be honest. The meal was lovely, no complaints there; it's just that I don't usually tip out of principle, since they're getting paid for their job like anyone else

Always unless it's shit service or there's a service charge

I tip on holiday where it's cultural, here we will tip if it's a naice restaurant and meal, or if we have a lovely server - but not in general in the UK, no.

I don't really approve of tipping but, if there's no service charge, I round up by 5-10%. These days a lot of card payments don't have a tip option, which I quite like.

There's a new law coming in in October to protect employees tips from employers (employers will have to pass on the full tips with no deductions).

Yes I do.

I don't understand. Surely it's part of the culture here as well, and has been certainly throughout my lifetime, so why would you tip abroad but not in the UK?

20% standard here in the US, pushing towards 25% and for absurd things like handing you a cup of coffee! Very annoying but waitpersons get paid a tiny amount per hour and in all conscience you kind of have to offer a decent tip if you can afford to eat out.

Some places have a service charge , so I don't tip if that's already on the bill.

Always. Never a huge amount though, usually only £2-£5 depending on the service, where we are etc. It’s a token gesture really.

I only ever tip more if we’re eating out as a big group - which is very rare.

Always, because I've worked for minimum wage and although 'that's what it's there for', IMO no one can survive on it, and if I can do something small to improve their quality of life, why wouldn't I?

Although agree with others, if a service charge is already added, I'll treat this as a tip. I now try and keep a bit of cash on me to slip a particularly nice server if one goes out of his/her way.

I always tip if service charge isn't included. I don't know anyone who doesn't - and it's not a new thing at all, my parents, for example, have always tipped.

I'm nearly 50 and people have always tipped. My parents are in their 80s and have always tipped. How far back were people not tipped in the UK??
I always tip about 10% or round it up so it's near 10%. I secretly judge people who don't tip and think they're tight. OK if you get terrible service, don't tip but otherwise I do.

I always do. For my nails and things like that too. I'm in London and it's very hard living on a low salary.

Takeaway no I don't tip.
If service charge is included on the bill again no I don't tip ontop of that.
No service charge then yes I do typically 10-15%

I agree that it started as an predominantly American culture that has made its way to the UK. But the fact is that it has. I hardly ever eat out (unless you count Subway sandwiches!) but on the odd occasion I do, recently there's always a service charge added and I pay that. For a £55 meal, 10-15% would have been £5-8 ish. If you can afford a £55 meal, you can also afford to pay that kind of tip and I think that you should if you had a nice meal and good service. I have eaten out once in the last few months, the waiter was really nice, explained/recommended things and food good/service was quick. I paid the sum added to the bill.

I think you may have to adjust your cultural expectations - as things really have changed. I am not surprised your friends were aghast (sorry!).

I get pissed off tipping hairdressers as the prices have gone up so much just for a cut. So, I've solved it by not going. My teen cuts my hair in the kitchen and I do my dh's.

Depends.

If I'm sitting in a restaurant but they've introduced ordering on an app and I only see the waiter when they put the food in front of me for example then no, I don't tip.

If they add an optional service charge I always ask for it to be removed. And then I tip what I want, which may well be more than the automatically added one, I just object to it being there. The service is included in the price of the food and drink. A tip is additional and voluntary.

Recently I've found in some restaurants it's difficult to tip. They make it card only, which is fine but then the machine doesn't give you a tipping option and I haven't got cash on me. If I know I'm going to somewhere like this I'll get cash out, but often I don't.

Of course. Service charge already added, I don't tip on top as that IS the tip. No service charge added, then yes, I tip at 10-15%.

In real life, this is how everyone I know acts.

On MN, there are a surprising number of people who don't tip at all and are outraged if a service charge is added.

I personally think it was very rude of you not to tip when your friends were. I'd always tip in a restaurant unless service charge already added.

I don't tip as rule, and I ask for service charge to be removed when automatically applied to a bill - I don't like this being dictated as a charge you must pay.

I will only tip if service is exceptional.

And I was a waitress for a 15 years!

Yes I always tip unless the service is poor. But I eat out a lot and could count on 1 hand the amount of times that's been the case.

That's what I don't understand - I'm older than you are and my parents have always tipped too. I was certainly taught as a child that it was the done thing! So not sure why people feel it isn't part of UK culture?!

I would always tip 10 or 12.5% unless the service was really awful, or if it was already included in the bill. There have been times when I've taken the service charge off the bill and given it in cash to the waitress/waiter instead so that I could be sure that they received it.

Considering the mark up on a lot of places for food and drinks , I'd rather that they paid their staff more than rely on tips for them ( 'chain restaurants '/ pubs could do this )
(Although I suppose they would argue it would affect their profits :(
I used to tip my hairdresser and the one who washed it , but prices have almost doubled since lockdown and they seem richer than I am! Don't even bother going as it's too pricy now.