To not leave a tip on principle

[MyNeatLimeCat]

Had a pub meal with a group, main courses (burgers, curries etc) cost £20. An 'optional' service charge is listed on the bill.

£2 or £4 isn't going to break the bank. But I just don't want to support the system, on principle.

I don't want to cause group drama either. What should I do in this situation?

It’s been normal to tip for a long time. I was a waitress over 30 years ago and used to get tips, shared equally between everyone.

If you don’t like the optional service charge opt out, but I think it’s pretty churlish not to leave some % tip, even in pubs if you’re being waited on. That’s the difference with MaccyD’s too, it’s a take-away joint. So I wouldn’t expect to tip there. Though I do tip my Dominos driver, as they’ve ‘waited’ on me to deliver my pizza to me. Go figure! 😂

Everywhere I've worked tips have been shared amongst the whole staff, including pot wash. In one place the head chef didn't take tips because he said he was well paid enough.

I'd think less of a friend if they refused to tip.

Here's my principles:

a) When I buy something, the number on the bill is the price that was shown to me when I decided to buy it, and also the amount I'm expected to pay.

b) People should expect to receive their contracted hourly rate for doing their job.

I hope you aren't as vocal about it as my sister was. My niece was a student at the time. My sister paid for her, calculated her share of the bill at the table and said she expected to be reimbursed when they got home. 🙄
My brother in law is pretty tight but even he was embarrassed.

I’m in the US where servers’ wages are ridiculously low. Insultingly low.
I always tip.
One time, decades ago, I took my sister and little niece out to eat after niece’s dance recital. She was still in her costume and was adorable.
I don’t remember if we had cocktails, but we mainly were concentrated on my niece, as she was a little over 2 and so cute.
The server brought our food out and tossed/slammed the plates down onto the table. She sloshed water all over us. On purpose.
She refused to speak to us.
My sister and I couldn’t figure it out - we had been nothing but polite.
We’d never seen her before.
The server never came back - except to toss the check onto the table as she walked by.
I have never in my life witnessed such poor behaviour from wait staff, for absolutely no reason.
I left her enough change for a phone call for a tip, 20 cents, and we spoke to the manager on our way out.
We’ve never gone back. They went out of business.
Good service deserves a good tip.

I once went to the manager and asked him to tip out everyone but our server. In this case our server was absolutely horrible and while I normally tip this was that bad.

I’m in the US and yes it’s customary for your tip to be shared amongst the non-tipped staff.

The whole concept of tipping is weird and should be abolished.

I don't want to bribe people for better service, I just expect them to do their work.
I want to see the final price when I am ordering something.
I want everyone's earnings to be taxed and contribute to their pension, that's how we do the society.

The waiters aren't self employed, they are normal employees. Their wages should cone from their employer, not from charity donations of people who feel good about themselves throwing few extra coins on the stuff. So medieval and undignified for everyone involved.

Agreed. I'd think you were cheap leave a bigger tip to compensate and not eat out with you again.

This is a good point. Is anyone paying tax on these ‘discretionary service charges’?

We’re assuming/hoping this is passed on to the staff, but what mechanism is there for this to be reported as their taxable income?

Across the country this has to be a huge amount of money.

I know in the US tips are taxable income, if this is becoming expected and commonplace in the UK, surely there should be a similar system?

@MyNeatLimeCat aren't tops usually pooled and distributed? My friend's son who works as KP got a share.
I always tip unless poor device. I'm surprised actually a few places I go when you pay automatically decline the tip option before handing it to me. I never carry cash now so they'll miss out.
I also think less of people who refuse to tip and so I often volunteer to work out the bill and include the tip. Of course if they are adamant I will cover it instead.

If it means so much to you that it is the hill you wish to die on... Then by all means.
But ultimately, if money isn't an issue, do you really want to be "that" person?

I also don't like a service charge added to the bill because if I don't spot it I have been known to tip again! I would expect it if in a large group and would always tip (usually more than 10%) unless service and food were very bad. I don't like ticket booking fees either.

Stay at home

All discretionary service charge must be passed on to staff by law: “The Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023, also known as the Tipping Act, came into effect in the UK on October 1, 2024. The act aims to ensure that hospitality workers receive 100% of their tips, gratuities, and service charges.”
All decent hospitality employers were doing this anyway but it deals with the ones who weren’t and should reassure you as a customer. The service charge tops up the hourly rate of all staff working in that business (yes, including the person washing the dishes!).

Also, service charge has a different tax treatment to normal pay as National insurance contributions do not apply. If the service charge element was added to the menu prices instead, your bill would increase by almost 30%. I wouldn’t be complaining!

Mr Pink?

Optional service charges are generally then calculated split and added onto someone's wage, generally equivalent to £1/2 an hour extra from experience.

Which yes you are then taxed on.

You are allowed to ask for the service charge to be removed. Paying it is not some kind of legal obligation

I do not like service charge on bills either. I do tip separately.
When I was waitressing I had number of customers in a hotel who queried who gets the swrvice charge. Then aaked for it off and tipped cash instead.
I just ask for it off and give cash. Only time service charge on bill is acceptable imho is on groups over x people.

I always leave a tip. Except when I went to Pizza Hut the other day and had no service at all. Had to scan a code to place my own order and pay by card on the app in advance. Then the app asks for a tip! I'm not tipping when I'm getting no service!

Is this research OP? 🫣

I’ve worked in min wage roles, both customer facing and not, and haven’t worked in a tipping culture, it’s really just waitering that has this ridiculous tipping culture. I don’t leave a tip generally unless the service is exemplary. Which it rarely is in this country.

Its because youve been personally served, just don't be a tight arse, if you can afford it

I dislike the principle of tipping. Paying staff adequately should be included in the meal price.

I still tip in restaurants

If I wanted to tip I'd give it directly. Through the bill means the top dogs are in charge.

Please don't ever holiday in the US!

We were once chased up the road when we didn't tip at a particular eating place. It was buffet, a girl showed us to our table and that was that. Everything else was help yourself, even drinks (we only had soft drinks). In America they expect 25%, and we really didn't think we should have to pay that for no service. So we left the restaurant and they chased us up the road shouting!