Random Irritations

[PJ87]

What really annoys me about tips/service charge is many (most?) places just add a service charge on top of the bill - why don't they do away this this and add £1-2 on each item? This way we could actually work out if we could afford to eat there instead of playing a bit of bill roulette

I like it added to the bill, I have a scheme that gets me 10% off certain restaurants so that covers the service charge everyone wins

 

[GB72]

What really annoys me about tips/service charge is many (most?) places just add a service charge on top of the bill - why don't they do away this this and add £1-2 on each item? This way we could actually work out if we could afford to eat there instead of playing a bit of bill roulette

Again, even worse in the States as they do not have tax on the bill either and so what you pay by adding up the menu price can actually be 30% less than what you are expected to pay.

Now, service charge is something I really do not get when added to a bill. Firstly, where does not go, who gets it. Is that split in full among the staff, does it go to the restaurant to subsidise wages, who knows. Then you ask what you are paying it for. Are you really paying extra for somebody to bring your food to you. Is there an option to walk a few yards and collect it yourself. A tip, in this country at least, is a gratuity for a job well done and providing the required level of service (I say required as I hate over attentiveness and the best ones know how to gauge how often to drop by the table). A service charge comes across as literally that, a payment for the restaurant actually serving you your meal.

 

[williamalex1]

I may be seen as tight but in the UK I pretty much always tip £10-£20 and that is it. I just feel that those amounts represent a decent thank you for a job well done.

As for excluding the wine, not something I have thought of particularly but the mark up on wine is scary (long ago made the mistake of liking a bottle of wine and so looked it up online to see if it was widely available)

The real irritation for me is that apparently places with no direct service are starting to ask for tips.

We include drinks, but my wife always ask what happens to our tip, so whether or not our main server gets it or if it goes into a pot. If we find ourselves having to pay the service charge as part of the bill we will sometimes also give our main server something in their hand, and tell them it’s theirs.

I asked the waitress in our favourite restaurant what happens with the tips
Seeming they're saved for a month then divided between all the staff including kitchen staff.
She said she usually makes more than her wages but it is taxed.

 

[Neilds]

Again, even worse in the States as they do not have tax on the bill either and so what you pay by adding up the menu price can actually be 30% less than what you are expected to pay.

Now, service charge is something I really do not get when added to a bill. Firstly, where does not go, who gets it. Is that split in full among the staff, does it go to the restaurant to subsidise wages, who knows. Then you ask what you are paying it for. Are you really paying extra for somebody to bring your food to you. Is there an option to walk a few yards and collect it yourself. A tip, in this country at least, is a gratuity for a job well done and providing the required level of service (I say required as I hate over attentiveness and the best ones know how to gauge how often to drop by the table). A service charge comes across as literally that, a payment for the restaurant actually serving you your meal.

Exactly my point

 

[Neilds]

That’s easy. Just ask for the service charge removing from the bill.

Some people (not me) don't like 'conflict' or don't want to appear rude so just pay it anyway

 

[Deleted member 29109]

Some people (not me) don't like 'conflict' or don't want to appear rude so just pay it anyway

There is no conflict. Just ask the wife to do it and ask her to pay while disappearing off to the toilet to avoid the awkwardness

 

[AmandaJR]

Ah, might still work if it's not used/used, but when I was looking for the M340 a few years ago, I saw the one I wanted (luckily in stock with a dealer but not registered yet) but the guy was a total bell end. So I went to another dealer and told him what I was after (very specifically, colour, spec etc) and asked if he could order one. He said "let me check the network first... oh, we have one at xxxx dealership so I can see if I can get that". He basically traded one of their cars from stock with the bell end's dealership and I got the car I wanted but without having to give that *** the sale. Apparently they can't do it with used cars though.

I have asked the dealer I bought from previously if it's an option so will see what they say.

 

[Bazz]

An hour meeting that we all must attend...load of old rubbish. Couldn't tell you one thing that was discussed.

 

[Orikoru]

An hour meeting that we all must attend...load of old rubbish. Couldn't tell you one thing that was discussed.

Yesterday I was called into a meeting with only four people - it was supposed to relate to the system that I manage, but two of them launched into a separate discussion that I have absolutely no knowledge of - 45 minutes went by before I had a single piece of input into the meeting. What a waste of time.

 

[bobmac]

An hour meeting that we all must attend...load of old rubbish. Couldn't tell you one thing that was discussed.

People justifying their position and salary

 

[Bazz]

Yesterday I was called into a meeting with only four people - it was supposed to relate to the system that I manage, but two of them launched into a separate discussion that I have absolutely no knowledge of - 45 minutes went by before I had a single piece of input into the meeting. What a waste of time.

This wasn't even a proper Teams meeting, was like a live broadcast, so just listen and look at slides.
The only saving grace was there was no question and answer option, so didn't give suck ups an opportunity to ask something stupid just for the sake of it.

 

[bobmac]

People who are desperate to avoid any accountability and have abandoned their ability to think for themselves.
Always playing the victim card, especially when they are at fault.
If it looks like a duck, etc

 

[Deleted member 29109]

Yesterday I was called into a meeting with only four people - it was supposed to relate to the system that I manage, but two of them launched into a separate discussion that I have absolutely no knowledge of - 45 minutes went by before I had a single piece of input into the meeting. What a waste of time.

I’ve got to the point in life where I would just say that as they aren’t discussing anything relevant to me I will be leaving to get on with some work.

I’ve said before. I now only accept meeting invites if there is a clear agenda and purpose to the meeting. Like a decision to be made or there will be an outcome to the discussion.

If I’m invited as an optional, that is an instant decline. With the exception that I feel the meeting may take something in the wrong direction.

I will often suggest that meetings should only be 30 minutes rather than the default hour. And if it’s my meeting we start on time.

I do a lot of training and make it clear I will start on time, and that I expect participants to be ready to start.

 

[GreiginFife]

I’ve got to the point in life where I would just say that as they aren’t discussing anything relevant to me I will be leaving to get on with some work.

I’ve said before. I now only accept meeting invites if there is a clear agenda and purpose to the meeting. Like a decision to be made or there will be an outcome to the discussion.

If I’m invited as an optional, that is an instant decline. With the exception that I feel the meeting may take something in the wrong direction.

I will often suggest that meetings should only be 30 minutes rather than the default hour. And if it’s my meeting we start on time.

I do a lot of training and make it clear I will start on time, and that I expect participants to be ready to start.

I’m clear with all clients at the start of a contract that invites that don’t tell me why I’m invited to a meeting and includes a specific desired outcome will be declined immediately.

I also only schedule 45min max meetings to allow for gaps between as often calendar is back to back.

 

[3offTheTee]

I’ve got to the point in life where I would just say that as they aren’t discussing anything relevant to me I will be leaving to get on with some work.

I’ve said before. I now only accept meeting invites if there is a clear agenda and purpose to the meeting. Like a decision to be made or there will be an outcome to the discussion.

If I’m invited as an optional, that is an instant decline. With the exception that I feel the meeting may take something in the wrong direction.

I will often suggest that meetings should only be 30 minutes rather than the default hour. And if it’s my meeting we start on time.

I do a lot of training and make it clear I will start on time, and that I expect participants to be ready to start.

I agree entirely with your comments especially the last one. Remember May years ago we had a trainer, very expensive btw, and the meeting was to start @ 8.30 the first day. We strolled in, Some 5 minutes late.

At the end of the first day he said ,"Tomorrow we meet @ 8.29 and 1/2. It worked!

 

[NearHull]

If you are 5 minutes early, then you are already 5 minutes late - hammered into me during basic training.

 

[AmandaJR]

If you are 5 minutes early, then you are already 5 minutes late - hammered into me during basic training.

Yep my Dad instilled that into me. I am usually 15 minutes early for everything. I start to get stressed if it looks like I'm cutting it remotely close to the mark.

I'd say that the majority of people I know are just on time...so therefore late!

 

[GB72]

Yep my Dad instilled that into me. I am usually 15 minutes early for everything. I start to get stressed if it looks like I'm cutting it remotely close to the mark.

I'd say that the majority of people I know are just on time...so therefore late!

Same here, I would rather be an hour early than a minute late

 

[Slime]

Same here, I would rather be an hour early than a minute late

Me too, but I'd also sooner be 5 minutes early rather than 15 minutes early.

 

[Orikoru]

If you are 5 minutes early, then you are already 5 minutes late - hammered into me during basic training.

But that is just factually wrong. If you're 5 minutes early, then you're 5 minutes early.