Tipping Etiquette

[Tashyboy]

Totally agree, Tash. I tip if the service merits it. If the service isn’t up to it, no tip. It’s a subjective decision, which is absolutely as it should be.

But if I’m going to leave a tip, it absolutely should be received by the staff who have worked so hard to earn it. My daughter used to work in a local bar/restaurant, waiting tables and serving behind the bar. All of the tips used to be collected and divided pro rata between the staff at the end of the month. The more shifts you worked, the bigger the share. That at least made sure that kitchen staff, who more than do their bit, got a slice.

My son, on the other hand, used to work as a waiter at a local hotel whilst he was in college. Part of a nationwide chain, attached to a golf course, so the restaurant was always busy, with groups of golfers, guests and wedding receptions. The staff back then were told they were not allowed to keep tips in any circumstances. They were retained by the hotel, and it caused absolute uproar amongst regular visitors when the hotel proudly announced that is had recarpeted one of the banqueting suites and paid the entire cost out of tips left by customers.

As news spread of this reprehensible act, customers started discretely slipping tips into the pockets of the staff who had worked so hard to earn them. The staff then, equally discretely, shared the tips out between all those working on any given shift.

I seem to recall hearing that it is now a requirement that tips are passed on to the staff, and not retained by the business employing them. That’s absolutely as it should be, especially when so many of these staff are either young kids trying to earn a few quid, or those on a low wage.

My daughter who is now the firearms copper once worked at South Forest leisure centre in Edwinstowe. They also collected the tips and allegedly distributed them fairly. It didn’t. My daughter once received her distributed tips and it was a pittance. Her regulars collared her and said” this is for you and if it is handed in we will not tip you again”. Because her skirt and cardigan had no pockets she had to keep it in her bra . Although I understand all tips going in a pot. You still have a situation where rammel service gets tipped.
I remember one day she and other waitresses as kids were taken to watch Nottingham panthers. The tips had paid for the tickets. My daughter said although she enjoyed it. She would have spent the ticket money on something else.
She once worked Christmas Day on double time £8 an hour. I was bloody livid as I had to take her pick her up and have a late Christmas dinner. She was chuffed as she made £32.

 

[Fade and Die]

All tips have to be passed on to the employees without deduction, this is now law…

What is the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act | Peninsula UK

Let’s take a look at what SSP is, how much is it, who qualifies for it, and what happens if employees are on sick leave for a long time.

www.peninsulagrouplimited.com

When my Mrs was a croupier all tips had to be pooled, no problem with that, plenty of the back of house staff deserve a cut, however the company used to deduct 25% for “administration”

 

[Neilds]

How far down the chain are the tips required to be split? I guess the waiting staff and chefs are guaranteed, but the pot washer, the cleaners, etc - are they entitled to a share? And if yes, the same as the waiting staff or a percentage?

 

[Billysboots]

How far down the chain are the tips required to be split? I guess the waiting staff and chefs are guaranteed, but the pot washer, the cleaners, etc - are they entitled to a share? And if yes, the same as the waiting staff or a percentage?

At a most basic level, in a bar/restaurant then it should be anyone involved in the preparation and serving of food/drinks, and those who clear up after them. So chefs, bar staff, waiting staff and pot washers.

 

[Voyager EMH]

All tips have to be passed on to the employees without deduction, this is now law…

What is the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act | Peninsula UK

Let’s take a look at what SSP is, how much is it, who qualifies for it, and what happens if employees are on sick leave for a long time.

www.peninsulagrouplimited.com

When my Mrs was a croupier all tips had to be pooled, no problem with that, plenty of the back of house staff deserve a cut, however the company used to deduct 25% for “administration”

When I worked in that area, all gaming staff were not permitted to receive gratuities in the UK. This was, I believe, in the law, Gaming Act 1968 and Casino Regulations.

eg



Non-gaming staff were allowed to accept tips.
The difference between gaming and non-gaming staff was that all gaming staff held a Gaming Licence.
The Gaming Licence could be revoked for a misdemeanour such as accepting a gratuity. No licence - no job.

 

[Fade and Die]

When I worked in that area, all gaming staff were not permitted to receive gratuities in the UK. This was, I believe, in the law, Gaming Act 1968 and Casino Regulations.

eg

View attachment 55476

Non-gaming staff were allowed to accept tips.
The difference between gaming and non-gaming staff was that all gaming staff held a Gaming Licence.
The Gaming Licence could be revoked for a misdemeanour such as accepting a gratuity. No licence - no job.

Correct, most of her career (26years) she was not allowed to receive tips. I think it was about 16 years ago the law changed.
Gaming staff always pooled them which was fair as some shifts are like the graveyard and others the place is packed.
Waitresses always kept their tips, they might have shared them with the other bar staff, I’m not sure.

 

[Neilds]

At a most basic level, in a bar/restaurant then it should be anyone involved in the preparation and serving of food/drinks, and those who clear up after them. So chefs, bar staff, waiting staff and pot washers.

Should or will?

 

[Billysboots]

Should or will?

Should is my opinion.

Whether they will is another matter entirely.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

I’ll tip when I believe it’s a good service

 

[D-S]

The other issue is who do you tip? In the big US Golf forum there was a long debate about whether you should tip the golf Pro after a lesson, I would think unheard of in the UK but apparently not in the US.
I remember paying a resort fee (yet another new scam) in Arizona which said that it covered various things such as tips for transportation staff (you could get a buggy from the lodges to the main hotel) and tips for starters on the golf courses. I would never dream of tipping a starter at a golf course but it is a thing.
I tip in restaurants, hotels,cafes, taxis, some delivery people and hairdressers but no where else that I can think of.
Perhaps I am unknowingly offending other service people - should I tip my physio for example? it hasn’t occurred to me until now.

 

[PJ87]

The other issue is who do you tip? In the big US Golf forum there was a long debate about whether you should tip the golf Pro after a lesson, I would think unheard of in the UK but apparently not in the US.
I remember paying a resort fee (yet another new scam) in Arizona which said that it covered various things such as tips for transportation staff (you could get a buggy from the lodges to the main hotel) and tips for starters on the golf courses. I would never dream of tipping a starter at a golf course but it is a thing.
I tip in restaurants, hotels,cafes, taxis, some delivery people and hairdressers but no where else that I can think of.
Perhaps I am unknowingly offending other service people - should I tip my physio for example? it hasn’t occurred to me until now.

Isn't that what you pay the pro for? Altho maybe in the USA he is on a wage rather than being paid by the person getting the lesson?

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Maybe, I'd tip an Uber driver on the app afters if they do a good job

Got to keep the 5 * rating

 

[Pants]

Should/do you tip the Sainsbury/Tesco/Ocada/whichever driver for delivering the groceries to your door?

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

When we were in Naples, Florida earlier this year and paying by card the ‘suggested gratuity’ box on the card machine always had 22%, 26% or 30% on it. Always looked like they were either trying to guilt you into tipping, in my terms, too much.
Just pay them a decent wage (include it in the bill) and I will pay for ‘above and beyond’.

That's a "When in Rome...." situation.
What you wish works in the UK.
It puts you in a very bad light in the US.

Regardless of what the printed suggestion may be,
an absolute minimum of 15% is pretty much mandated by propriety.

We know in advance that the wait staff isn't being paid much at all
and paying them is an integral part of our meal's cost.

Unfortunately, one's ability to pay it doesn't even compute in the equation.
The culture is that if you can afford to eat in restaurants, you can afford to tip.

I'm not making a value judgement as to this practice.
I'm really not.
That's just the way it is in America,
and you're regarded an unwelcome guest in an American eatery if you don't observe it.

And let me make myself perfectly clear.
I'm not saying anything meant to denigrate the UK.
I like the UK.
I both respect and envy your NHS as would any sane person.
I regard you as our closest ally.
I very much enjoyed the time I've spent there.
So certainly, I'm not criticizing the UK about your attitude toward tipping.

You might reasonably resent being expected to tip in New York.
I might, as a law abiding person, reasonably resent not being trusted to carry my gun in London.
Different nations have different cultures.

But I still very much like the UK.
Liking or not liking the US is 100% your prerogative, of course.

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

Seems to me that it's more like a tax dodge.
It's essentially the separation of goods and labour in the purchase price.
So :
sales tax on the labour?
employers' taxes on the labour?
employee taxes on the labour?
Which is great if you don't want to fund any infrastructure or services paid for by tax I guess.

Tips are taxed as wages.
If you report suspiciously low tip income as a wait staff employee,
you will likely be audited.

This is a situation being discussed in our current elections.

You don't agree with certain things in our culture.
Some of your stuff seems off-putting to us.
That's just a normal part of living in different nations.

 

[Don Barzini]

I always tip the barber a quid or two after a haircut.

Felt guilty yesterday as I had no change after paying him, so couldn’t give him any extra. And it’d been the best haircut I’d had in a while. Quick work, no messing about, no wasting time with small talk and he gave me a nose and ear wax as well (ouch, but good!)

Then again, it was one of those cash only Turkish barbers that are probably a front for something else and the guy probably gets most of his wages in cash anyway!

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

tip than if I drank water all evening? If I have a burger or if I have fillet steak...the service I receive should be the same in both cases....and it is the service that will be appreciated with an appropriate tip.

I realise that, in certain regions, waiting staff are paid a bare minimum and the culture is that the customer helps by paying a tip....but really the customer should not be responsible for ensuring that the waiting/kitchen staff are able to earn a "living wage".

The customer enters the establishment knowing the cultural expectations
and is thus totally guilty of malfeasance in not respecting it.

Nobody can force you to tip,
but you shouldn't eat in an American restaurant if you don't intend to tip at LEAST 15%.
Morally, in a sense, you're stealing.

It reflects very badly on you.
No different than if I walked around Piccadilly Circus brandishing a revolver...
except we won't arrest you.

I have no problem at all with your beliefs about tipping.
I honestly don't.
You should, however, understand that you're expected to tip in an American restaurant
and you're boorishly disrespecting the wait staff if you don't.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

The customer enters the establishment knowing the cultural expectations
and is thus totally guilty of malfeasance in not respecting it.

Nobody can force you to tip,
but you shouldn't eat in an American restaurant if you don't intend to tip at LEAST 15%.
Morally, in a sense, you're stealing.

It reflects very badly on you.
No different than if I walked around Piccadilly Circus brandishing a revolver...
except we won't arrest you.

I have no problem at all with your beliefs about tipping.
I honestly don't.
You should, however, understand that you're expected to tip in an American restaurant
and you're boorishly disrespecting the wait staff if you don't.

The staff get paid to do a job , if they just do that job then why should I be expected to top up their pay

 

[PJ87]

The customer enters the establishment knowing the cultural expectations
and is thus totally guilty of malfeasance in not respecting it.

Nobody can force you to tip,
but you shouldn't eat in an American restaurant if you don't intend to tip at LEAST 15%.
Morally, in a sense, you're stealing.

It reflects very badly on you.
No different than if I walked around Piccadilly Circus brandishing a revolver...
except we won't arrest you.

I have no problem at all with your beliefs about tipping.
I honestly don't.
You should, however, understand that you're expected to tip in an American restaurant
and you're boorishly disrespecting the wait staff if you don't.

Sorry but morally is bull dung

Your restaurants rip off their staff and expect everyone else to prop them up

Tipping door men for opening a door for you?

The whole thing is a joke

Nobody should feel obliged to tip

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

If I happen to rack up a bill of several hundred pounds, maybe due to the purchase of a few bottle of fine wine alongside my dinner, why should that force me to pay a bigger tip than if I drank water all evening? If I have a burger or if I have fillet steak...the service I receive should be the same in both cases....and it is the service that will be appreciated with an appropriate tip.

Whether you understand and/or agree with it or not,
that's the proper behavior in America,
and a willingness to not conform to it
is regarded as being deliberately disrespectful.

In a foreign land, visitors are expected to respect the local standards of behavior.
I tried to do that in the UK, at least.