Shoppers 'cheated.' We're paying the same for less.

trisontana

withabix wrote: »

If you think food is cheap here, try going to Canada or USA...Eating out can be so cheap it's often not worth bothering to cook.

This is because (for the USA at least) the waiting staff are paid a very small pittance, and you are expected to leave a tip of between 15% and 20% to make up their wages. This is all down to the fact that the minimum wage laws in America do not apply to people who work in the "hospitality" industry. Even if they were paid the legal minimum wage it only amounts to about £3.50 an hour.

withabix

trisontana wrote: »

This is because (for the USA at least) the waiting staff are paid a very small pittance, and you are expected to leave a tip of between 15% and 20% to make up their wages. This is all down to the fact that the minimum wage laws in America do not apply to people who work in the "hospitality" industry. Even if they were paid the legal minimum wage it only amounts to about £3.50 an hour.

They don't apply in the UK at the moment either - a legal loophole that is about to be closed.

IIRC there was a news story a few weeks ago about Hard Rock Cafe waiting staff in London being paid a salary of £3/hour.

trisontana

withabix wrote: »

They don't apply in the UK at the moment either - a legal loophole that is about to be closed.

IIRC there was a news story a few weeks ago about Hard Rock Cafe waiting staff in London being paid a salary of £3/hour.

The only difference between the situation in the UK and the US is that in Britain the wage must, by law, reach the minimum wage level, all-be-it with a combination of wages and tips. In the US there is no such requirement. So if the staff don't get tips their take-home pay will be very low.

pinkshoes

So if all these portions are getting smaller and we're supposedly being "tricked", why are the British getting fatter??