Real life MMD: Should I tip when using daily deals vouchers?

Cloudane

Lesj wrote: »

In some countries workers are paid very little by their employer and rely on tips for the majority of their income. I have no problem with that as goods and services in these countires are usually much cheaper than we are used to in "Rip-off Britain" However, in the UK, workers are protected by minimum wage regulations and I feel that tipping should be abolished and made a thing of the past. Why do you feel obliged to tip a waitress but it would never cross your mind to tip a checkout operator in a supermarket ? Both probably earn a similar hourly rate and spend the same amount of time with us, per transaction, being friendly and chatty etc. Tipping is just historically linked to certain professions but its time we just dropped the whole idea.

So much "this".

From what I can see of it, tipping being customary (instead of only a special thing when someone does a great job) in the service industry was kind of imported from the US, where workers doing those jobs are often either unpaid or paid very little and tipping is counted as part of their pay. Not sure if that's the factual history, but it's how I understand it and is the main reason it's done now.

Yet over here we have the minimum wage and it's still considered customary "just because". Indeed, people noticed the double standards with tipping some in some services and not others in other services and now it's spread to the barbers and just about everywhere else.

My general view of the whole thing is only to tip if you're unusually impressed by their service, NOT as an automatic thing where you're being mean if you don't. Tipping should be a point of praise and motivational boost, not an expectation. Not-tipping should be seen as neutrality, not an insult.

To actually answer the question though ignoring the question of whether to tip in the first place: yeah.... if you would normally tip, it makes sense to do so still. From the perspective of the other person, they are otherwise losing out because you got a voucher, and you're in a better financial position anyway having had the voucher.

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Here's another one on the subject: supposing you would normally tip a taxi driver but, as they've sometimes done with me, they look at the meter reading of £7.38 and say "just call it £7 mate". Do you accept the sort of "reverse tip", or tip it back up again?

a5827

A bit of a side point, but when people suggest the tip (or service charge) should be a percentage of the cost of the service provided, why in the UK is the percentage usually applied to the cost inclusive of VAT?

This means you are tipping them on the tax you are paying as well as the cost of the service provided.

I have noticed in some places abroad that apply a compulsory/discretionary service charge (usually 10-12.5%) to the bill, that the service charge percentage is applied to the pre-tax price.

The difference is minor, but it's more the principle that got me thinking.

onesixfive

Maybe we should stop tipping altogether - that way employers who expect their staff wages to be supplemented by tips, will have to pay a real wage for the job.
This would no doubt result in price rises so that employers could pay their staff more - but then everyone would pay the same rate for the same service without feeling the obligation to tip.
A word of gratitude; or more importantly - a recommendation; would then be all that's necessary.

alittlemadam

I dont normally tip any one and its not because they havent done a good job its because its something i've never done, nor did my parents when we went out as a family, in my younger days.

Things are getting harder in life for everyone, and if I were to tip this is one of the things that I would stop. It should be up to the individual as to whether they want to tip or not and if you dont you should not be made to feel bad about it.

Cloudane

scotsbob wrote: »

If the girl is giving you "extras" then you will find if you don't tip you don't get them any more.

Extras that warrant quotation marks and a winking face are surely worth a bit more than a tip... and be careful, you don't know where she's been

lordra

Hands free all the way if money is tight! Don't tip! As people say, there is a minimum wage in Britain. There isn't in Asia! Especially not for personal services rendered. If you tip one, tip all. If not, then don't tip anyone! It's not expected unless you earn some £150k annually.

robpw2

i wouldnt tip for a massage normally , surely they are that expensive. so i wouldnt tip with a voucher

Pee

I think we are agreed on the if you would normally tip you should do, but should you tip for a massage? I don't think so.

I do often tip for sit down service in a restaurant and I have a regular taxi driver who I pay £10 instead of £9, as I feel he deserves it.

With work, I sometimes eat meals that I can claim back on expenses and sometimes the tip can be claimed back - if made with a card - and sometimes it can't. If it can be, I always leave a tip and if it can't be, I don't. I do quite often feel bad about this, but feel I can't afford to.

Deedee9

Tipping is expected for certain careers and at christmas. This was when there was not a minimum wage, therefore in my mind hairdressers/beauticians/waiters should not automatically be given a tip - but if you want to then do so!
Nail bars - a newer business, usually cheaper than a beautician, and they tend to only do one thing and pay by cash, so I would tip as I see them as more self employed..
Same as a taxi driver - he may have a meter, but the tax man "assumes" tipping is taking place, so I do tip. (and again self employed).
Australians do not tip and I think most of us are veering towards this idea.
In the US I feel that the waiters do a better job because they work for tips!!

juliamarsh

I must be either very ignorant or miserly but it has never even crossed my mind to tip for a massage! I would always leave a tip in a restaurant though, whether I had bought the deal on a voucher or not, provided of course that the service was of an acceptable standard.