Would you accept a service charge from a pub?

NVRAM

If they've automatically assumed and added it onto the bill I ask them to remove it and refuse to pay it.

People wanna call you tight? *shrug* let them

Last place we were at dropped starters over 2 people at the table, got the drinks wrong, food was lukewarm and they STILL added an almost £30 "tip" We left the correct money minus tip/service charge and left.

Another chain type place, Strada I think it was, we had to ask about 5 times for a bottle of water, the waiter was inattentive and barely understood english, and I dont mean your usual language barrier, the other waiter was pretty much translating for him! Yup they still added a tip/service charge.

When I do tip it's for a reason, maybe the staff were great or the food was fantastic, not because I'm forced to.

EmmasWorld

You shouldn't be obligated to pay anything I only tip if service is great. They should earn it IMO!

McKneff

I make a point every time of not paying a service charge. I tip the waiter/waitress in cash, Im not sure that the company keep a percentage of this, which is wrong, and I always presume (maybe wrongly) that it goes into a pot anyway.

JoshuaAmorah

Yes I feel it's always dependent on the situation and service. I've over-tipped twice before when the service was incredible.

MsSupertech

My take on this is that it's down of the infuriating blurring of lines between pubs and restaurants. If I eat in a pub I want to order and pay at the bar and won't be tipping. I hate going to eat in a pub and being told the waiter/waitress will come and take my order - it's a pub! If I eat in a restaurant (including a separate restaurant IN a pub) I expect a different level of service and I'm prepared to tip. Even then I don't want a service charge added to my bill, I'll add what I think is appropriate.
As for adding an automatic SC for larger groups, isn't this because they're notoriously poor tippers? Everybody just rounds up their share a little and the hardworking staff find they've spent a 2 or 3 hours serving a dozen people for a princely tip of £5..

catwoman73

As for adding an automatic SC for larger groups, isn't this because they're notoriously poor tippers? Everybody just rounds up their share a little and the hardworking staff find they've spent a 2 or 3 hours serving a dozen people for a princely tip of £5..

But why is a tip expected at all? They have also been paid a wage. In the same amount of time equally low paid people such as shop assistants will have served far more than a dozen people and earned a tip of exactly £0.

laurel7172

MsSupertech wrote: »

As for adding an automatic SC for larger groups, isn't this because they're notoriously poor tippers? Everybody just rounds up their share a little and the hardworking staff find they've spent a 2 or 3 hours serving a dozen people for a princely tip of £5..

I have been cured of tipping in large groups-I've been caught out too many times by those who use others' tips to pay for their wine. Or even their whole meal. Or who offer to pay by card and steal the tips. Unlike some on here, I'm happy to tip, but I'm not prepared to pay the dishonest for the pleasure of their company. If the service is really good, I'll stand up last and leave a discreet cash tip on the table.

poppasmurf_bewdley

They'd only do it to me once. I will NEVER pay a service charge for anything as I consider them just another way of ripping you off. If they can't add it to the original price (and pay decent wages into the bargain) then they can do without my custom.

I refuse to buy tickets online for anything which has a service charge, and last year refused to stay at a campsite in Dorset because they wanted to add a £2 admin charge to a bill which would have been over £200. We found another site just down the road who told us they frequently got customers like that!

I'll tip if I think someone deserves tipping. I won't if I've had crap service. As a nation, we British seem to have a thing about tipping. Only on Friday someone in a group I was with asked if we should leave a tip at a Chinese Buffet in Worcester when we had served ourselves!

gd47

Not changing the subject too much, but what really infuriates me is the 'cover charge' imposed by certain restaurants...in fact, I have been known to walk out rather than eat in such an establishment.
With regard to tips, aren't waiting staff assessed for tips by HMRC and taxed accordingly?
Yet another reason not to tip!

Fredula

I will usually tip 10% in a restaurant, or put towards 10% of the total bill if with a group - cash though. Screw the service charge.

I used to work for a charity and we would take a large group of people (75 of us in total) away on holidays and I got in trouble by my manager because I wouldn't put towards a tip. I didn't get paid any extra to take the people away, but worked extra hours including weekends on these holidays, but because I wouldn't put towards a tip for the restaurant staff every night, it was an issue. Needless to say I don't work for that company anymore.

How do people feel about tipping hair dressers? I usually have mine done at home and pay £10 + £3 tip. Last month I needed a quick appointment and paid £30 for my son (age 2) and myself to have a hair cut each (not wet, just dry cut). When I paid my £30, and didn't give a tip, the hairdresser looked at me as if to say ..."and the tip?" No way would I tip a hair dresser if I was paying more than £15 for the actual hair cut. Am I tight for not doing this though?