Should I refuse to pay service charge and leave cash tips? 22 January 2015 at 12:27PM in MoneySaving mums 67 replies 23.6K views

19lottie82

why is this MMD in the "Money Saving Mums" section?

Sam_Rogers

I work in the service industry and you pay for the service so it should go to the person providing it. I happen to be very good at my job and shouldn't have to share it with others who aren't so good. I completely believe that tips should always be optional and my service is the same for tippers and non tippers.

BazM_2

Always check whether a restaurent applies a compulsery service charge before you go. If they do - DON'T GO!! If everyone keeps paying the service charge, they will keep applying it.
When booking a table ask about the service charge, if they say they apply a compulsory charge, tell them you don't want to eat there because of it, and at some point they may realise they are losing customers and stop charging it.
Tipping for good service should always be voluntary and should be awarded to the person providing the good service.

gloriouslyhappy

I resent additional charges like this, after all, I'm not billed for the electricity for cooking, or the washing up, so why should a service charge be included? The whole tip thing is a minefield, my hairdresser informed me people tip her, so now I feel uncomfortable because I don't - I've already paid a fair deal for the service - and am planning to go elsewhere. I do tip cab drivers if they help with luggage or shopping or hold the door open, not otherwise. Businesses should charge a fair price - and pay a fair wage - and not add on extras!

smithcvs

Why tip in the first place. No one ever gave me a tip at work. Just because it becomes popular doesn't mean it has to be done. On some cruise ships to get a decent meal at a suitable time tips have to be paid up front. What a scam. I know this will upset some waiting staff but let's get real and pay them a decent wage in the first place.

Gazgandalf

When I used to work in Catering (Restaurant) the bill stated: "Service Charge Included"

That meant people paid or signed the bill but left no tips. They thought we were getting a percentage of the bill - which we didn't!

No matter how hard we worked and tried to make the meal an enjoyable occasion, we rarely got tips.

TAX: And yet our pay was taxed on the tips we didn't receive. We couldn't persuade the Tax Office that we didn't get as many tips as they were taxing us for.

It felt very unfair.

Some customers did make a big deal over it and asked to see the Hotel Manager. But they had no actual way of removing it. We were part of a Chain of Hotels.

It was one way of making guests meals sound less expensive.

In effect they were taxed on their food and we were taxed for serving it.

fizzking

I eat out about once a month and always tip the waiter personally. As far as I know the tip is shared between the staff. I would not eat somewhere that tries the money grab.
In your case I would approach the owner and suggest that you are unhappy about their policy. If the response is positive, fine. If not, tell them you might reconsider whether to eat there again.
Although not exactly the same experience, twice I have stopped using takeaways, which I had patronised about once a week for a long time.
The first was when I got the wrong order 3 times but the shop did not apologise. Their response was "you don't have to use us". I never did thereafter.
The second was when a lunchtime special ( discount) was withdrawn without warning. This was not sufficient to stop me going there, because I understand a business needs to make a profit. It was the take it or leave it manner, in which I was told about it, which made me stop.
It takes time and hard work for restaurants earn customer loyalty. A moment of rudeness can wreck it and a lost customer is a lost income.

Gazgandalf

Unfortunately many who serve your food have not had a College Certificate (such as City and Guilds) in Catering.

Therefore, their wages are cheap.

As was stood/walking for a solid 3 hours during lunch time having served for a solid 4 hours for breakfast - and inbetween cleaned up and re-set the dinning room, vacuumed and polished etc.

I used to suffer back ache because of this 'cheap labour' and smiled and rushed to serve customers through it.

I don't just tip chambermaids, waiters, bar men etc I also give annual tips to the refuse collectors and postman. It's my way of saying 'Thankyou' for hard work and being pleasant.

If I have not received a good service I do not tip.

But we are hardly paying a Kings ransom are we?

And if better wages were paid to staff (which I actually agree with you on) then the price of the food would go up.

I don't eat out as much as I used to, it's just too expensive. But if I do, I always leave a 'little something' by way of thanking them for making my meal an occasion.

moochershopper

gloriouslyhappy wrote: »

I resent additional charges like this, after all, I'm not billed for the electricity for cooking, or the washing up, so why should a service charge be included? The whole tip thing is a minefield, my hairdresser informed me people tip her, so now I feel uncomfortable because I don't - I've already paid a fair deal for the service - and am planning to go elsewhere. I do tip cab drivers if they help with luggage or shopping or hold the door open, not otherwise. Businesses should charge a fair price - and pay a fair wage - and not add on extras!

I completely agree. I have never agreed with tipping and don't do it. I don't tip someone serving me in a shop so why should someone serving me a meal expect it ?? Good service should come as part of the job and if it doesn't then maybe they should rethink their career. Low wages are a whole different discussion, but I think some restaurants pay low wages expecting the money to be made up through tips which is unfair on the staff and the customers.

wiogs

"Should I refuse to pay the service charge from now on"

Yes

Should you wish to tip then that is another discussion to be had.