Do you tip in restaurants?

CJRyder

I will grudgingly tip, mainly because of SWMBO. We live in the UK and serving staff will be paid minimum wage at the very least. We do not live in the US where servers are paid under the minimum wage, with an assumed "tip" to top it up.

When I am eating at a restaurant, I assume that the following is included in the price of my meal: Staff wages (on all levels - kitchen, serving and everything in between), equipment costs, cleaning costs, food, drink, condiments, business rates, other utilities and other taxes and costs that go on behind the scenes. Tips should be optional extras to reward excellent service, not societal obligations for average service.

I tip because SWMBO works retail and she believes in the survival of the high street, but I am admittedly a 10% tipper rounded up or down to the nearest whole pound. Some may see it as a good tip, others as a bad tip. But if challenged on this figure, I will remove it in its entirety. Also I won't tip if service is included (and it's usually 10%, which is what I base my tipping figure on).

The best meals I have usually had were at places that charged accordingly and didn't ask for tips or add on service, usually country pubs.

Barny1979

If people do tip, do they tip in cash or via the card machine? Personally I do not trust that the tip via the card machine will ever find it's way to the staff.

CJRyder

Barny1979 wrote: »

If people do tip, do they tip in cash or via the card machine? Personally I do not trust that the tip via the card machine will ever find it's way to the staff.

Card machine if possible. I don't have to worry about trying to find whole pound coins (or worse, notes!). I can round my tip up or down to the nearest whole pound and make any deductions where necessary without SWMBO questioning my motives and I believe that more of my tip may go to the kitchen rather than the server who may just pocket the figure rather than splitting it.

elsiepac

If I go out with my family for a good meal (i.e. you're there for a couple of hours and the service was really good) then we tip 10%. If it's a quick bite then no we don't tip and equally if the service was poor or if you were served by multiple waiters. I do think tipping should be the exception not the rule.

JustAnotherSaver

CJRyder wrote: »

We live in the UK and serving staff will be paid minimum wage at the very least.

Out of curiosity - do you tip everyone you come across who is likely to be paid minimum wage or is it limited to restaurants? If so then why?

But if challenged on this figure, I will remove it in its entirety.

Have you ever done this?

lessonlearned

Bala.....well I would certainly tip you. You sound like a great asset to any restaurant,

And to those who think waiting on tables is easy....have you tried it. I did when my kids were small and I wanted "a little job" to fit round my childcare duties.

There is nothing easy about being a server.

Yes I tip my server. I also tip my hairdresser, taxi drivers and the man who used to put air in the tyres for me at the local garage. Alas the garage has changed hands and they no longer have forecourt assistants to fill your car for you, or check your tyres.

If I need help with getting items from the DIY store or garden centre into the boot of my car then I tip the guys who help me. Why wouldn't I.

These people are all doing me a service and I'm happy to reward them.

JustAnotherSaver

lessonlearned wrote: »

Bala.....well I would certainly tip you. You sound like a great asset to any restaurant,

And to those who think waiting on tables is easy....have you tried it. I did when my kids were small and I wanted "a little job" to fit round my childcare duties.

There is nothing easy about being a server.

Yes I tip my server. I also tip my hairdresser, taxi drivers and the man who used to put air in the tyres for me at the local garage. Alas the garage has changed hands and they no longer have forecourt assistants to fill your car for you, or check your tyres.

If I need help with getting items from the DIY store or garden centre into the boot of my car then I tip the guys who help me. Why wouldn't I.

These people are all doing me a service and I'm happy to reward them.

I know/think your post was at the question and not me. A slight doubt crept in since i questioned it & i was immediately before you but anyway...


My personal viewpoint isn't really against people such as yourself. You appear to give thanks by way of tipping to anyone that helps you.
What i actually don't like is those who tip the waiters/waitresses but then that's it, like it's only those in the restaurant business who deserve it. Usually when you ask why you get the answer of "because they're on minimum wage" which is another thing that bugs me.

lessonlearned

No my post was "in general". Not at you specifically. Sorry if I didn't make that clear.

balabooberlies

okay

i will make this quick.

first of all why does the 'tax' person always turn up, making the assumption that 'we' don't know our duty..........and the law ! A bit patronising.

I do not work in this industry anymore, am too long in the tooth and my body would not last an hour in a busy restaurant.

To the person that that thinks this is a base level entry job........knock on the doors of Claridges and see if they will employ you without proven skills. They wouldn't, nor any other fine dining restaurant. Too many assumptions here and little knowledge of the industry methinks. Again, a little patronising.

Of course I am not worth £30.00 per hour but only because nurses/teachers etc get alot less. And no.........I am not comparing my skills to theirs. Just another example.

LL........... I too tip lots of different people in different trades. And thank you. Any tips from you would have been gratefully received.

Right, gotta go before I burn this very late dinner.

Well, never said I was a chef !

;-)

Takmon

balabooberlies wrote: »

To the person that that thinks this is a base level entry job........knock on the doors of Claridges and see if they will employ you without proven skills. They wouldn't, nor any other fine dining restaurant. Too many assumptions here and little knowledge of the industry methinks. Again, a little patronising.

They are entry level jobs and that's why so many students end up doing these kinds of jobs while in university because it's such an easy job to get into. I personally know people who have done these kinds of jobs as their first job without any experience. It really is simple taking orders and carrying plates about.

Nobody was talking about fine dining in somewhere like Claridges but considering that you brought it up here is a job advert for a Waiter/Waitress:

https://jobbio.com/companies/claridges/jobs/casual-waiterwaitress-9

Where it says:

"Previous hotel Waiter/ess experience would be an advantage but not essential"

Hmm isn't that interesting...