Do you tip in restaurants?

Blackavar

We always tip at least 10% if service was good e.g. maybe a bit of chat, advice on menu etc .No tip for poor service. Usually young people on crap money (restaurant's fault) trying their best and enhancing our overall experience. Sometimes go out as a four and the other couple never tip - all the previous reasons - so I just leave money on the table. Good service that makes your dining out experience better should be rewarded.

Murphybear

We tip if the service is good. Thats the whole point.  Traditionally that’s one reason waiters are poorly paid.

Many years ago after I left school and was waiting to go to University I had a job as a waitress in a department store restaurant.  Wasn’t that well paid so we relied on tips.  It was very hard work.  When we were less busy I chatted to the customers who, when they heard I was waiting to go to University, always gave me a big tip.  The best was a massive tip from a much older man who only had a coffee.  I gave him a hug, that’s what fathers are for 

sheslookinhot

Tip in restaurants, can’t remember last time I was in one, 10-15%. I also tip in pubs, usually £1. I started after my daughter had a part time job in a local pub and was really pleased with the tips she got. 

HouseTargaryen

I only tip if I'm eating out with a group or person in a professional capacity or a date. Waiters dislike me because if I'm not 100% happy I complain. Table wobbly, chair uncomfy, food not cooked right...but they always rectify for me. So I keep my high standards. 

NaughtiusMaximus

Neil49 said:

dontmess666 said:

Tipping is one of the most dumbest traditions in retail and I consider it a throwback to an era when it reinforced class differences. The fact its not adopted consistently across all industries shows its a farce and often used to suppress wages of some of the lowest paid people in society. If employers paid their staff properly, tipping should be unnecessary, after all you are paying a premium for eating out! 

I hope you never visit the USA. Tipping (at a very generous rate) is part of the culture. Despite us leaving what we considered to be a good tip in a New York Irish bar, the foul language directed at us as we left ensured we never returned.

One difference between UK and US is that there tips actually form the bulk of the waiting staff's income, to the point that their income tax is calculated not just on their 'official' salary as is the case in the UK, but on the assumption they also received X amount of tips.

Vegastare

NaughtiusMaximus said:

Neil49 said:

dontmess666 said:

Tipping is one of the most dumbest traditions in retail and I consider it a throwback to an era when it reinforced class differences. The fact its not adopted consistently across all industries shows its a farce and often used to suppress wages of some of the lowest paid people in society. If employers paid their staff properly, tipping should be unnecessary, after all you are paying a premium for eating out! 

I hope you never visit the USA. Tipping (at a very generous rate) is part of the culture. Despite us leaving what we considered to be a good tip in a New York Irish bar, the foul language directed at us as we left ensured we never returned.

Oh I wonder if we were in the same place in New York, the bar was Irish the waitress was Irish and she went as far as advising my partner about the tipping procedure in the US....her nature was not  pleasant and clearly she was irritated at UK customers who fall short - as she progressed I uttered that I had lived in the US and was well aware of the culture.  She retreated quickly as she could see I was becoming annoyed with her manner.  
Then I recall another Irish bar on an earlier trip and the way we were treated even down to one waiter working in our nearby town for years bringing other staff over to chat with us who also knew our town in UK.

jon81uk

NaughtiusMaximus said:

Neil49 said:

dontmess666 said:

Tipping is one of the most dumbest traditions in retail and I consider it a throwback to an era when it reinforced class differences. The fact its not adopted consistently across all industries shows its a farce and often used to suppress wages of some of the lowest paid people in society. If employers paid their staff properly, tipping should be unnecessary, after all you are paying a premium for eating out! 

I hope you never visit the USA. Tipping (at a very generous rate) is part of the culture. Despite us leaving what we considered to be a good tip in a New York Irish bar, the foul language directed at us as we left ensured we never returned.

One difference between UK and US is that there tips actually form the bulk of the waiting staff's income, to the point that their income tax is calculated not just on their 'official' salary as is the case in the UK, but on the assumption they also received X amount of tips.

Most places in the UK now pool the tips and pay them out to staff in their payslip to ensure they form part of the PAYE tax. If people get cash tips direct they should be declaring them for tax anyway.

Other difference in the US is the way most states write minimum wage laws, where tips can form part of the pay. So they might earn $5 an hour plus tips, but if they don't get enough tips to get at least $10 an hour (for example) the restaurant needs to top up the pay to at least the $10 minimum. But if they get enough tips the restaurant can "pay" the lower hourly rate.

V1m_Fuego

Never tip.  It's a slippery slope I never want to be part of.  If you see how messed up tipping system is in the US, you wouldn't want anything to do with it.
I went to a restaurant in NYC, and we rounded the bill up, and it came to 14.8% tip, as we left, they literally chased after us asking why we didn't leave more.. 

General_Grant

How lovely it would be to have the choice right now.

ReecesWaffle

I only tip when the waiter is providing exceptional service. They get paid to be nice so standard niceness doesn’t deserve anything.