Do you tip in restaurants?

MobileSaver

adindas said:

MobileSaver said:

adindas said:

if you tip because of the service why do not you tip the school boys/girls, in MacDonald, KFC, Men/Women working in Kebab shop, fish and chips, take away etc.

There's a big difference (or should be) between fast food and a restaurant meal. The KFC server simply grabs pre-cooked food from a counter and hands it to you. In a restaurant the front of house staff chat to me, often make a recommendation from the menu, the food is cooked especially for me and is brought over to my table and the waiter/waitress will always pop back and ask if they can get me anything else and then happily bring that over too - there's really little comparison between the two types of service.

If it makes you feel better then on the rare occasion when restaurant food/service is little different than fast food then we make a point of not tipping so we don't just do it by rote.

Similarly, we actually do tip our favourite kebab shop guys as they're always smiling and friendly and flirt with my girlfriend etc. - they don't just hand over food but make an effort so that we always leave the shop smiling.

What about binman emptying your bin every week, the people in drug stores, Pharmacies who help you choosing or showing products, your trainers in the Gym. The bus drivers, the staffs in the bus, train station showing you the directions, there are lot more others.

None of those examples offer the same personal experience over such a long period (for example a typical meal takes say at least an hour) as being served in a restaurant so again in my opinion there's just no comparison.

Of course, if you want to use that argument as an excuse for being tight then knock yourself out!

adindas

MobileSaver said:

adindas said:

MobileSaver said:

adindas said:

if you tip because of the service why do not you tip the school boys/girls, in MacDonald, KFC, Men/Women working in Kebab shop, fish and chips, take away etc.

There's a big difference (or should be) between fast food and a restaurant meal. The KFC server simply grabs pre-cooked food from a counter and hands it to you. In a restaurant the front of house staff chat to me, often make a recommendation from the menu, the food is cooked especially for me and is brought over to my table and the waiter/waitress will always pop back and ask if they can get me anything else and then happily bring that over too - there's really little comparison between the two types of service.

If it makes you feel better then on the rare occasion when restaurant food/service is little different than fast food then we make a point of not tipping so we don't just do it by rote.

Similarly, we actually do tip our favourite kebab shop guys as they're always smiling and friendly and flirt with my girlfriend etc. - they don't just hand over food but make an effort so that we always leave the shop smiling.

What about binman emptying your bin every week, the people in drug stores, Pharmacies who help you choosing or showing products, your trainers in the Gym. The bus drivers, the staffs in the bus, train station showing you the directions, there are lot more others.

None of those examples offer the same personal experience over such a long period (for example a typical meal takes say at least an hour) as being served in a restaurant so again in my opinion there's just no comparison.

Of course, if you want to use that argument as an excuse for being tight then knock yourself out!

Lol, it is not my argument ....

Also I have not said I do not tip at all. And you might forget this is a money saving expert forum.

marycanary

I tip restaurant staff because the minimum wage is too low. The fact that other people, shop workers, labourers, and binmen also get a shockingly low wage isn't a reason not to tip restaurant workers.

JGB1955

I don't tip (and ask for the 10% or 12% service charge to be removed from the bill)... but then my husband will leave a cash tip... his choice, not mine!

We will be going on a Cunard voyage next year.  I'll be asking to remove the $23 per night 'tip' very soon after I board.  I am happy to reward exceptional service but feel that staff shouldn't have to rely upon tips in the 21st century.

lika_86

JGB1955 said:

I don't tip (and ask for the 10% or 12% service charge to be removed from the bill)... but then my husband will leave a cash tip... his choice, not mine!

We will be going on a Cunard voyage next year.  I'll be asking to remove the $23 per night 'tip' very soon after I board.  I am happy to reward exceptional service but feel that staff shouldn't have to rely upon tips in the 21st century.

Have you ever spoken with your waiters or stewards? Most that I've spoken to tend to be from much poorer countries than ours and spend months at a time away at sea in order to provide for their families (often with young children). Personally I've never has anything less than exceptional service from them notwithstanding long hours below deck. I'm of the view that you can apply whatever ideology you have around tipping in the UK but if you're going on a cruise then you accept gratuities as part and parcel of the cost, rather than an extra reward for service 

Standingstrong

Never used to but I do now 

MattMattMattUK

I tip, I wish that staff were paid properly so that it was not necessary but unfortunately maky work long antisocial hours on minimum wage. I also think that service charges should be banned.

JGB1955

lika_86 said:

JGB1955 said:

I don't tip (and ask for the 10% or 12% service charge to be removed from the bill)... but then my husband will leave a cash tip... his choice, not mine!

We will be going on a Cunard voyage next year.  I'll be asking to remove the $23 per night 'tip' very soon after I board.  I am happy to reward exceptional service but feel that staff shouldn't have to rely upon tips in the 21st century.

Have you ever spoken with your waiters or stewards? Most that I've spoken to tend to be from much poorer countries than ours and spend months at a time away at sea in order to provide for their families (often with young children). Personally I've never has anything less than exceptional service from them notwithstanding long hours below deck. I'm of the view that you can apply whatever ideology you have around tipping in the UK but if you're going on a cruise then you accept gratuities as part and parcel of the cost, rather than an extra reward for service 

I would rather it was included in the original price. Nobody should have to rely upon tips.  10% up front, included in the cabin price (in MY currency) is a far better deal than tips spent in US dollars.

lika_86

JGB1955 said:

lika_86 said:

JGB1955 said:

I don't tip (and ask for the 10% or 12% service charge to be removed from the bill)... but then my husband will leave a cash tip... his choice, not mine!

We will be going on a Cunard voyage next year.  I'll be asking to remove the $23 per night 'tip' very soon after I board.  I am happy to reward exceptional service but feel that staff shouldn't have to rely upon tips in the 21st century.

Have you ever spoken with your waiters or stewards? Most that I've spoken to tend to be from much poorer countries than ours and spend months at a time away at sea in order to provide for their families (often with young children). Personally I've never has anything less than exceptional service from them notwithstanding long hours below deck. I'm of the view that you can apply whatever ideology you have around tipping in the UK but if you're going on a cruise then you accept gratuities as part and parcel of the cost, rather than an extra reward for service 

I would rather it was included in the original price. Nobody should have to rely upon tips.  10% up front, included in the cabin price (in MY currency) is a far better deal than tips spent in US dollars.

All of that may be the case but in my view, not a reason to ask for it to be removed. It's something that should be budgeted into your trip. 

Thumbs_Up

This American influence culture thing not welcome here I say. Do waiters really chase people 2 blocks away and demand “Where is my tip”