Do you tip in restaurants?

benten69

I totally forgot about this thread until just now. However, it reminded me of this YouTube video I saw a few months ago.....

https://youtu.be/q_vivC7c_1k

Done in an entertaining way, but gives a brief insight to the history of tipping and why you shouldn't do it, as it was originally started as a means for owners to quite simply, not pay their staff proper wages and make them earn money from the customers through tips.

mamabuddah

kmjamal wrote: »

In my opinion one should tip because waiters do not get paid as what you are getting paid in a job (say £6000) But what waiters are getting paid? Its not as high as you are paid. Its everyone opinion if they get good service they tip if not they walkout without the tip.

Not quite sure what this means? If a waiter/waitress is "low paid" what exactly does that mean? Surely there are minimum wage conditions? If that is the case then it means a waiter serving drinks, or serving in McDonald's or even someone with £30k of debt who has just graduated from uni working in Poundland while trying to find their dream career are all getting paid the same per hour. So why should one low paid worker get tips when say the graduate in Poundland on the same wage but perhaps with a shed load of debt doesn't get anything for being good at their job?

Just throwing that out there to see what you think.

MacMickster

I always tip for excellent service but not if I have struggled to gain the attention of the waiting staff. It does puzzle me though that any restaurant owner would allow their staff to give less than excellent service. They should be on the ball taking and delivering drinks orders, upselling where possible and ensuring that each customer feels valued and enjoys the experience of dining there.

A good waiter should be worth far more than minimum wage to the business.

Kim_kim

Jennifer58 wrote: »

I will always try to tip 10% but only if I feel the person deserves it. I mean if they've been friendly, helpful and I've enjoyed the service then sure, I don't see why not.

But only if I feel they've deserved it.......

That is precisely why tipping is an outdated custom that should have no place in a first world country in the 21st century.

If a waiter really needs that 10% service charge because of crap wages then they need it regardless of whether they've been too busy to give you great service, or the chef has prepared the meal to your liking or it's been a dead as a dodo day & they only had one or two tables!

They should be paid a decent wage for their labour & it should be the same rate per hour every hour, not vary wildly. Their bills will remain constant, they can't pay their rent/mortgage less when they've had a bad month.

It's because I used to waitress years ago (1980s) & was desperately dependent on tips to make a liveable wage that I feel so strongly about this.

I could barely afford to take annual leave in leaner times as it was back to basic wage. I was a single mother (before the days of all these tax credits) & it was really hard to cope with the swing in wages on a low paid job. My childcare & bills didn't swing low if I had a bad week.

dekaspace

I don't really tip, I generally factor in costs of going to one place over another, whats the point eating at one place which is say £6 if I have to give a tip and another higher quality place at even £7 where its no tip.

Only places I tip is a few times a year I go to a Italian restuarant, theres one in Edinburgh where I can get a 3 course meal for £6.20 and the guy is so friendly he remembers me every time I go in so I put just £1 into it as its so cheap I don't know how he does it, and one in Glasogw which is like £6 for 2 courses at lunchtimes and start of week

Only other time I tip is lets say I make a large order when friends are around for take out for like £19 so I give the £1, or £38 would give £2.

Because I am already paying for delivery costs which are expensive anyway (well £2 delivery and so if the person makes multiple deliveries in area thats a big profit) its not as if its free delivery.

The only times I have ever tipped was when I was younger and I got a new job so I had much more money that I was used to or when I got student loan.

adom_thomas

benten69 wrote: »

Wasn't sure if this was the right place to put this, so admin, please move if needed.

Do you guys (and girls) tip when you go for a meal out? Personally I hate the idea, and it's even worse when you've got the waiter standing next to you as you select "No" on the card machine.

However, I always say that I don't get tips for doing anything extra and providing good levels of service in my job, so why should I pay others extra for a basic service their employers should be paying them for. In my previous role I saved the company £20,000 a day in penalties by delivering the project on time (a week early in fact), but I didn't get anything extra for it, because quite simply, it was my job.

Hence, I don't agree with tipping. They are doing a job & getting their hourly rate, so why do I need to subsidize it? Tesco don't tell me to pay extra if I go to a till vs going to the self checkout.

However, if there is a large group of us and say the bill comes out to £18 each, we'll all chuck in £20 and let the waiter / waitress keep the change. That's the only scenario it works in for me, as it saves everyone the hassle of finding change, waiting to get their change, etc.

What are peoples thoughts?

It completely depends on person's nature! Tip or incentives kids of things are necessary to motivate!

1886

It's very rare for us to tip but we did when we went out to the local Pizza Express about two weeks ago as I thought the girl serving us was very polite and competent.

However, nine times out of ten we don't tip because the staff are being paid a wage to do the job. They don't need a tip anymore than the person on the till who scans my shopping at ASDA. Where do I draw the line?

Secondly, it seems that more often than not when we go to a restaurant we could have up to five different servers come over to the table whilst we are there. Some are very average and one may be good.

If I leave a tip I would only want the good server to get the tip but normally they are never seen again and if it all just goes in the same jar I don't agree with that as ppl who don't try will get a cut of the ppl's tips who do try. Tipping directly to the decent server is the only way to do it as long as they have'nt vanished

bruich76

I understand tipping when it is done across the board. But, the arguments being put forward here at flawed at best... some saying that they tip 10 percent because being a waiter isn't a well paid job. Well I can name... X number of other jobs that aren't well paid and those don't get tips.


Don't agree with tipping to be honest unless doing it to everyone for every 'job'. I would argue for example, that the chef is doing me more of a favour in cooking my food then the person bringing it from the kitchen to my table. I would go and get it myself if they would let me

StevenAleman

Yeah I always do.

Fireflyaway

No I don't tip but feel in the minority! My husband and parents do, but I don't see the point. The people are getting a wage. I think maybe it stems from people feeling a bit self conscious about being 'served' by someone? Why would you tip a restaurant worker but not a bus driver / shop assistant or call centre worker etc. They all help us ( sometimes!). Half the time the establishments take the tips anyway. As for being poorly paid... Tipping just gives an excuse to not raise wages and if people in restaurants think they are worth more they can always get another job that pays better.