Do you tip in restaurants?

wazza99 · 19 May 2017 at 8:06PM

Very rarely tip anyone, as most do nothing more than their job, i expect good service for free. We have the minimum wage in this country, so why single out waiting staff and leave out everyone else. I never feel guilty either, its a load of old tosh this tipping lark send it back over the pond where it belongs !!!

glider3560 · 20 May 2017 at 6:48PM

dawyldthing wrote: »

I dread to think how expensive it all is now as I went in 2007 and 2008 where it was nearly $2 to the pound so it wasn't too bad. Now I dread to think what the cost of things like eating out are.

It's absolutely ridiculous in Los Angeles (was there on a business trip last year).

In a chain restaurant (so nothing fancy), I ended up paying $50 for a meal. This was a nachos starter shared between six people, a main course (burger and sweet potato fries) and three beers, plus a tip. The main course was only $14. There was no price on the menu for any of the drinks (even the wine list had no prices) and we were expected to leave a minimum of 20% tip on the entire bill.

prosaver · 20 May 2017 at 6:52PM

glider3560 wrote: »

It's absolutely ridiculous in Los Angeles (was there on a business trip last year).

In a chain restaurant (so nothing fancy), I ended up paying $50 for a meal. This was a nachos starter shared between six people, a main course (burger and sweet potato fries) and three beers, plus a tip. The main course was only $14. There was no price on the menu for any of the drinks (even the wine list had no prices) and we were expected to leave a minimum of 20% tip on the entire bill.

the biggest tip ,
dont go there again and dont tip,

glider3560 · 20 May 2017 at 6:58PM

prosaver wrote: »

the biggest tip ,
dont go there again and dont tip,

Very true! Unfortunately I was dining with colleagues who insist on leaving tips (even in the UK). They also don't like the idea of individual bills, for some crazy reason.

My employer pays a fixed daily amount for food (around £35 per day), so it is in my interest to spend as little as possible on business.

The other alternative was the hotel. They charge a $5 room service surcharge plus a 21.5% gratuity

At the hotel breakfast buffet on my first morning there, I didn't tip as there was no table service (I had to get my own cutlery as the tables weren't set, plus there was a tip jar next to the food for the chefs). The waiter came running over and exclaimed to everyone nearby (he'd even looked up my name): "Mr <name>, I notice you didn't leave a tip. It is a minimum of 15% here." He then crossed out my $0.00 on the check and inserted 15%. The whole lot was charged to my room bill without my consent. Totally disgraceful service. If the tip is compulsory, it should be advertised as such.

prosaver · 20 May 2017 at 7:46PM

I heard on a cruise you have to tip even its all inclusive..?
money grabbers

prosaver · 21 May 2017 at 12:07AM

Here a tip,dont use dont use wash and go shampoo s
Its not the same

adindas · 25 May 2017 at 6:57PM

glider3560 wrote: »

The other alternative was the hotel. They charge a $5 room service surcharge plus a 21.5% gratuity

At the hotel breakfast buffet on my first morning there, I didn't tip as there was no table service (I had to get my own cutlery as the tables weren't set, plus there was a tip jar next to the food for the chefs). The waiter came running over and exclaimed to everyone nearby (he'd even looked up my name): "Mr <name>, I notice you didn't leave a tip. It is a minimum of 15% here." He then crossed out my $0.00 on the check and inserted 15%. The whole lot was charged to my room bill without my consent. Totally disgraceful service. If the tip is compulsory, it should be advertised as such.

Some restaurant indeed ask for service charge to be added into the final bill but this has been made clear from the beginning.

But if you know exactly that there is no requirement for service charge then you will need to complain.

When you said without your consent what do you mean, you know your room rate and you should get the detail breakdown and refuse any figure you do not recognize on the bill before paying with your credit card.

glider3560 · 25 May 2017 at 7:02PM

adindas wrote: »

Some restaurant indeed ask for service charge to be added into the final bill but this has been made clear from the beginning.

But if you know exactly that there is no requirement for service charge then you will need to complain.

When you said without your consent what do you mean, you know your room rate and you should get the detail breakdown and refuse any figure you do not recognize on the bill before paying with your credit card.

The waiter walked away from my table and wrote something. The night before checking out, as is usual in the US, the bill was shoved under the door. This showed the higher amount.

I queried this at checking out and they produced the slip signed by me, but with the waiter having crossed out $0.00 and replaced it with 15%.

They profusely apologised and removed it from the bill. Next day, they charged it to my credit card anyway.

Only after writing on Trip Advisor was the amount refunded, along with some frequent flyer points as a goodwill gesture.

This isn't my only "incident" in the US at hotel breakfasts. I'm fed up with them now, even on business trips, so have vowed to eat out unless breakfast is included in the room rate (which it is on my next US trip).

adindas · 25 May 2017 at 7:12PM

glider3560 wrote: »

The waiter walked away from my table and wrote something. The night before checking out, as is usual in the US, the bill was shoved under the door. This showed the higher amount.

I queried this at checking out and they produced the slip signed by me, but with the waiter having crossed out $0.00 and replaced it with 15%.

They profusely apologised and removed it from the bill. Next day, they charged it to my credit card anyway.

Only after writing on Trip Advisor was the amount refunded, along with some frequent flyer points as a goodwill gesture.

This isn't my only "incident" in the US at hotel breakfasts. I'm fed up with them now, even on business trips, so have vowed to eat out unless breakfast is included in the room rate (which it is on my next US trip).

Well done this is what people supposed to do. I fully understand if it was a service charge. Few restaurants here in the UK and/or Europe indeed add the service charge on the final bill. But as said previously it is made clear from the beginning.

I have seen the game like this in the US a few times. Gratuity, tipping in the US is not uncommon and I could fully understand behind it because that is the way they top up their income. Unlike the waitresses here in the EU and most of Western EU countries who has a minimum wage, they got paid very little.

But demanding that you pay at least 15% even mentioning your name out loud in front of the people is not a good thing. I even would threaten to sue them and demand for for compensation for embarrassing you in front of the public. If it is a tip / gratuity it should be up to you to decide not them.

mikebramble · 6 June 2017 at 11:23AM

Don't know why but I always tend to tip even though I don't necessarily believe in it. I wonder how much I have spent on tipping for only average service over the years. Do think adding a service charge should not be allowed. Everyone should be able to pay what they feel without being pressurise to do so.

Do you tip in restaurants?

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