It may not be optional though, e.g. it may say on the menu a 20% gratuity will be charged for groups of 6 or more.
Tipping
- Thread starter jwest
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It may not be optional though, e.g. it may say on the menu a 20% gratuity will be charged for groups of 6 or more.
This.
Worked as a barman, waiter in big franchises and small local businesses. It's not a laid back job. You are rushed all the time. You regularly work over your hours. Trying to get your break is a nightmare.
All the places I have worked allow you to keep all your tips to yourself. Straight into your pocket.
As a barman if I get a tip or a drink bought for me I will look out for that customer. By the tip they have basically told me that I am doing a good job and they can see it. Here's something to put a smile on your face. I won't serve them first outright but I will make sure they get the same level of service I have been giving them and take a actual interest/make conversation.
For the people that don't tip have you ever been to a place where tipping is really required like the US? Only the service there is amazing. So when someone said that why should you tip for doing your job, while I understand in the UK we at least get minimum wage, the **** you have to put up with can make it hard to have a smile on your face all day, 6 days a week. When people sit at a desk all day, not having to bother with making other people happy and getting paid more... well this is why I tip.
It's strange though. I went to a really nice restaurant for a friends birthday and there was about 8 of us. The bill came to nearly £200. So I figured everyone put in £2.50 it would be pretty nice. A couple of people just didn't seem to want to. I find it pretty immature and just not grown up really. You're happy to spend £4 for a bottle of cider but can't let a couple of quid go?
As for the card machines. It's annoying even for the server to hand it over and the first thing it says is "Enter gratuity?". 3/4 people don't even know what the word means. I have even had people complain when I said "oh you can just hit cancel on that screen". I pay by card everywhere although I do have to say the new swipeless cards are pretty fun to use and if more places had those it would make it feel a bit more easier for me to tip by card.
Soldato
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People who don't tip - what do you do when you're faced with a default service charge? It seems to be the case for at least half the places I go to nowadays and reading this thread I can understand why!
If there's no service charge i usually round up the bill + 10%, occasionally more for really good service. If it's been a bad experience, I might go as far as not tipping/removing service charge but that's vv rare
If there's no service charge i usually round up the bill + 10%, occasionally more for really good service. If it's been a bad experience, I might go as far as not tipping/removing service charge but that's vv rare
I have a question
Is tipping actually that widespread in America, or is it some old wives tale that tourists believe but isn't actually true.
The reason I ask is because when I was in Vegas I saw lots of tourists tipping but Americans not so much.
I wonder if tipping isn't as widespread as people would believe.
Is tipping actually that widespread in America, or is it some old wives tale that tourists believe but isn't actually true.
The reason I ask is because when I was in Vegas I saw lots of tourists tipping but Americans not so much.
I wonder if tipping isn't as widespread as people would believe.
Haven't tipped for a good long time
It would have to be something exceptional for me to tip
Just doing your job does not warrant a tip
A few times I have seen those gratuity card things and they take the pee. But they obviously work.. Cancel!
It would have to be something exceptional for me to tip
Just doing your job does not warrant a tip
A few times I have seen those gratuity card things and they take the pee. But they obviously work.. Cancel!
I hate the expectation to tip that now pervades the uk and seems to have crossed the Atlantic. I usually do but wish it wasn't expected. Surprised at numbers on here who don't actually. I always tip in places I expect to go back to.
I'd still tell them to **** off and I wasn't paying it, it's only them saying it's not optional.
Why should tipping be just for people who serve food? If I see a service charge on a bill I deduct it from the totaland don't leave a tip.
Exactly, I go to a restaurant so I expect to be served food and drink, just as I expect my car to be serviced when I take it to the dealers, doesn't mean I give the bloke at Ford a tip for doing what I expect them to do.
Man of Honour
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Both my daughters work in a restaurant, both get to keep all their tips and they both earn more in tips than their minimum wage.
I have watched them work and their customer service is excellent and I often take the mick out of them by imitating their customer care voices.
Two weeks ago the Manager of a well known local shop called my eldest over, told her she had been watching her for nearly an hour and said that she was wasted in the restaurant and offered her a job.
She now works 3 days in the restaurant and has just done her first 2 days in the shop.
I have watched them work and their customer service is excellent and I often take the mick out of them by imitating their customer care voices.
Two weeks ago the Manager of a well known local shop called my eldest over, told her she had been watching her for nearly an hour and said that she was wasted in the restaurant and offered her a job.
She now works 3 days in the restaurant and has just done her first 2 days in the shop.
You don't need to do anything, I asked a question and I would appreciate an answer.
What you have described is the standard service you should expect when going out for a meal. Being polite but not overly engaging, taking your order correctly and serving your food in a timely fashion. I don't think anyone is really advocating tipping for such a service.
Exceptional service however is like night and day from the above and goes way beyond just doing the job.
I personally don't tip unless I have received very good/exceptional service, be that in an expensive once in a while restaurant or my local regular Chinese. It also means I don't automatically tip every time I go back to the same restaurant, as it is based on the current experience.
Depends on the restaurant, and the behaviour of the waiter really.
I've had experiences where the waiter would recommend something instead of something I ordered, and be excellent, or prohibit us to order less cause the portions are too large to which he was right, or make us feel a bit better that we chose that restaurant and not something else.
If I've enjoyed my food and felt that the climate was hospitable I will tip usually 10%.
If not, sorry but won't.
P.S. I'd like to say that I hate over-zealous waiters that keep asking "is everything alright" while they run by your table, and don't even wait for an answer.
I've had experiences where the waiter would recommend something instead of something I ordered, and be excellent, or prohibit us to order less cause the portions are too large to which he was right, or make us feel a bit better that we chose that restaurant and not something else.
If I've enjoyed my food and felt that the climate was hospitable I will tip usually 10%.
If not, sorry but won't.
P.S. I'd like to say that I hate over-zealous waiters that keep asking "is everything alright" while they run by your table, and don't even wait for an answer.
You asked "how can you justify it?"
The answer is simple. I don't have to justify anything, because it's my own internal decision. If I want to leave a tip, I will.
Surely you must justify it to yourself, even if you're not consciously thinking it in exactly that terminology, otherwise if you couldn't justify it to yourself, you wouldn't be doing it?
Surely that internal decision is your internal justification based on your own personal criteria that decide if something/someone warrants a tip.
I think that's what he's getting at, rather than justifying it to a panel of judgmental onlookers or something
I've always thought it would be amusing to tip people who don't usually expect tips... I mean you tip the barber after a good haircut so why not leave the Dentist a fiver after he's done a good polish. He prob earns the same as some hairdressers in London with the prices they charge....
Soldato
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I don't really get tipping either. Apparently it's in decline in the states as well, especially in larger cities like New York.
What is great service anyway? Anyone working in a resterant should be polite. About the most they can do is be attentive and smooth things over when the kitchen screws up.
What is great service anyway? Anyone working in a resterant should be polite. About the most they can do is be attentive and smooth things over when the kitchen screws up.
I normally tip around 10% for restaurants when the service has been good. I'll generally leave that in cash on the (mistaken?) belief that the waiter / waitress will receive it.
But... it works both ways. On a couple of occasions recently I've walked out without paying anything. The last time was for a birthday meal where the service was dreadful, one course was completely wrong and another was not cooked correctly. I wrote my name and address down, told them that they should contact me if they thought I should pay and walked out.
They didn't get in touch, which I think is a huge missed opportunity to put things right. I am fortunate enough to spend a reasonable amount each month entertaining, and now that restaurant misses out on that. Milsoms, Kesgrave Hall - if anyone's interested. http://www.milsomhotels.com/kesgravehall/eat/
But... it works both ways. On a couple of occasions recently I've walked out without paying anything. The last time was for a birthday meal where the service was dreadful, one course was completely wrong and another was not cooked correctly. I wrote my name and address down, told them that they should contact me if they thought I should pay and walked out.
They didn't get in touch, which I think is a huge missed opportunity to put things right. I am fortunate enough to spend a reasonable amount each month entertaining, and now that restaurant misses out on that. Milsoms, Kesgrave Hall - if anyone's interested. http://www.milsomhotels.com/kesgravehall/eat/