Tipping etiquette

[Diddums]

That's the thing, a tip to me at least has always meant to be a surprise, a "you've done well, here's a bit extra" kind of thing. When it then turns in to an expectation, you're removing the element of people wanting to go above and beyond as they're potentially getting a tip anyway. A tip is a tip, it's not a bloody fee.


Also service charge can get in the sea.

 

[Hades]

I hate the tipping culture. It allows companies to pay their staff less and expect tips to make up the difference. I will give tips in restaurants and occasionally in a taxi depending on how service went. But I can't think where else I would tip now.

When I was in the US recently I really hated being asked for a tip at Starbucks where I found the service to be appallingly slow. I did still tip because that is their culture over there. But here in the UK you can GTFO with tips unless you really do go the extra mile.

 

[happy_2008]

Your stylist, for clarity. Not the salon owner.

They only have 2 people working there and ones the owner and the other to wash hair and do general chores.

 

[dirtychinchilla]

I can't stand this. I'd very likely leave a restaurant if I saw that on the menu. They're already charging for the food, it's not my fault they can't/don't pay their staff enough without adding on an automatic "service charge"

The purpose of the service charge isn't to tip the waiters. It's a tip that gets split between everyone in the restaurant, so the chefs who slave away in the kitchen are also able to receive tips, which isn't possible in a normal setup.

Whether that's right or wrong, who knows. But it basically ensures everyone is tipped, not just the waiter.

 

[squerble]

The purpose of the service charge isn't to tip the waiters. It's a tip that gets split between everyone in the restaurant, so the chefs who slave away in the kitchen are also able to receive tips, which isn't possible in a normal setup.

Whether that's right or wrong, who knows. But it basically ensures everyone is tipped, not just the waiter.

But they should be getting paid out of the money the restaurant takes for its menu items. That's it. It's up to the restaurant to divvy that money out. All of it taken from menu items, be they drinks or food.

 

[dirtychinchilla]

But they should be getting paid out of the money the restaurant takes for its menu items. That's it. It's up to the restaurant to divvy that money out. All of it taken from menu items, be they drinks or food.

Yup. I suppose they then have to put prices up.

What makes me laugh is that margins on food are ENORMOUS.

 

[FishThrower]

Can you explain why tipping for a spreadsheet is more bizarre than tipping for a meal? Aside from convention.

it doesn't make sense tipping someone who sets the price of things. tipping originated from topping up someones wages as their basic salary isnt very good from their employer.

 

[Tom_ed1987]

I'm full Mr pink on this, apart from where you have 'service 15%' on a restaurant bill- I still haven't found the balls to ask them to remove it yet. But one day.

 

[Efour]

I hate it so much I'm genuinely scared of taking a holiday to the USA.
The utter fakery of it all in ridiculous.
Id end up being shot by a cabby, bellhop, waitress, whomever I have to deal with.

I think living in a country where you take a job and get paid so poorly you literally have to fake beg for wages makes no sense....