Tipping

[jwest]

I have seen this topic come up few times on here, but after going out for dinner with my parents last night I have been thinking about it and I can't understand why tipping is still a custom here.

So can anyone tell me, if you tip in restaurants do you also tip the staff in McDonalds? After all they are doing the same job for just as little money. Not to mention any other profession on minimum wage that you don’t customarily tip.

Are you aware that it is up to the restaurant what they do with tips, it does not necessarily all go to the person that served you?

What are you actually tipping for, because the food was good? in which case why are you leaving it for the waitress/waiter. Is it because the staff that served you was polite? Surely that should just be a prerequisite of the job. Or because they were a nice person? Which would be ridiculous, imagine having a chat with someone in the street and then giving them a couple quid because you liked them...?

Although this topic is most applicable to restaurant staff, obviously we tip many professions. Frankly I think it is almost degrading, by tipping you are creating a strong, almost Dickensian divide between you and the worker as if you have control over them, or that your of a higher social status.

So what I really want to know is why you tip, how can you justify it?

FYI I am only referring to tipping in the UK, obviously in the US for example it is a different case as tips are used to make up their salary.

 

[wingman]

Funnily enough, normally I don't, but on the weekend I tipped the waiter in a restaurant. I thought the service, food and general ambience of the experience was worthy of a tip.

 

[MikeTheNative]

If I thought that the service was very good then I'll tip, but generally don't.

 

[Basher]

If the service was great I tip. Only then.

 

[TommyV]

normally a couple of quid, never give coppers though, that's surely just offensive!

 

[NoNameNoNumber]

I stopped tipping in the UK when my girlfriend-who waitressed in a very high end restaurant- told me that management take half of the tips to cover breakages and food that gets sent back.

 

[Dano]

It seems to be some sort of unwritten law around here, I was invited out to a meal for my nephews birthday some time back and my meal had to be sent back twice, not only did my brother still pay for it but he then insisted on leaving a 10% tip too, infuriating as so far as I am concerned my meal should have been discounted if not free.

I don't expect or accept tips for doing my job, why should anybody else.

 

[Clav]

If a bar is crowded I'll usually tip one or more of the staff so they will serve me quicker. Sometimes it doesn't work but mostly they'll spot me standing and come and get my order.

 

[wingman]

So can anyone tell me, if you tip in restaurants do you also tip the staff in McDonalds? After all they are doing the same job for just as little money.

Sure, if you consider being served by a miserable, emotionless group of individuals, providing non-food to be a similar experience to a Michelin star restaurant, then by all means, tip away.

 

[Slade2]

Mcdonalds Uk dont allow any employes to except tips.

 

[AJK]

So can anyone tell me, if you tip in restaurants do you also tip the staff in McDonalds? After all they are doing the same job for just as little money.

No they aren't, unless your local McDonalds is offering table service, etc.

Are you aware that it is up to the restaurant what they do with tips, it does not necessarily all go to the person that served you?

Yes. When I tip it's always in cash - up to the server if they then pocket it or put it in the communal tip jar, whatever.

What are you actually tipping for?

No real reason in this country. Most places I'll just round up the bill assuming that's about 5-10%. A nice place where we've had really good service I'll usually make sure it's 10-15%. If the service hasn't been up to scratch, tip won't be left.

Frankly I think it is almost degrading, by tipping you are creating a strong, almost Dickensian divide between you and the worker as if you have control over them, or that your of a higher social status.

This is a little silly.

So what I really want to know is why you tip, how can you justify it?

I don't feel the need to, to be honest. I don't feel like I'm doing something that requires any more justification than "service was good, here's a little extra on top of the bill"...

 

[MikeTheNative]

Sure, if you consider being served by a miserable, emotionless group of individuals, providing non-food to be a similar experience to a Michelin star restaurant, then by all means, tip away.

I once went to a KFC on the way to Canterbury, can't remember what services, but the staff seemed genuinely happy they were smiling all the time and were very polite. I'm not sure what they were giving the staff there but it seemed to work.

 

[shifty_uk]

I always pay by card which these days makes tipping unavoidable. All the devices seem to have a tipping screen which the waiting staff hand over to you before proceeding to the payment screen - It's a shocking way of conducting it, I always feel guilty and end up tipping. I don't want the staff to take the terminal back and 1. Think I'm a tight arse with no money and 2. Think they've not done their job properly.

 

[Raymond Lin]

The Japanese finds tipping is an insult.

Tipping is popular and accepted (US) is because there didn't used to be a minimum wage I recall and tips is how a waiter makes their living. It is good and bad, good in that it is an incentive for the waiter to be more attentive and thus gets paid more, bad that they could get paid less than minimum wage, depending in the establishment they work at and clientele.

 

[anything I don't mind]

I think IT should start accepting tips.

 

[robgmun]

I hate tipping, anytime. If i feel like i can get away with not giving a tip then i won't give one.

 

[Diagro]

if the food is Amazing i will ask that the tip be given to the Chef, or i will ask to see the chef with a serious face and then drop a bombshell of a tip on them

that normally goes down a treat

 

[bsoltan]

If it isn't a 'rule' in the UK then why do most places insist on a compulsory tip if you are a party of 6+?

 

[nick.lidgett]

If the service was great I tip. Only then.

normally a couple of quid, never give coppers though, that's surely just offensive!

This

I stopped tipping in the UK when my girlfriend-who waitressed in a very high end restaurant- told me that management take half of the tips to cover breakages and food that gets sent back.

sounds reasonable to me, why should the owners lose out for the staffs mistakes, like you say its a high end restaurant so I presume the breakages and poorly cooked food must cost a bit.
they could just fire them for being useless, instead they let them keep their jobs and subtract it from the tips - great idea.

One thing I don't like is tax, I think tips should be tax free for the food industry.

 

[MikeTheNative]

I always pay by card which these days makes tipping unavoidable. All the devices seem to have a tipping screen which the waiting staff hand over to you before proceeding to the payment screen - It's a shocking way of conducting it, I always feel guilty and end up tipping. I don't want the staff to take the terminal back and 1. Think I'm a tight arse with no money and 2. Think they've not done their job properly.

I have never seen a tipping screen on a card machine, is it before of after you enter your pin?