Tipping

[Gemini]

A discussion on tipping on my Facebook page prompted me to write this.
When travelling in the states it is customary to tip more than we do here. You always leave a dollar or so a day either daily or all at once, for the maids who make up your room.
I have never done this in any UK hotel, never even thought of doing so! Am American friend who has just returned from a UK trip said they left a tip in a hotel as they are accustomed to doing so. Another ,English, FB friend said they always leave a tip in UK hotels!

I tip in restaurants, unless the service is diabolical, and in taxis, unless the taxi driver is rude, as many are!
I have a home hairdresser now, but when I went to the hairdresser I left an extra pound as tip.When we have home delivery pizza I often give them an extra pound.
I don't feel particularly comfortable tipping, especially the American kind where you give the bellboy a couple of dollars for bring bags, or anything else, to your room. It feels condescending to put money in their hand.

How do you feel about tipping? Who do you tip?

[Plantaholic]

If I eat in a pub I do not tip, restaurant yes unless service is included and if it is up to scratch. I would tip anyone who carried my bag up or down. I usually tip taxi drivers, not used that often. It is a difficult one Gemini

[Mimi]

I usually tip in restaurants if I think I have received good service, but I always check the bottom of the bill to see if service charge has been added, if so I refuse to pay the service charge . I hate the thought of all those tips going straight to the owners/ company of the restaurant and not directly to the staff. Do they ever get the exact amount back and how long do they have to wait for it?
I worked as a waitress when Iwas younger and even then the wage wasn't that great and the money received in tips was very welcome, and then it was straight into your hand to do with as you needed. We even put all our tips in a jar so at the end of the day the money was shared amongst the staff . That ensured that the kitchen staff also got a fair share , as they tended to be forgotten by the customers.
I never tip if I have received bad service. We have always left tips for the staffers that clean our hotel room.
I also give our Tesco grocery man a tip at Christmas time .

[Gemini]

My youngest daughter worked as a waitress for several years Mimi, so I appreciate what you are saying about tips and where they go. At her bistro the tips went into jar and were shared equally each week, including chefs and washers-ups. I disagree with the automatic adding of a percentage for tip too. You have to be sure to check your bill so as not to tip twice!
An interesting fact my daughter told me was that large parties tip the least, percentage wise, and groups of women tended to tip best!

[Nana]

Mimi, I've never thought to look for service charge at the bottom of a bill....is this just done on Hotel stays or on the bottom of the meal receipt? Neither did I know that you can refuse to pay it....does that cause trouble? Having waitresses myself I tip whether it's a pub meal or restaurant.

[Mimi]

Most places I have been to the service charge is at the bottom of the receipt . Your bill should have the total without service charge and then it should clearly state how much service charge is added on to make a grand total. Many people just look at the amount at the bottom of the the bill and then pay that not realising that they have paid a service charge/ tip .You do not have to pay the service charge, it is not legally binding, despite what some discrepatale companies would have you believe.
My DD, DIL and myself were threatened with the police by a restaurant owner because we refused to pay the service charge added on the bottom of our receipt . The service was appalling, the food was inedible so we thought expecting a tip was asking too much !
We just said, go ahead then phone the police , but it's their time you are wasting not ours , we a more than happy to wait here for them . He soon backed down .

[Nanto2girls]

I don't think we have ever tipped at a uk hotel. We always tip when we have had a meal, unless it's just a café.When leaving a hotel abroad, we always leave something for the chambermaid.
The first time we went to Las Vegas, we stayed in a hotel just off the strip.A free courtesy bus was provided, to take you to the strip.We tipped the driver ever time we used it.He must have made a fortune, because everyone tipped him when they were dropped off,and tipped him again,on return to the hotel.

[Elisi]

I always tip a hairdresser as I need to feel confident about how I get my hair done next time I figure if she gets a good tip she will remember and do her best next time! Restaurants yes, if the service is good I will leave a tip, if not I won't. Taxis yes if the driver is OK. I do remember in New York tips were expected for almost everything and DD and I did our best to oblige, Boston was the same. Arizona, well, they didn't expect anything much, so it goes to show how different parts of the States have different ideas! If we stay in hotels it's usually a Premier Inn and no tips needed or expected really.

[MillieB]

When we went on a cruise round New Zealand last November we discovered that Australians never tip! Cruise companies automatically take a set amount off your credit card for gratuities but this didn't happen for the Australians. We don't know if they were charged extra for their holiday to make up for this. We usually like to tip the cabin steward and our waitors on our evening table ourselves but find that they have to declare it.
We went on an organised coach trip from the ship and tipped the driver. We were puzzled by his reaction till we realised no one else had tipped.

[WeeGranny]

Depends on service as to whether we leave a tip or not! Always check bill to see if a service charge has been added, if it has then no tip! Tip hairdressers, beautician, porters in hotels. Don't think I've ever left a tip in a UK hotel, but leave something for staff in hotel we use in Slovakia.
We usually leave a money tip rather than put in on the bill if using a credit card.
Have also tipped drivers/guides on coach tours whilst on holiday.

[ZIZI]

We tip in UK hotels if the housekeeping is good. In restaurants I dislike the "optional service charge" if I don't think it is warranted I will refuse to pay it. This does result in some stinky looks but we went into a restaurant in London once where the service was appalling the food was nice when it came but it was cold, they didn't have the wine we asked for (three different bottles) and put 15% on the bill for service. That was a sticky one but I won in the end.
made it plain all of the things that had happened (or not in the case of the desserts that we got fed up with waiting for) meant that I was not prepared to give extra money for a meal that was not up to scratch.

I think it is important if you are refusing to pay the service charge with good reason that you do not raise your voice or bring attention to the fact you are not paying. If you are a really big group they will tell you in advance that they will add a percentage on which is understood as it takes the serving staff away from other diners but in my opinion if the service is rubbish they should not be rewarded for it.

I was a washer upper for a while in a restaurant in "the olden days" and then a salad maker/microwaver of lasagne and other pre prepared dishes, very innovative at the time, and then a waitress so I know how it works. If the kitchen does not perform then neither can the waiting staff. Our tips in those days were all put in a jar, the ones that were on cheques and (rarely then) on cards the management would take the cash out of the till and put it in the jar so very fair. Have to say I really don't want to do any of those jobs again although I admit we did have some fun at the time.

[Qwerty]

I alwayscross off the service charge no matter how good or bad the service is, I hate to be told how much I should tip I much prefer to leave my own tips thank you very much

[Qwerty]

Mimi, I've never thought to look for service charge at the bottom of a bill....is this just done on Hotel stays or on the bottom of the meal receipt? Neither did I know that you can refuse to pay it....does that cause trouble? Having waitresses myself I tip whether it's a pub meal or restaurant.

Its on your food bill usually I have always crossed it off and put the true cost of the bill on never had any problems woe betide if I did there is no law to pay it and it can be quite a substantial amount to your bill bananas to that hate being ripped off !!!!!!!!