Tip creep in UK

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I don't think the staff are actually seeing this tip money too.

That seems likely; if they did receive any of it they almost certainly wouldn't skip that stage before letting the customer pay.

I noticed some charges are very cheap, only about £2 across a town. Considering wear and tear on a car and the return trip, I'm surprised many do deliveries so cheaply.

Yeah I never thought of it that was before

Even if they did I wouldn't pay it until there's a sizable change in British restaurant culture. Out goes ordering at the bar and returning glasses and in comes actual staff coming to the tables. What I experienced in that pub was a bit of a piss take it they wanted a tip and probably wouldn't fly in the US.

I lost count the number of times I lost my table by ordering at the bar too.

Interesting how the Brits will react to demands of tipping for obvious cultural and business practices differences.

I remember when you could just tell the bar person to keep the change or have one for themselves but I was in a place the other day and they only took card payments..no cash so if you did tip on your card it's not going personally to the person who has served you all night.

I hate table service btw but if I was at risk of losing my seat then I would probably have to use it

People resent tipping when there is a cost of living crisis going on and some people can barely (or not at all) - pay their bills.

Even for people who do have disposable income, they'll want to put any excess money into savings, not into the coffers of a greedy restaurant chain.

I don't usually do bars and restaurants so I'm not often in a position to tip anybody. If somebody can afford bars and restaurants they'd better not complain about their own income to me.

But because of a rail strike in the UK I had to hire a taxi to Heathrow. I didn't tip the driver. Wasn't sure whether it was "expected" or not. He did look a bit annoyed as I was about to walk away, but money is tight with me these days, and I was already shelling out quite a bit more for the journey than a train ticket would have cost. And I don't see why I should pay extra just because they turned up at the agreed time and did their job. So I didn't feel guilty about it, just a tad apprehensive that if I have to get a taxi next time from the same company, they'll remember and not bother to turn up, which would cause me a lot of damage. But it seems very unlikely they'd remember.

As for restaurant staff etc. depending on tips, I guess one argument is that it just enables the owner to pay low wages, especially if it's the management that mediates the tipping. How do I know what the management will do with it? I would imagine that it has to go through the books and they pay tax on it. So I prefer tipping to be a matter of hiding a bit of cash under the plate for the employee to quietly snaffle when they collect the payment for the meal or whatever.

But like I say, I don't do restaurants or bars normally, I prefer home visits between friends because it's much better value and I don't think there's much in this idea of meeting friends on "neutral ground." If everybody were like me, the hospitality industry would collapse. But I've been known to go to less horrible restaurants with friends who are of a different opinion about these things, and I've just paid up and contributed to a tip if they've felt it's a good idea. As long as it's not often I don't really mind.

If I had my way nobody would own a chain of restaurants, they'd be limited to one and they'd have to work in it themselves, and I might make them share the ownership with the other staff. Otherwise they could be getting rich off other people's backs. And if the economy is so bad that there has to be any poverty, maybe labour time would be better spent on something a bit more important than frilly restaurants that nobody really needs.

I always tip the folks from the dispensary that deliver my weed.
It’s a gratitude tip.

I don’t eat in restaurants or drink at bars very often At All so I always tip and usually fairly generously. Definitely a habit you pick up when you spend years working in bars.

I will also tip at liquor stores sometimes, especially when someone is very knowledgeable and makes recommendations on the perfect gift bottle for someone who likes _____ or when their service is above and beyond and they’re just a super cheery person that elevates my mood.

I also always tip my barber well, too, especially since I don’t get my hair cut and beard trimmed very often compared to most people.

Once in a while when I go out and I Know I’m only going to have One or Two drinks from the bar, I tip Very well on the first one/two and then when I switch to soda water with a twist of fresh lime for the rest of the night I typically never get charged for them And don’t have to wait in line as long.

I never order delivery for food so that’s a non issue. Once in a long while if I take a taxi or Uber I tip, or if I order an Uber for someone else I tip.

If I buy food from any of the vendors at the beach I round up and tip - especially Lucy for her homemade Peruvian food.. she grows all her own veggies, cooks up a storm, and then carries empanadas down nearly 500 stairs and serves them still hot w/ homemade salsa verde = deserving older lady!



A fairly wealthy friend of mine does tip at restaurants, but always a maximum of 10% because he feels they make Good money at that rate and with menu prices creeping up super high wtf how is an 18%+ tip justified??? I get his pov, too.