TPTW - Tipping in the UK

[Kathie]

Tipping in the UK, is it now expected like in the US?, is it customary or is it still discretionary?

I often feel uncomfortable when it comes to leaving a tip, to be honest I would rather not tip but I usually do even when I'm not particularly impressed with the service as I don't want to appear mean spirited.

I do have some rules for example, I don't tip the owner and obviously if a service charge is added in a restaurant I don't leave a tip. I always tip a junior as I assume they are on the lowest wage whilst training.

If no ones around to see me, I dont put money in the dish after using toilets!
In hotels I get fed up of the amount of people that expect tips, the bellboy, room service, chambermaid and concierge.

I don't often take cabs as I find it an expensive service, then it's made all the more expensive when the tip is added.

When clients tip me, it goes straight in a large tin labelled with the name of a local animal charity and when full it will be donated, sometimes clients add a bit extra when they see it's going to charity.

Do you think some clients tip because they feel they have to? How do you feel when your client doesnt leave a tip?

 

[Sam81]

First, think you're very generous donating your tips to charity I think it's still very much discretionary as to whether we tip. Personally I only do it if I feel I've had exceptionally good service, or to people who I know will be on a low wage. I don't expect my clients to tip me but I'm very grateful and flattered when they do. One thing I hate is seeing a tip jar/plate out for all to see, it shouldn't be expected and I wouldn't want to feel forced into leaving one.

 

[jacquelineanna]

If I get good service I will tip the cleaner or the owner, I wouldn't differentiate.

If I get bad service they will get a flea in their ear.

I don't tip anyone in hotels .. carrying my bag a few feet after I've carried it around all day - I don't think so.

I don't like the concept of a whole country, like America for example, operating on the tip system.

Businesses should pay their workers properly and not rely on the consumer to pick up part of the wage bill.

If I've over-simplified the above statement please don't be offended.

Jacqui xx

 

[tigi]

I dont encourage tipping, There is no tipping box on the reception desk but the girls have their own boxes so if someone tips them, then its theirs.

If anyone tips me, I thank them and then I put the money in the saturday girl jar as she never gets a tip bless her!. I dont accept tips as salon owner.

I do tip, I tip my hairdresser every time and my own beauty therapist, and any other service that I deem as good, If its standard or sub standard, no tip!

I never feel forced to tip, and if its added automatically I ask it to be removed as Ifeel its cheeky to presume Ill tip. Am I tight?? Possibily, but actually its my money and how I choose to spend it is up to me.

tigi
x

 

[happyfeet]

Great TPTW!

I don't worry if people don't tip. Sometimes I have had the odd £1 or two added to the clients bill but i don't actually like taking them. I'd never refuse though. I love your charity tin for tips, i think that's great.

As for treatments myself (and i really don't have many or that often) I am inclined to give a nice size tip if i have say, had a really great haircut and i love it. I used to tip even though i didnt like the treatment or cut and it was around the £5 mark too! i've stopped that now of course.

Hospitality wise i embarrass the hell out of my husband. not by over tipping...... noooooo by not leaving one at all if i have had a straight forward they've served the meal and that's it. however if they do something over and above, provide a fantastic meal or just made the experience amazing then i will tip and tip good. i have a child i alwasys find greek and italian restaurants the best places to go. they know how to look after you and most importantly welcome my son. over the years different italian and greek restaurants have gone way above and beyond for me and my family, more than they ever needed to and they have been tipped handsomely, and rightly so, after all they deserve it.

I'm not sure when it came the norm in this country for some (not all) to expect their tips, i know some may not agree with this but i have never received tips or good will gestures in any of the jobs ive done so why should this be the case for others? and ive had low paid minimum wage jobs too. i had an expectant waiter from a well known chicken chain and waitress from a well known pizza chain expect tips when for the most part i had served myself from ordering, to eating from a buffet to getting my own drinks. needless to say i had to practically wrestle my husbands wallet into his pocket so he wouldnt be obliged to leave a tip!!!

 

[Pinkbunny28]

Definitely discretionary.

I tip when I feel I've had great service, not just good service.

I never pay a service charge in a restaurant. I will leave something if I can afford to thank you very much. Your job is to serve me my food, why should I pay you extra to do your job?

I honestly think it's much nicer to give a gift. For example if I'm in the hospital and stay overnight for whatever reason (I don't do this often, have only done it once) I will give a card and a box of chocolates to say thank you.

When people tip me I just say thank you (and feel all lovely inside) and leave it at that. x

 

[jacquelineanna]

Great TPTW!

i had an expectant waiter from a well known chicken chain and waitress from a well known pizza chain expect tips when for the most part i had served myself from ordering, to eating from a buffet to getting my own drinks. needless to say i had to practically wrestle my husbands wallet into his pocket so he wouldnt be obliged to leave a tip!!!

Lol .. I have been known to pick up the tip that my partner has left on the table if I didn't feel they deserved it.

 

[Nails<3]

A well known restaurant chain has a tip thing on their card machine!!

I go to put my pin and and up it pops- do you want to leave a tip :/ the server is standing over me making me feel nervous, I hate it. The majority of the time they don't deserve a tip but there is too much pressure lol

 

[Lush-Lash]

I never tip I'm awful for it. My hubby says I'm as tight as a ducks arse lol

I did once though, when we went to Egypt a few years ago. we met a waiter & he was lovely to my whole family, really helpful & friendly for the full 10 days we stayed for.

On the last day I had quite a bit of Egyptian currency left over so I gave it to him, then my dad see me do it & did the same with his spare leftovers, then my brother did too lol the waiter ended up with loads, & he started crying!! then started bowing to us like we were royalty telling us how greatful he was, bless him.

my dad said he only got so emotional because we had proabably just give him enough money to buy him & his family a new house lmao !!

Ahh well that's my good deed in life done with lol xx

 

[jacquelineanna]

I never tip I'm awful for it. My hubby says I'm as tight as a ducks arse lol

I did once though, when we went to Egypt a few years ago. we met a waiter & he was lovely to my whole family, really helpful & friendly for the full 10 days we stayed for.

On the last day I had quite a bit of Egyptian currency left over so I gave it to him, then my dad see me do it & did the same with his spare leftovers, then my brother did too lol the waiter ended up with loads, & he started crying!! then started bowing to us like we were royalty telling us how greatful he was, bless him.

my dad said he only got so emotional because we had proabably just give him enough money to buy him & his family a new house lmao !!

Ahh well that's my good deed in life done with lol xx

I want to say something but I don't know what .. that made me have a little tear.

 

[Lush-Lash]

my friends a hair dresser & has a pink money box with her name on & she's wrote TIPS on it.

she coins it in. she says it pays for her nights out & new clothes to go out in.
she's out every week & wears lovely clothes all the time. So she can't be doing bad lol x x

 

[dandelionpoppy]

A really good thread!

I don't get tips very often at all, which could be worrying, but I get quite a high % of repeat bookings, so I guess clients show they're happy with me that way.

When I go to the hairdresser's- which isn't that often- I shove £10 to the receptionist and mutter "Could you put that in the tips box?" because I have at least 3 people involved in the process of making me look human again. Somehow, though, I feel patronising, doing it.

I always leave a tip in the room when I leave a hotel. The room service people have the hardest jobs, I reckon. My daughter did it for a year and some rooms are left in a disgusting state. (I must stop trashing them.....)

I tip in restaurants/cafes, too, as waitressing is minimum wage (always in cash)

I'm not rich, nor generous. It's just something I do. Perhaps it's something I should question more?

 

[FlawlessBeauty]

I do have a tip jar, but that's because the hairdressers all had one when i started and people kept asking which one was mine so it seemed easier, lol.

I would never treat someone differently if they tipped or if they didn't. I say thankyou and get a nice warm feeling in my tummy though.

Not everyone can afford to tip. They might have had to save for a while simply to afford the treatment and if they say something nice about my service or return, i know they liked it.

I usually tip, unless i've really not enjoyed the experience. If i love it, i tip more. My boyfriend and I go to a Wimpy near us sometimes and they are fantastic, always remember you, great with little kids, good food...they always get tips.

I really really hate places that add on a service charge. I don't fight it though, like others might do, because i find it embarassing. I begrudge them under my breath haha.

A load of us went for a friend's birthday meal last year. You went to the bar to get your drinks and the food was buffet style. The only time the waiters came round was when she was opening some presents at the end and were asking us to lift our arms and drinks so they could clean the table, as it was nearly closing. They had a £1.50 per head service charge. The cheek!

 

[FlawlessBeauty]

On the last day I had quite a bit of Egyptian currency left over so I gave it to him, then my dad see me do it & did the same with his spare leftovers, then my brother did too lol the waiter ended up with loads, & he started crying!! then started bowing to us like we were royalty telling us how greatful he was, bless him.

That's lovely!

I went to St Lucia with my parents and there was a brilliant waitress like this and we saved a good bit to give her and she reacted in the same way.

It was her good service that encouraged us to do it though, not just that we're incredibly generous people all the time, so she earned it.

It really makes you think how much we take for granted and what such a little thing for us can be such a huge thing for someone else :hug:

 

[Kim Lawless]

I always tip everywhere I go, yet I tell my clients not to tip me. Crazy I know.

 

[Metamorfosis]

Some clients tip, some don't, I never expect it though. It's my job to give top notch service so wouldn't expect to be given extra if that makes sense.

I do have a jar though, my friends daughter has muscular dystrophy so whatever goes in goes to the muscular dystrophy campaign feel like I'm doing my bit even though it isn't my money really.

I rarely tip, my taxi drivers are always miserable and every waiter etc I come across seems to have a gob on so I don't bother Lol - but if I get service anywhere that is tip top then I will tip them!

We go to our local Greek restaurant a lot and i always give Andreas, the boss, a tip. He's a lovely guy from a place in crete that I visit a lot and he always gives us discount and freebies so I like to tip him. Plus the food is out of this world!!

 

[frizzfreehair]

Theres only 3 people i tip, beauticians, taxi drivers and waiters.

 

[Faylizzie]

Lol .. I have been known to pick up the tip that my partner has left on the table if I didn't feel they deserved it.

Ha I do this too, my boyfriend over tips so much and they barely ever deserve it, so as soon as he gets up I pocket it then put it in our savings jar! He doesn't tip me when I give him a massage though does he ay!?!

I will only tip if I believe they have gone out of their way to provide a top quality service for me.

A local restaurant to me added a service charge on to our bill at Christmas, we waited 1 hour 15 from ordering our food to getting it, 7 of the 10 dishes we sent to back as they were freezing. We refused to pay the service charge as it was shoddy service, no apologies etc an we all got barred cus we wouldn't pay it- ended in massive row!

I rarely get tipped, but lots of my clients give me little presents instead, especially round Xmas an my birthday bless them! I think I prefer that as it makes me feel like they value me as well as my services

 

[brittone05]

I used to work as a head waitress once upon a time when i was young. I loved my job and always went the xtra mile for my customers even little things like remebering what they had the previos visit to how they like their drinks etc. Our boss at the time would have us all put our tips in a jar to split at the end of the week whcih wasnt fair really as the other girls on shift didnt receive the tips i did because they.had no pride in their job - it was just beer money to them while to me, it was clothes.for my daughter.

I started refusing tips from my custoners, never said why but.most got the general idea after seeing me put my tips in the jar. Most then started saving them and putting them into envelopes for Christmas etc

I do tip if I feel a service warrants it, yes you are paid for good service but going that extra little bit is what makes.it special abd I will reward.for that xx

Sent from my GT-P1000 using SalonGeek

 

[salj]

I do tip in restaurants and taxis. I never tip my beauty therapist or hairdresser which is awful considering I'm a beauty therapist too. I always pay by card and never have cash and they don't have an option to add on a tip or I would.

I hate when a place adds on a service charge though, it should be up to me how much to tip! I usually have to wrestle my friends to put down a quid for a tip, they're so tight! hahaha. But then I'm used to my Dad who over-tips, ridiculously.

In America it was silly how many people expect a tip and will actually ask for it too. We were even given a leaflet on tipping by the waiter in the first restaurant we went to. I felt like chucking it back at him.