Tipping up

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Posted at 9:53AM, 04 November 2009 by Lily Barclay - Writer, bbcgoodfood.com

Eating out is supposed to be a treat, but the last meal I had out with a friend felt much more like a trick - only I wasn't being framed. The cutlery was dirty, the food was terrible, and the waiters looked about as happy to be there as Naomi Campbell doing community service.

He decided he wasn't paying the service charge - I decided to go and hide in the toilets

When the bill did arrive (after a 40-minute wait and a lot of averted eye contact) the 12.5% add on looked about as appetising as the food. But I was still in awe when my friend decided he wasn't paying the service charge - I decided to go and hide in the toilets. Unluckily for me I arrived back just as the drama was beginning...

A small congregation of waiters had formed around the table, the heads of curious diners were turning in our direction, and after much huffing and puffing the manager was called, a new bill was produced and at last sweet freedom was once again ours.

Being British, I might have preferred to pay the tip as expected and save my complaints until we were safely out the door - but as it turned out I felt a lot better about the experience knowing that we (well ok, he) hadn't caved in. But it did make me question the way our whole tipping system works.

If you've remembered your magnifying glass it might be possible to see the word 'optional' printed above the service charge, but when you have to go through the hassle of asking for a new bill and facing the hostility of the offended staff - not paying out the extra 12.5% doesn't feel very optional at all. Surely it should be the customer's decision to decide if and how much we would like to tip, depending on the quality of the service.

I'm all for restaurant staff getting a decent wage, but unlike America, eating out in Britain generally isn't cheap, and I do think it should be the employer's responsibility to ensure staff are fairly paid. Tipping should be a show of appreciation for good service - something I am normally only too happy to do.

What are your views on tipping?

Comments

Joff

4 November 2009, 2:49PM
Joff

On the flip side, when I see a "discretionary" service charge has been included in the bill, I pay that but don't leave anything extra (I normally tip 15% for good service). Paying by cash obviously makes tipping a lot easier and bad service can be "tipped" by leaving a solitary 1p piece, making sure I've taken the complimentary mints of course!

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Roberta

4 November 2009, 2:56PM
Roberta

I always tip well for good service, and badly (or not at all) for bad service - how else are they supposed to know if they're getting it right. However, if the food is bad but the service is good, i will still tip - i'm not going to blame my waiter for the chef's faults. It annoys me when a service charge is automatically added on to the bill - I think it should be up to the customer to decide on how much they want to tip. Also, if you pay your service charge with the bill, how do you know your waiter is actually seeing that money?

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DNA

4 November 2009, 11:58PM
DNA

I'll probably be seen as a bad man for saying this, but I hate the perception that it seems to be the law that I must pay extra for a meal. I do often leave a tip in a restaurant but only do because everyone seems to think it is wrong not to but I have done less so recently. Here's how I see it, people don't tend to give their builders a tip for doing a good job when building their extension or plumbers for managing to fix their leaky toilet & pipes, yet some people who carry your food to you deserve a bonus for some reason. I don't think people should feel bad about not paying extra just to seem polite, they get paid after all & if you go to a pub & have a carvery waitors do sod all anyway. That's my rant over & is something I felt like saying for a long time.

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David France

5 November 2009, 7:43AM
David France

As I expect the inclusive tip goes to the management and not the waiters I always ask for the tip to be removed and then I leave a good cash tip on the table if I think the service has been good. That way the waiter might see some of it. But then I have always been a bit cantankerous.

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Stavros

5 November 2009, 8:51PM
Stavros

I agree with a lot of the comments, I will always tip for good servicce - but also feel slightly uneasy as I wonder why its only waiting staff I tip... I remember eating out one time in America, I was amazed at how happy and friendly the staff were, however we soon saw through the veneer of joviality when we only tipped 10%! We should be grateful that restaurant staff in the UK aren't as voiciferous as their American cousins when unpleased with a tip, or lack thereof!

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Maxine

9 November 2009, 11:23AM
Maxine

The older I get the more I tip based purely on the service - if good service I tip fairly and if bad I tend to tip not a lot. One of my cousins was working in a restaurant in London and the only tip she would receive would be whatever was paid above the service charge. For example if the 25% service charge was paid it would go direct to the company - if someone paid the charge and left Â£10 on the table, only the Â£10 went to the staff member. As a customer I am paying the service charge to the staff member who served me - not the company - it is like a hidden cost on top of the meal and is unfair to us the consumer but equally to the staff!

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CK

11 November 2009, 9:46AM
CK

I totally and utterly agree with DNA. I don't think that service staff is somehow entitled to get a tip just because they are doing their job. I also always tip because it has become something of a social tabu not to. However, service staff get paid like everybody else and customers should not feel guilty when they don't leave a tip. Customers pay a hefty price for the meal and shouldn't be responsible for paying the staff as well.

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roddycun

11 November 2009, 5:48PM
roddycun

I am a waiter myself and I believe that a tip should not be a standard value (10-15%). I know I don't earn a particularly good hourly wage, but if somebody is to tip me as little as a pound it does give me the incentive to provide a good service. Service charge at my restaurant (known for its poor food quality) is added to big tables, and was installed to make sure we got a 'fair deal'. Now since we only see a fraction, around 35-40%, of this service charge for various reasons, I would welcome the return to a traditional tipping system as it creates no awkwardness for the customer. If they believe we don't deserve a tip or simply don't want to tip us that is up to them. At the end of the day, they are paying to eat out and good service should come as standard. Also if we get tipped in cash, we don't pay tax. Bring back the old days!

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Nutz66

17 November 2009, 9:39AM
Nutz66

in australia they actually are affended by people tip after a meal and i think this is a great policy

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Steff85

21 November 2009, 9:01PM
Steff85

I get annoyed when resturants add service charges, its never the small independent places that add it on its always the large chains with no appeal what so ever. Also in certain countries where waiters are on a really poor wage, not like here, they don't expect tips and can get offended if you do!

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