Tipping

[10menwent2mow]

I remember there being a debate about this on here a few years back, when someone gave the reason for not tipping being that most people don't declare tips as additional income thus not paying tax on it. 

Taxi drivers, waiting staff and barbers are about it for me. When I used to bet in the bookies if I got a decent win I'd leave a few quid. 

I've worked in both betting shops and hospitality and have always been very grateful when people leave a tip and never, ever expect it. 

With more and more people paying by card I think it's a dying thing though. I don't like leaving tips on cards as I'm pretty sure the staff aren't getting it all which is why if I'm out for food I always make sure I've a couple of quid in cash. 

[Steve_Wilkos]

1 hour ago, senorsoupe said:

Part of the reason tipping culture is so big is that the laws allow for servers to get paid a ridiculously low base wage.  Servers in American restaurants can make as little as $2.00 per hour base wage plus their tips. In Canada it's not that bad, but minimum wage for serving staff is still a couple of dollars less than regular minimum wage (I think that's still the case). 

If these people want more money why don't they quit and get better paying jobs?

[Derry Alli]

I'll usually think "right £80 for tea and drinks" in a restaurant. If it comes to £55 or £79.99 they'll get the change unless they're fucking terrible. 

I'll leave £5 or £10 in the room at hotels if I'm there a few days. 

Barber gets couple quid. 

Never tip delivery drivers. 

Taxi's are rewarded handsomely because  usually pished if I'm in them. 

Edit : same as above. I'll give the cashier some winnings if they're still on shift in bookies when I collect. 

Edited March 28, 2022 by Mr. Alli

[Ivo den Bieman]

1 minute ago, Steve_Wilkos said:

If these people want more money why don't they quit and get better paying jobs?

 

^^ Tory found

[Granny Danger]

12 minutes ago, Ivo den Bieman said:

 

^^ Arsehole found

FTFY

[BFTD]

Always worth checking if an establishment allows their staff to keep tips, or if it goes into the owner's pockets.

I had a nice waitress quietly tip me off (lol, also Kenneth) that they didn't see tip money, and she looked terrified when I suggested that she just slip the note carelessly left under the salt cellar into her pocket. I don't think folk appreciate just how cunty a fair number of bosses are at the lower end of the economy.

[Granny Danger]

1 minute ago, BFTD said:

Always worth checking if an establishment allows their staff to keep tips, or if it goes into the owner's pockets.

I had a nice waitress quietly tip me off (lol, also Kenneth) that they didn't see tip money, and she looked terrified when I suggested that she just slip the note carelessly left under the salt cellar into her pocket. I don't think folk appreciate just how cunty a fair number of bosses are at the lower end of the economy.

Business owners who don’t let their staff keep the tips should be whipped through the streets then set on fire.  It’s the only practical solution.

[GAD]

40 minutes ago, Hillonearth said:

Yeah, the basic wages are terrible and it encourages a level of solicitiousness that many Europeans find full-on creepy...I remember once being in the Times Square Brewery and ending up having to tell the waiter to leave us alone unless we asked for something...we genuinely couldn't keep a conversation going without this human C3PO popping up like a jack-in-the-box every 90 seconds to interrupt.

Some of them are at it as well - the one that sticks in mind was one time on the Virginia coast - Alexandria or Annapolis - where I'd ordered two beers costing about $6 and handed over a fifty. After about five minutes, my mate pointed out I hadn't got my change back, so I called over the barman

"Oh, I assumed that was a tip..."

Had to give him a crash course in basic Scottish....

 

 

It's been a while since I've been in America, but I've also had a few times, in places like San Francisco, Portland and Houston where the bar staff have been pretty much drinking with us, and for the tips they were getting, we were getting loads of free rounds and very generous pours.

US tipping culture is mental though, it's hard for Europeans to get their head round at times, and I think that's why sometimes it comes across as a bit rude, especially in tourist areas, but the truth is, if you don't tip the hotel shuttle bus driver, for example, (as most Europeans would not), then he just doesn't get paid.

[Craig fae the Vale]

I usually tip about 10-15% in restaurants and usually round up to the nearest pound on the rare occasions I'm in a taxi. Have been known to say to bartenders to "get one for themselves" but usually only in places I know well.

My wife is American and has a tendency to vastly over tip in restaurants if she's in charge of the bill. Conversely I could not get my head around the tipping culture when I was over there, so different to what I'm used to.

[DA Baracus]

I don't tip in restaurants, but that's because I don't eat in restaurants.

I never tip in bars. If the bartender 'took one for themselves' every time it was suggested they'd probably be utterly pished. Pretty sure they'd just prefer cash too, unless folk mean for them to take the cash value of drink for themselves?

[jakedee]

I don't tip in restaurants, but that's because I don't eat in restaurants.
I never tip in bars. If the bartender 'took one for themselves' every time it was suggested they'd probably be utterly pished. Pretty sure they'd just prefer cash too, unless folk mean for them to take the cash value of drink for themselves?

Bar staff don't usually "take one for themselves" but take the cash as a tip.

[DA Baracus]

1 minute ago, jakedee said:

7 minutes ago, DA Baracus said:

I don't tip in restaurants, but that's because I don't eat in restaurants.
I never tip in bars. If the bartender 'took one for themselves' every time it was suggested they'd probably be utterly pished. Pretty sure they'd just prefer cash too, unless folk mean for them to take the cash value of drink for themselves?

Bar staff don't usually "take one for themselves" but take the cash as a tip.

I thought that's what it meant. Still, I did have folk offer me a drink occasionally when I worked behind a bar.

[Craig fae the Vale]

9 minutes ago, DA Baracus said:

I don't tip in restaurants, but that's because I don't eat in restaurants.

I never tip in bars. If the bartender 'took one for themselves' every time it was suggested they'd probably be utterly pished. Pretty sure they'd just prefer cash too, unless folk mean for them to take the cash value of drink for themselves?

When I worked in bars, I mainly took the cash value of the drink.

[VincentGuerin]

Tipping gives me the absolute fear. I leave 10% in restaurants, round up to the nearest quid for a taxi driver, and that's the end of it.

It actually puts me off going to the USA. Sounds stressful as f**k.

[SuperSaints1877]

1 hour ago, Mr. Alli said:

Taxi's are rewarded handsomely because  usually pished if I'm in them. 

A few years ago I fell asleep on the drive home as I was pished. When the car stopped on the driveway I tried to pay and tip the driver.

Turned out it was my wife. Oops.

[2426255]

1 hour ago, Granny Danger said:

I believe in sharing the wealth unless the service is very poor or someone is a c**t.

Same, I normally tip anyone providing a service where it is the norm to tip so taxis, grocery deliveries, takeaways, barbers, restaurant etc. Amazon/DPD drivers I don't generally, but they are so fast I normally don't have a chance or I'm not in at the time.

I had a horrific taxi driver once, but I ended up tipping him cause he seemed like he needed cheered up.

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

Ive had some awful meals in American restaurants and had the staff give me grief about not tipping, a tip is a thank you for good food/service if its shite then no tip. Dont think thats particularly controversial. But conversely ive had some great experiences in restaurants and tipped very well. Also hate the over the top stuff they do in American restaurants, im more likely to tip better if i dont get the sycophantic OTT stuff.  

Back home i usually tip 10-15% in a restaurant if the service is good and more if its a really good meal/experience. 
 

Barber gets a couple of quid. 
 

Food delivery guy gets 10% on top of the uber eats/restaurant, because I know a lot of these people get treated really shit by customers and sometimes bumped/assaulted when they go to some areas. 
 

Hermes drivers can go f**k themselves. 
 

Postie continually puts the wrong mail through the door so he gets nothing.

Bin men dont seem to be able to take tips round my way, which is a shame but they get sweets and beer at xmas time now instead. 
 

If i get really good service in a shop or something where someone sort of goes above and beyond they get a tip, had a guy in a garage spend a bit of time sorting a problem with one of my wheels, it didnt need any parts and he wouldnt charge me for labour, just explained something about the break disc and said there was no need for any work to be done, he got a tip for his time. Travel with my disabled parent quite a bit so if we get good assistance in the airport etc then the staff get a decent tip too. Sometimes its a nice way to say thank you, of they arent allowed to take a tip then i will email their company because often they get wee awards/recognition or it might help them get a promotion or something. Always worth recognising decent service. 

[Mark Connolly]

16 minutes ago, Inanimate Carbon Rod said:

Hermes drivers can go f**k themselves.

I noticed they have rebranded themselves as Evri. The good news is they still tell you your parcel will be delivered on a specific day, only to update you one minute before the end of the last delivery window that there has been an issue, and it won't be delivered.

New branding, same useless shite.

[carpetmonster]

1 hour ago, GAD said:

It's been a while since I've been in America, but I've also had a few times, in places like San Francisco, Portland and Houston where the bar staff have been pretty much drinking with us, and for the tips they were getting, we were getting loads of free rounds and very generous pours.

US tipping culture is mental though, it's hard for Europeans to get their head round at times, and I think that's why sometimes it comes across as a bit rude, especially in tourist areas, but the truth is, if you don't tip the hotel shuttle bus driver, for example, (as most Europeans would not), then he just doesn't get paid.

Cali and Oregon the minimum wage for tipped staff is way higher - I *think* in Cali they don’t differentiate between tipped and untipped staff, and Oregon it’s $9 or $10 so they were probably having a great old time with you. Texas it’ll be federal minimum - $2.13 - so they were likely just saying f**k their bosses (as they should). 

[101]

3 hours ago, senorsoupe said:

Part of the reason tipping culture is so big is that the laws allow for servers to get paid a ridiculously low base wage.  Servers in American restaurants can make as little as $2.00 per hour base wage plus their tips. In Canada it's not that bad, but minimum wage for serving staff is still a couple of dollars less than regular minimum wage (I think that's still the case). 

So I guess we better start tipping P&O staff if they get us to France without sinking.