Tipping - your thoughts

so, do you or don't you? and how?

I won't leave a tip if the service has been bad - eg slow, rude or sloppy service in a restaurant. I will tip in cash for good service, and ask for the service charge to be removed if it's not warranted.

I never tip my hairdresser. I've been with him for nearly 10 years and we've built up a relationship. I'd rather reward him with my ongoing custom, and now that he's operating from home, cash somehow seems a bit vulgar - but I often take him a gift.

I'm off to the USA shortly (BAA permitting) and I'm going to apply the same principle, even though they have a blanket expectation of tipping.

[Spiderman]

Haha you can even buy books in that mentalist country that tell you how much to tip each "catergory" of service! Nutters.

I'm, exactly the same as you tho CG, i only tip if i get good service. Poor service will result in the manager being called over. I used to be a restaurant manager many moons ago and any restaurant who does not love you for telling them where they failed deserves to close down.

in the US, if you think they were rude before you decided to not leave a tip, wait until after...

they expect it, even when you've had bad service, which does happen

[christopher]

20% in restaurants isn't an uncommon tip over there... but the simple option is don't eat in the same place twice

Originally Posted by Razor

in the US, if you think they were rude before you decided to not leave a tip, wait until after...

they expect it, even when you've had bad service, which does happen

I don't have a problem with that! Although, in my experience, they do customer service far better than here.

And as for eating in the same place twice, I don't think that's going to be an issue in NYC

I've done enough waitering to know how much difference it makes. The amount of times people could run up a £500 bill, have a great time, wonderful food, demand extra service, and then **** off without a penny is just demeaning. I worked out I averaged 30p/hour in tips in a fully booked cordon-bleu restaurant.

If you can afford it, and the service is nice. Do it please. Remember it's not the staff pocketing the profits.

At home, never. Wages are generally much better here. In the US and the UK only when service is to a decent standard - they have to earn it.

I had a little incident a few years ago with a business partner in the US. I refused to pay the tip for rude and disinterested service. He was offended by my refusal, made a huge issue of it and paid it himself. That was the end of that business relationship, but no great loss as I had my doubts anyway.

Same as my dog, I make it a rule not to reward bad behaviour so that said behaviour is not reinforced.

[christopher]

Originally Posted by gettin2dizzy

I've done enough waitering to know how much difference it makes. The amount of times people could run up a £500 bill, have a great time, wonderful food, demand extra service, and then **** off without a penny is just demeaning. I worked out I averaged 30p/hour in tips in a fully booked cordon-bleu restaurant.

If you can afford it, and the service is nice. Do it please. Remember it's not the staff pocketing the profits.

That's £0.30 an hour more on top of your wage than I get for doing my job... I don't get an extra £600 per year for doing the job I'm already paid to do.

I don't have a problem with tipping where appropiate (not just in restaurants), but it's the mentality of 95% of waiters and waitresses who expect a tip which bugs me, you're paid a wage. So do the job.

Do you tip the person on the checkout when they serve you and/or pack your bags in a supermarket?

Originally Posted by christopher

That's £0.30 an hour more on top of your wage than I get for doing my job... I don't get an extra £600 per year for doing the job I'm already paid to do.

I don't have a problem with tipping where appropiate (not just in restaurants), but it's the mentality of 95% of waiters and waitresses who expect a tip which bugs me, you're paid a wage. So do the job.

Do you tip the person on the checkout when they serve you and/or pack your bags in a supermarket?

£5 an hour isn't a living wage. Not only that, but your enjoyment relies heavily on a courteous and efficient waiter. They're paid to serve, not smile.

[G]

I tip if I get really good service... Which is rarely. There's a fine line between being genuinely helpful whilst eating and being a pain in the ****.

I went to Egypt last year and they wanted £1 for quite literally lifting my bag out of the bus and putting it on the floor. I obviously told them to F off.