xxx

I will be staying in the UK for 6 weeks, but plan on trips thruout the UK and Scotland. What do you tip service personnel such as taxi drivers, waiters, maids, etc. Also, do you tip the owners/managers of B&B's? I'll be travelling solo for the first time and am really confused about this.

scurry

<BR>Apparently, you never have to feel like you have to automatically tip like we do in the US & never for as much. Restaurant staff & Taxi drivers although they appreciate it for good service do not rely on tips like they do here. <BR> <BR>One thing I remember about Scotland is all my friends getting upset for me tipping the bartenders -- it's just not done.

Alec

My rule of thumb on tipping in UK: only tip if the person is giving personal service and would welcome an additional money to supplement their wages. So I normally tip in restaurants (many places add 10-15% service automatically, in which case I don't), waitresses in tea shops (only 50p or so), at hairdressers (10%), taxis in London (where 10-15% is expected) but not elsewhere unless it was a long ride/particularly helpful, but even then tips aren't expected. You never tip in bar/pub, but you can 'buy a drink' - 'have one [for] yourself' is the accepted way of saying it when you order a drink - they simply add a nominal amount which they keep. You'll offend the (usually) kind people who run B&B's (called landlord/landlady) by offering a tip; if you want to show appreciation for special kindness, write glowing comments in their visitors' book and send a card after your return, and recommend to your friends. In general in UK, a sincere thank you is the usual way of showing appreciation, rather than by tipping.

Esme

Yes, we don't tip as a general thing here. Restaurants are the main exception, and as stated before they often add it onto the bill. If it is a small restaurant where gratuities are left up to you, a tip can be left on your table, after you have paid the bill for instance. Taxi's are another area of more frequent and expected tipping, youmight leave a small tip in your hotel room for the chameber maid, or tip a porter carrying your bags. Don't let it become a big worry to you as it isn't such a generally expected thing as in the states - we felt like we were paying more in tips than we had budgeted for in the whole of our shopping! It is nicer to say thank you and smile than feel you have to pay someone to do their job!

sylvia

I'd agree that you only really tip in restaurants and taxis. Often a restaurant will have a "staff box" near the place where you pay. You can put your tip there or leave something on the table. You would never tip the owner of a B and B. You are essentially a guest in their house albeit a paying one. You are not expected to tip bar staff but if you are buying a large round of drinks you might offer the barman/maid "one for yourself". IMHO one of the less pleasant things about the USA is the way everyone has their hand out. It's rather degrading and it would be far better to pay a decent wage.