Tipping
 

I have done some research regarding this question re: pubs and restaurants, conceirge, etc. However, could someone please advise me regarding these questions about tipping. A full breakfast is included with our room. I was wondering if we should tip after each breakfast and what percentage. Should you tip the cleaning lady each day or at the end of your stay and what percentage. I have read it should be 1 pound per piece of luggage for the driver and then how much for the bell boy (if there is one).

Thanks in advance.

Where?

One has to be a detective here sometimes to figure out where someone is talking about, but many complain if we suggest people actually include the name of where they are talking about.
Since redhat mentins tipping a "pound", I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess we're talking London.


I get too much disagreement when I suggest that you should tip the maid about a pound per day, each day as you go along, so I'll refrain from that suggestion here.

Sorry about not mentioning the location. I thought I was in the United Kingdom selection.

I've been told that British bartenders do not expect to be tipped, but I do tip waiters/waitresses in the UK just as I would in the U.S. On my first couple trips there, I left one tip for the hotel maid at the end of my stay of at least £1 per day or more, but then I thought, if there are different maids cleaning my room, the one that happens to do it the day I leave would get the whole tip and may or may not split it with the others. So now I leave a small tip each day so whoever does the room gets the tip. However I've tipped the breakfast room staff once, just before leaving, since they are the same people each day. I haven't stayed at anyplace upscale enough to warrant a porter so I have no experience there. For a cab driver I usually tip 10-15%, rounded up to the next even pound.

Hi redhat, the confusion comes about because of this. Whatever is posted on the Europe Board shows up on the Europe Board. The various country names can be clicked on and IF the name of the country is in the title of the thread than those post will be displayed. In otherwords, since your title just reads "Tipping" it will not show up in the United Kingdom section. If you had entitled your thread "Tipping in the United Kingdom" then it would have. But in either case your thread will be displayed on the left side under "Europe". Confusing I know..it took me a few weeks when I first came onto Fodor's to figure how the system works.

Not quite right, LoveItaly. This thread is in the UK section because redhat put it there. The problem is that people who come here to answer questions are often knowledgable on a number of countries, and therefore enter the forum at the Europe level, and stay there. So they can't tell into which countries the posts may be selected.

Yes you are right ron, I was under the impression that only titles that had .. well you know, LOL.

Anyway, I do believe most people just click on Europe and consequently if the title or the post doesn't indicate what country etc. it can be confusing. I had figured redhat was referring to the UK..as pounds were mentioned..but since I have never been there of course I couldn't offer any advice.

Thanks for your correcting my comment ron, one can learn something new every day!

And I've been called "cheap" for suggesting that as a general rule it's inappropriate and insensitive to tip at American levels in countries which, unlike America, pay service staff a living wage, or close to one. I too would be interested to know what local expectations are, which is what redhat is trying to find out, without much success so far.

I apologise to the posters concerned if I've misinterpreted them, but it's not clear whether some of the advice tendered here is based on actual knowledge or is a case of (no offense intended) "when in England, do as the Americans do".

redhat, if you use the search bar on this page you should pick up some earlier threads on the subject.

Neil brought up an interesting point.

Does anyone know what the hourly wage is for a housekeeping in the UK? In the US from what I understand the salary is about $7.50 to $10.00 per hour. There was quite an article on the www.usatoday.com a week or so ago.

We read and heard that Brits do not like to tip and do not expect tips, except for taxi drivers (10%).

Anywhere we've stayed with breakfast included was a buffet, so we did not tip.

We tipped housekeeping and bell hop as we do at home, just because that's what we do.

We also read/heard that it is actually improper to tip in pubs, but when I asked about this, I was informed in place after place that tips are very much appreciated.

We also did our customary tipping in restaurants where the service was pleasant.

Be advised, some restaurants add a gratuity to your check. You can (if you wish) ask that it be removed. I mention this so that you will not inadvertently pay a gratuity twice.

It's always interesting when people seem surprised to learn that workers appreciate tips. And it is just as interesting when people say "tips" are frowned upon. By whom? Do some people seriously believe there are housekeepeers, waiters, and other service workers who really believe "I'm paid very well. Please don't show your appreciation by giving me a little extra for a job well done. I don't want to make any more money than I do, and I don't appreciate people rewarding my good service"?

Imagine there was no tipping. It's easy if you try. They may say I'm a dreamer. But I'm not the only one.

Best wishes,

Rex

This is a burning question for me, where does one leave the tips for housekeeping in a hotel in Europe?

For instance, in Florence, I left daily tips that were never touched until I finally told the housekeeper that those tips were for her. Fortunately, it was a small hotel where she was the only housekeeper so she got all her tips.

In Madrid, I also left daily tips, also untouched. Then I accidentally left the accumulated tip money on the pillow because I was in a rush. When I came back, it was finally taken. Hopefully by housekeeping who didn't take the euros for a wash.

Is the standard practice to leave the tip on the bed? I usually leave my tips on the nightstand at other places around the world, even the UK.

I 'decorate' small plain envelopes before the trip, with the hotel name and a 'Merci' or 'Dank u', insert a couple €, and leave it on the foot of the bed each morning, in plain sight. It is always gone by our return.

Well I live in London and this is what I generally do:

1) Taxis - generally I round up about 10-15% - so if the fare is £7.80 I tend to give them £9.00. Then again if it's £8.20 I will also round up to £9.00. The main reason being that they (and I) would rather not mess around with small change.

2) Restaurants - check your bill, in most places there will be a service charge added of around 12.5%. In these places, don't tip unless your service was really superior.

3) Pubs/bars (without table service) - bar staff don't expect to be tipped, it's not part of the culture. However if you want to then you should say something like 'And one for you?' to the person serving - ie. can I get you a drink too? They then have the option to take the money at the end of the night or have a couple of drinks themselves.

4) Pubs/bars with table service - a pound or two is sufficient but again, check whether there is a service charge built in...

5) Housekeeping staff - a pound a day is fine

6) Hairdressers - a pound or two for the person who washes your hair and generally about £5 for the stylist (NB. this is for ladies salons, I don't know what the form is in barbers)

And that's about it, we don't really tip anyone else apart from the dustmen, milkmen, paperboys etc at Christmas - not something you have to worry about!

Darn, Tallulah, you quit just as I was about to find out how much to tip my dustman!

Nice to hear there are at least some Brits who don't rant that only stupid Americans would tip anyone.

But that tip for a hair stylist, (about $9 US -- really? -- is that like in the US, ladies?)

For those who were interested we have a legal minimum wage in the UK. For adults (over 21s) the current rate is £5.05 an hour ($9) and on 1 October 2006 this will increase to £5.35 ($9.50).

There are lower rates for younger people but everyone working legally gets at least the minimum wage for their age group.

I'd agree with the previous advice from the Londoner on tipping. Don't 'tip' as such in pubs - the way it is done is to offer to buy the barstaff a drink. They will usually then say 'i'll have it later, thanks', ring up another drink on to your bill and keep the money. That's how it works here. Don't directly hand them money as a tip. In fact, in my whole life here, I've never bought a drink for a bartender more than a handful of times. It's certainly not expected.

Restaurants, leave 10% ish on the table AS LONG AS THERE IS NO SERVICE CHARGE ADDED TO YOUR BILL! Taxis - tip around 10% or let them 'keep the change' if its about right.

Tipping after breakfast in your hotel - not expected at all.

Neopolitan - I don't think that I've ever remembered to tip a dustman - what is the going Christmas rate?! - but I know that a lot of people do!! :-)

Regarding hairdressers - my haircuts have for years usually cost £50-60 (ouch but that's Soho!) so it's really only about 10%. BUT I recently started going to my local hairdresser in Harringay - which is actually better and more convenient - and that only costs me £17! So I really don't begrudge still giving £5

Anyway, of course there are times when it's proper to tip someone. Not least because you can make a point of WITHOLDING the tip when the need arises! I get a huge amount of pleasure in deducting the 12.5% automatic service charge in restaurants when it's dreadfully undeserved! ;-)