Tipping in England
 

I've done some searches on Fodor's, and various posts would indicate that if there is no service charge in a restaurant, tip 10%. Is this right? (Which is more common, service charge or no service charge?) Is it also true that tipping is not expected in pubs? If a pub is my evening's entertainment, should I tip then, how much, and when? I am usually a generous tipper (20% at home in the U.S., but I don't want to offend anyone or egregiously overtip.) Any other advice for pubs (I am not a bar-goer in the U.S. and--don't laugh--am not 100% comfortable with bars over here when it comes to when to pay, when to tip, etc.)? Any social etiquette to consider? (I will be in small towns a lot and am traveling solo. It would be fun to chat with the locals.) I will be traveling in Manchester, the Lakes District, the Yorkshire Dales, York and the Peaks District. Thanks in advance!

I'll have to defer to locals on this; but I do know that at an English pub you don't tip the bartender serving you a pint or two. Food might be another story.

Crikey – where to start? Tipping is expected in restaurants – 10-15% is the going rate (unless there is a service carge).

You don’t tip in pubs, not even for food. If you’re in there all evening you might offer to buy the barman a drink (he doesn’t actually drink this – he gets the cash). This really isn’t expected.

This will tell you all you need to know about the rules of the pub (which are important. Study carefully):

http://www.sirc.org/publik/pub.html

Thank you. David, having looked at the website I don't feel so stupid for asking.

I like a dark beer, but not so dark as Guiness. I also like lots of flavor. Fruitiness or sweetness is a plus. Any recommendations?

Guy18: one of my favorites in Yorkshire was Black Sheep Ale - brewed in Yorkshire, and widely available there. You can occasionally find it in bottle here - still good, though obviously much better on draught. And I have a question for David. Why do women in pubs tend to drink half-pints (even when they have more than one), whereas men drink full pints?

Tracy: Some women drink half-pints because they consider it unladylike behaviour to down pints. However, I have no such qualms and will happily quaff pints. Another reason it that they may not be able to take the volume and feel bloated after drinking just a couple of pints (especially if ther usual tipple is wine or shorts).

Hi Tracey! You were one of the first to offer me advice for my trip. Thanks for all the info. Look for my trip report later this summer :)

Once upon a time, when I was a wee student slaving behind a bar, it was pretty common practice to tip bar staff. As the customer handed over the dosh, they would typically say 'and one for yourself'. They never strictly meant this, and would be a bit shocked if you took for the price of a stiff G&T. Instead, we'd take about 30p (what drink we were supposed to buy with this, Lord only knows).

However, it seems that as time has gone on and people have got materially more wealthy, they now all want to keep it for themselves and tipping bar staff has become a rarity. But Guy, no barstaff will object if you want to resurrect the practice - although the majority of foreign students working in London pubs probably won't understand the term 'and one for yourself'.

It's true that you don't tip for food in pubs, either, as you sort of do half the serving yourself. You go to the bar to order and pay (up front) - just as you always do with drinks - and they bring the food to you when it's ready. (You stand there and wait for the drinks).

'Some' pubs, generaly the ones that like to call themselves 'gastro pubs' now do proper table service. In this case, tip as you would in a restauarnt.

If service is included, it will clearly state this on the bill. If you're at all unsure, just say 'is service included'? It's typically 12.5%-15% in London, which is a bit cheeky really has traditionally we only ever used to tip 10%. If it's included, then don't leave a tip. If you want to leave cash on the table, you can ask for this service charge to be removed from the total bill. Just tell them you'd rather leave a cash tip.

If service isn't included, then most Brits would leave about 10%, either as cash, or by filling in the blank space on the credit card slip, or even, now technology has taken over, by keying in a tip into the little handheld machines the waitress will brandish before you to fill in your PIN number.

By law, you are perfectly within your rights to refuse to pay the service charge. So if you've had a horrilble time, you can ask for the service charge to be removed. Won't win you any friends, obviously.

Thanks, beagle, for the information. I had no qualms about downing pints as well, but sometimes idly wondered if I was broadcasting some sort of lush identity. Have fun, Guy. Have you been checking the weather? I just got back a few days ago from two weeks in England and Wales, and from what everyone told me, it was one the wettest Mays in memory. It rained practically every day - and I was on a walking tour! My waterproofs were my best friends. And I hiking shoes were _not_ the best choice in footwear - one really needs ankle-high boots to deal with the mud. Despite the rain, I had a great time - everything was really green and in bloom, and the wet weather really made me appreciate the hot tea with which I was greeted at every B&B I stayed at, as well as the pints I would drink later in the evening.

I've been checking the weather and it calls for sunshine :) . So where's YOUR trip report, Tracey?

I drink pints too Tracey. The sort of girls who only drink halves are the sort who can't walk in flat shoes, have a sulk if they have to carry their own suitcase and expect men to pay for everything ;-)

Hi Guy,
Call me stingy, but I never tip, except for exceptional out of this world service above and beyond what is expected by someone doing that job.
(so it's basically never)
They get paid for doing it.

I have a belief that before the minimum wage was introduced staff worked for a pittance and topped up the earnings with tips. The landlord knows this therefore consistantly maintained a low salary.

Now they have to pay over £5 (whatever the min wage is these days)so staff get paid. Of course they would always like a little more, but don't we all.

Where my daughter works as a weekend waitress, all the tips are pooled and shared at the end of the month. Many times she has received £5 or £10 tips for herself but has had to pool it. I don't know how common this practice is and it seems fair to the point that at least bar staff and the chef get a cut. But if she provides an exceptional service, it is because that is her job. Not having a personal tip doesn't make much difference to her. She is satisfied with a "thank you that was great"

So to answer your question, there may be a service charge, if not it's up to you. Just make sure the part on the card receipt that says 'tip' has a line through it and the total clearly written beneath or you may find yourself unknowingly tipping by credit card.

Muck

Minimum wage is just over a fiver - which is why I tip! If someone pulls a five hour shift and only gets 25 quid that doesn't seem like much to me.

But Wombat, it's pretty good money for a student or someone from Poland.


Muck

Also, one may also tip even if a service charge is included i.e. if the server goes beyond the call of duty.

Often at Claridge's fumoir, the barman will find me some chocolates at 1am, and I will leave a tip based upon 1GBP per chocolate in excess of a 12.5 per cent service charge.

Mucky--I'm afraid I have to agree with Wombat on this one. I don't really feel that it's my place to decide if the waiter needs the money or not. If he/she is a low-paid worker, I'm happy to tip, regarless of where he/she is in life. Otherwise, I should really be eating at home is the way I see it. Besides, not all waiters are students or guest workers.

As I said Guy, I am just tight.
Each to their own I guess.
;-)

Muck

For me, tipping for instance in the US, has got completely out of hand.

I've just returned from the US and what I saw was unbelievable. In one case I was asked if I wanted a dessert before I had even finished my main course, when I said no, I was then given the bill.

In another place, the waiter took the order, then another person came with the meal, and took the plates away, we never saw the waiter again until he came with the bill and expects 20%, for writing 2 x steaks, on a piece of paper.

Personally, I feel sorry for the chefs, for me they are the people who are actually providing the skill and they are paid cr@p.

So, where do you draw the line, do you tip the person sweeping the streets, working in a shop or driving the bus, because they are all poorly paid.

I've worked in bars as both bar staff and as a bouncer in Newcastle and have been paid the minimum wage. It was enough for me, I didn't expect tips and I never received any.

It makes me feel sick when I read on this forum 'you should have seen the smile on her face when I tipped her so much!'

In reality they're thinking what a
d!ckhead, he's got more money then sense.

Geordie

I'm with you Geordie.

Muck

Going back to Guy's question about types of beer: not so dark as Guinness, fruity, sweet. Not many places will do brown ale any more, but Newcastle Brown is worth a try, and you could give them the same information and ask for a suggestion (though in anything other than a serious old-fashioned and probably real ale pub, you'd be lucky to get well-informed advice). Otherwise, you'd be looking for places that serve some of those Belgian fruit-flavoured beeers.