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Originally Posted by Hooameye
(Post 16907616)
This is a reasonably accurate guide to tipping in the UK but it's only a guide:
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Travel...Etiquette.html You don't have to tip, you won't get chased down the road like some places in the US. You may find some hostility to this question as those of us that live here don't want tipping to escalate (and be expected) to the "crazy" amounts that are common in the US. |
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Rabbies the bus tours last I knew said in its brochures 'tipping is not required but to be honest our staffers love tips' or something like that obviously aimed at Americans. Yes everyone loves tips and may even work Americans for tips but take word of locals.
BTW - Oggsford was used in the Great Gatsby to mimic a working class pronunciation of Oxford. |
We know how the the term Oggsford came into being which in itself makes it offensive, but try using it in the UK or especially in/at Oxford and you'll be laughed out of town or treated like a leper during the medieval ages.
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Originally Posted by jc_uk
(Post 16908606)
Quite often the 12% added to the bill is optional meaning you don't have to pay it. I've asked for it to be removed on several occasions. Once because there was a large group of us, we had paid a substantial amount for a 'chef's table experience' yet the service was poor so I requested it to be removed and paid a more appropriate figure. Another time I've asked for it to be removed because the service was appalling and left no tip whatsoever (after all, a tip is for recognition of good service) and another time I requested it to be removed and gave the waitress a cash tip direct because the restaurant was one that was notorious for witholding a percentage of tips intended for staff.
Tipping is often a sore subject between Brits and Americans, with many Brits firmly convinced that the Americans have got it all wrong. Well to me, tipping seems pretty consistent in the US and there is a pretty common understanding/expectation between customer and wait staff. While some Americans may prefer it if customary tip percentages were less, it seems most are happy to tip well for good service. Many seem to think that someone who tips "too little" is the lowest form of life (down there with someone who steals from their grandmother or a child molester). But in the UK, many would tip 0, others a few coins, and still others around 10%. All over the place. Then almost overnight several years ago, you started seeing the 12% service charges all over London (less common outside of London and the more cosmopolitan suburbs). So the UK skipped the part about good service and went right to adding 12% to the bill. And then the many scandals regarding staff not receiving the service charge. Then there's the whole "living wage" flimflam. Seems that the UK might be able to learn something from the US tipping practices. In summary, generally Americans appreciate good service more and are willing to pay for it. Brits have very poor expectations for service and don't really want to pay for it, but regardless, now in 2019 we are "forced" to pay for it through ubiquitous "optional" service charges that sometimes don't even end up in the server's pocket! Instead of deriding the Americans for their tipping practices and the overall service model, we should look at ours with a critical eye. If you do, it's pretty easy to conclude that "tipping in Britain" is working about as well as Brexit is working. |
Excellent post.
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Suze - why top an old tipping thread just to stir things up again - isn't the other cat fight enough for you? |
Originally Posted by janisj
(Post 16950716)
Suze - why top an old tipping thread just to stir things up again - isn't the other cat fight enough for you? |
Originally Posted by walkinaround
(Post 16908988)
I only rejected the (now almost always present) circa 12% optional service charge one time in my life in the UK. The service was awful. It was a fairly well known place in central London. I was very polite and the manager became enraged that I was refusing the "optional" service charge. I had good reason to refuse it but if it's truly optional then there should not have to even be a reason. .
The duty manager of the restaurant where we had the 'Chef's Table' was a bit taken aback then I refused to pay the 'optional' service charge. I explained politely and calmly that it was an optional charge, we weren't obliged to pay that figure, if at all, and explained the reasons why we were leaving a lesser amount. I'm not sure whether it's training or they are not used to people challenging the service charge but she acknowledged my rationale. |
In any country, I always try to leave a tip. The amount of tip depends on the quality of service. I also pay attention to the cleanliness of the institution and the quality of the kitchen.
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